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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Joh_21:15-19
15So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?" 16He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My lambs." He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Shepherd My sheep." 17He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Tend My sheep. 18Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go." 19Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me!"
Joh_21:15 "Simon, son of John" Notice that Jesus did not call him "Simon Peter;" this man was anything but a rock!
There is a manuscript variant related to Simon's father's name.
1. John - cf8 i1, B, C*, D, L W
2. Jona - A, C2
3. omit - à *
The UBS4 gives option #1 a "B" rating (almost certain) following Joh_1:42 (P66, P72, à , B*, L, W).
▣ "love. . .love. . .love" There is an obvious threefold repetition which seems to relate to Peter's threefold denials in the courtyard of the High Priest (cf. Joh_18:17; Joh_18:25; Joh_18:27). There is a variety of parallels and contrasts throughout this section.
1. love (phileô) versus love (agapaô)
2. lambs versus sheep
3. know (ginoskô) versus know (oida)
There has been much discussion as to whether this refers to literary variety or if there is an intended contrast between these terms. John often uses variety, especially in this chapter (two terms for "children," "boat," and "fish"). There seems to be some distinction in this context between the Greek words agapaô and phileô, but this cannot be pushed because in Koine Greek they are synonymous (cf. Joh_3:35; Joh_5:20; Joh_11:3; Joh_11:5).
▣ "do you love Me more than these" The syntax is ambiguous as to the object of this question. Some assert that it refers to
1. fishing as a vocation
2. Peter's previous statements of loving Jesus more than the other disciples (cf. Mat_26:33; Mar_14:29 and Joh_13:37)
3. the first shall be servant of all (cf. Luk_9:46-48; Luk_22:24-27)
▣ "Tend My lambs" This is a present active imperative. All three of these statements are the same grammatical form (cf. Joh_21:16-17), but slightly different wording (shepherd My sheep and tend My sheep).
Joh_21:17 "Lord, you know all things" Peter is learning not to speak so fast. He expresses good theology (cf. Joh_2:25; Joh_6:61; Joh_6:64; Joh_13:11; Joh_16:30).
▣ "You know that I love You" There is a change in the Greek word for "know" between Joh_21:16 (oida) and Joh_21:17 (oida and ginoskô). The exact reason is uncertain and may simply involve variety.
Joh_21:18 "stretch out your hands" This may be a technical idiom used (1) in the early church and (2) in Greek literature for "crucifixion."
Joh_21:19 "signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God" Tradition asserts that Peter died by crucifixion in an upside-down position. In The Ecclesiastical History, Vol. Joh_3:1, Eusebius says, "Peter was believed to have preached in Pontius, Galatia, Bithynia, Cappadocia, and Asia unto the Jews of the Diaspora. Having gone to Rome he was crucified head down at his own request." See note at Joh_1:14.
▣ "Follow Me" This is a present active imperative, as is Joh_21:22. This is related to the renewal and reaffirmation of Peter's call to leadership (cf. Mat_4:19-20).