The Passage: John 21:15–17
The Passage: John 21:15–17
This passage features a conversation between Jesus and Peter in which Jesus asks Peter three times, “Do you love me?” Scholars have noted that two different Greek words for love appear in this exchange, which may be significant for interpreting Peter’s response.
The Key Greek Terms
1. ἀγαπάω (agapao):
• Usage by Jesus (Verses 15 and 16): In the first two questions, Jesus uses agapao. This word is generally understood to refer to a selfless, unconditional, and sacrificial love—the kind of love that is idealized or seen as the highest standard.
2. φιλέω (phileo):
• Usage by Peter (Verses 15 and 16): Peter responds both times using phileo, which expresses a warm, personal, and affectionate love—more like the love between friends.
• Usage by Jesus (Verse 17): In the third question, Jesus shifts and uses phileoinstead of agapao, the same word Peter has been using all along.
Why Might Peter Have Been Grieved?
The shift in language seems to be a crucial detail. Here are a few points to consider:
• Contrast of Ideals:
In the first two questions, Jesus’s use of agapao could be interpreted as asking for a kind of love that is pure, selfless, and ideal—an expectation that reflects the nature of divine love. Peter’s response in phileo indicates the genuine, but more human, love he feels—one that might not fully meet that higher standard.
• The Third Question’s Impact:
When Jesus uses phileo in the third question—the same word Peter has been using—it can be seen as Jesus meeting Peter on his own terms. However, this change also highlights for Peter the gap between the ideal of unconditional, sacrificial love (agapao) and the personal, perhaps less perfect, love (phileo) that he has been able to express. This awareness of his own limitations or inconsistency (especially in light of his previous denials) may be what causes him grief.
• A Mirror to the Denials:
Additionally, the threefold questioning mirrors Peter’s three denials of Jesus. The final question using phileo might feel like a direct confrontation with his earlier failure, emphasizing that while his love is genuine, it isn’t the flawless love that Jesus’s initial questioning implied.
Revised Summary
• Verses 15 & 16:
• Jesus asks with agapao (“Do you love me?”)
• Peter responds with phileo (“Yes, Lord, you know I love you.”)
• Verse 17:
• Jesus shifts to phileo (“Do you love me?”)
• Peter, still responding with phileo, becomes grieved.
• Jesus then restores Peter by instructing him to care for His followers (“Feed my sheep”).
Final Thoughts
This nuanced use of language underscores a key interpretive point: Jesus seems to be offering Peter a form of restoration that meets him where he is—acknowledging that while Peter’s love may not be the perfect, sacrificial love (as implied by agapao), it is still real and significant (phileo). At the same time, this shift may have struck Peter as a stark reminder of his past shortcomings and the gap between the ideal and his own nature, which is why he is grieved.
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