When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” [John 21:15 (ESV)]
Following His resurrection, Jesus remained on earth for forty days during which He was seen by His family, disciples, and followers (more than 500 of them at one time). The time frame of Jesus’ appearances, however, is unclear. Some time after He appeared to the disciples Resurrection Sunday and again eight days later when Thomas was present, Peter told the others he was going fishing. The disciple wasn’t referring to an afternoon of sport fishing—Peter was going back to fishing for species like tilapia and sardines rather than men. The kingdom had not arrived and, unsure of what was next, the disciples were at loose ends. Leaving Jerusalem, Peter and at least six others went to back to their homes and livelihoods in Galilee.
Fishing on the Sea of Galilee was done at night so the fish wouldn’t see the nets. Although the disciples cast their nets several times that night, nothing was caught. As dawn approached and the men again pulled in an empty net, a man on shore called out and told them to cast the net from the other side. Whether it was the morning mist, low light, or sweat in their eyes, the men didn’t recognize the stranger. Nevertheless, after a fruitless night on the water, the discouraged disciples did as instructed. When their net got so full they couldn’t haul it in, John realized the man was Jesus! After all, this wasn’t the first time He’d filled their nets. That first time, the men left everything to follow Jesus to become “fishers of men” and this miracle repeated Jesus’ call to them.
Upon recognizing Jesus, Peter immediately jumped out of the boat to greet Him while the others brought their enormous catch into shore. After enjoying breakfast on the beach, Jesus asked Peter if the disciple loved Him “more than these.” He asked Peter that question three times and scholars and theologians have written hundreds of treatises about His questions and Peter’s answers. They discuss the relationship of Jesus’ three questions to the disciple’s three denials and ponder the significance of Jesus calling the disciple by his old name of Simon rather than Peter. They analyze the use of agape (sacrificial love) and phileo (brotherly love) in both questions and answers while some even try to find hidden meaning in the number of fish caught (153). I’ll leave those issues to them.
My attention was caught by Jesus’ first question to the man who would be the foundational “rock” of the new church: “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Although Peter asserts that he loves Jesus after each question, who or what are the “these” to which Jesus referred?
Was Jesus asking Peter if the disciple loved Jesus more than any of the other men did? That last night, when Jesus predicted He’d be betrayed and deserted before night’s end, Peter seemed to think he loved Jesus the most. The cocky man even boasted that, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I never will.” Was the one who denied the Lord three times that night still so sure of himself?
Could “these” have been the other disciples? Was Jesus asking Peter whether he loved Him more than he loved his brother Andrew and the rest of the men gathered on the beach? Could his love for those men ever draw him away from following Jesus? If he had to decide between Jesus and family or friends like James and John, who would he choose?
Or, could “these” have referred to the boat, nets, and amazing catch of fish on the beach that morning? In Jesus’ day, the fishing industry was quite profitable and the day’s catch represented a great deal of money. Did the disciple love Jesus more than his life as a Galilean fisherman? Was Jesus asking Peter if he loved the Lord more than the world in which he lived?
It was after Peter’s third affirmation of his love for Jesus that the Lord predicted Peter’s violent death. By describing Peter with his hands stretched out while others girded or bound him and took him where he didn’t want to go, the Lord was describing a martyr’s death, likely crucifixion. After making clear the true price Peter would pay, Jesus repeated the words He’d spoken to Simon the fisherman three years prior: “Follow me!”
Indeed, for Simon the fisherman to become Peter the apostle and leader of the twelve, he had to love Jesus more than any of the other disciples did, had to love Jesus more than he loved his friends and family, and had to love Jesus more than his life as a Galilean fisherman. In fact, since he knew how it would end, Peter had to love Jesus more than his own life!
Repeating the call He made to Peter, Jesus tells us, “Follow me.” Peter did; will we? Do we love Him more than these?
Devotions of the Heart 