We Are Shepherds—Love Him (21:9-18)

We Are Shepherds—Love Him (21:9-18)

Jesus met His disciples on the beach where He had already prepared breakfast for them. The whole scene must have awakened Peter’s memory and aroused his conscience. He was remembering that first catch of fish (Luke 5:1-11) and maybe even the feeding of the five thousand with bread and fish (John 6). It was at the end of the latter that Peter had given his plain testimony of his faith in Jesus Christ (John 6:66–71). The fire of coals would surely remind him of the fire at which he had denied the Lord (John 18:18). It is well that we should recall the past; we may have something to confess.

In John’s gospel there are three major “invitations”: “Come and see” (John 1:39), “Come and drink” (John 7:37), and “Come and dine” (John 21:12). How loving of Jesus to feed Peter before He took care of his spiritual needs! He gave Peter an opportunity to dry off, to become warm, to satisfy his hunger, and to enjoy personal fellowship. Let's learn from this excellent example in caring for God's people. The spiritual is certainly more important than the physical, but caring for the physical can lead to spiritual ministry. Our Lord does not so magnify “the soul” as to overlook the body.

Peter had already met privately with his Lord and no doubt had taken care of Peter’s sins (Luke 24:34; 1 Cor. 15:5), but since Peter had denied the Lord publicly, it was important that there be a public restoration. Sin is to be treated only as far as it is known. Private sins should be privately confessed and public sins publicly. Peter had denied his Lord three times, and Jesus then asked him three personal questions. He also encouraged him by giving him a threefold commission, which restored Peter to his ministry.

The problem is Peter's love for the Lord Jesus, and that is a key problem with us today. But what did the Lord mean by "lovest thou me more than these"? Was He saying, “Do you love Me more than you love these other men?' This was never a problem among the disciples. They all loved the Lord Jesus above all things, but they did not always obey Him perfectly. Perhaps Jesus was saying, 'Do you love Me more than these boats and nets and fish?' Again, this scenario is unlikely, since there is no evidence that Peter ever wanted to go back to the fishing business permanently. Fishing didn't seem to have anything to do with the Savior's love.

The question was probably asking, 'Do you love me—as you said—more than these other disciples love me?' Peter had claimed that he loved Christ and had even claimed that he loved Him more than the other men did.
I will give up my life for thee. (John 13:37). "Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended." (Matt. 26:33). There is more than a hint in these boastful utterances of Peter's belief that he loved the Lord more than did the other disciples.

In this Bible passage, many commentators note the use of two different words for “love.” When our Lord asked His questions in John 21:15-16, He used the word "agape," which is the Greek term for the highest kind of love—sacrificial love, divine love. Peter always used "phileo," which refers to the love of a friend for a friend, a fondness for another person. Both Jesus and Peter used the word "phileo" in John 21:17.

But we should not overemphasize this distinction, since the two words are often used interchangeably in the Gospel of John. God's love for man is agape love in John 3:16, but it is phileo love in John 16:27. The Father loves His Son with agape love in John 3:35 and phileo love in John 5:20. Christians should love one another. In John 13:34, this love is agape love, but in John 15:19, it is phileo love. So John would seem to have employed these two words as synonyms, whatever subtle distinctions might have existed between them.

Two other things are worth remembering: we should not be too hard on Peter. In response to the first two questions, Peter affirmed his agape love by saying, “Yes, Lord!” Peter’s use of phileo indicated his full agreement with the Lord’s use of agape. Secondly, Peter and Jesus spoke Aramaic, of course, but the Holy Spirit transcribed the conversation in common Greek. In this case, it is unwise to press the Greek too far.

Peter, with his faults and failings, truly loved the Lord and was not ashamed to say so. The other men were certainly listening to Peter and benefiting from the conversation, for they too had failed the Lord after boasting of their devotion. Peter had already confessed his sin and been forgiven. Now he was being restored to the apostleship and to leadership.

But the image is transformed from that of the fisherman to that of the shepherd. Peter was to be both an evangelist (catching the fish) and pastor (shepherding the flock). Separating these two is a shame because they should go together. Pastors should evangelize (2 Tim. 4:5) and then shepherd the people they have won so that they mature in the Lord.

Jesus gave three admonitions to Peter: “Feed My lambs,” “Shepherd/Tend My sheep,” and “Feed My sheep.” Feeding and leading are the shepherd's jobs for both lambs and mature sheep. What a wonderful responsibility to be a shepherd of God’s flock (1 Peter 5:2)! There are enemies who would destroy the flock, and the shepherd must be alert and courageous. (Acts 20:28-35) Sheep are naturally ignorant and defenseless, and they need the shepherd's protection and guidance.

The Holy Spirit does give men to churches to be pastors and equips them for that role (Eph. 4:11ff.), but it is also true that every Christian must help care for the flock. We all were gifted or given gifts from the Lord, and we should use what He has given us to help protect and perfect the flock. Sheep have a tendency to wander, and we must look after each other and support each other.
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Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11), the Great Shepherd (Heb. 13:20, 21), and the Chief Shepherd (1 Pet. 5:4). Pastors are “under-shepherds” and must obey Him in their care of the flock. The first and most important thing a pastor can do is love Jesus Christ. If the pastor truly loves Jesus Christ, he will love His sheep and will care for them tenderly. The Greek word for “sheep” at the end of John 21:17 is a term of endearment, meaning “dear sheep.” His sheep are precious to our Lord, and He wants His ministers to love them and to attend to them personally and lovingly. (Ezek. 34 shows God’s indictment of unfaithful shepherds, the leaders of Judah.) A pastor who loves the flock will faithfully serve it, regardless of what it may cost.