Do you love me…..more than these?
John 21:15
Without taking the time to walk through the fullness of this scene, I’d like to focus on the question Jesus asks Peter after he (and others) have decided to return to fishing.
I believe this encounter once again shows the Father’s willing heart to prepare us for every season we must walk into and through. Peter here is facing a spiritual crisis of calling. Scripture says - at the crossroads we find wisdom crying out and showing the right way. It is narrow. It is hard. It is inconvenient. It is unknown (for the most part). BUT JESUS is here to help Peter settle some issues.
The word for love that Jesus uses in this first question is the Greek word agape. I’m sure we are all familiar with the variations Greek gives for ‘love’ but let me emphasis that agape is a self sacrificial love expressed for the well being of another. This is the love God has. Peters reply was his love for Jesus was affection ~ phileo to be distinguished from agapao in this, that phileo more nearly represents tender affection.
Jesus’ question is comparative. As the abundance of the provision of the miraculous catch of fish lays before him, Jesus asks, do you love me more than these? “These” are the matters not of physical fish, but what the fish yield. Heart issues of control, security, provision that the abundance of fish might bring Peter.
The apparent contradiction is that Peter fished all night, in his own strength, and caught nothing. Jesus appears and in one declaration the catch is so large the boat is overflowing. Now the question, Do you love me more than these. So much is revealed in the examination of this provision.
Peter is faced really with two questions here; what do you love and who do you love?
Questions each of us must answer. What do we hold in our hearts that we are willing to sacrificially give our lives for? Our spouses? Our children? Our parents? Others? Agape is willing. Agape is willing sacrifice; not only from a sense of duty, but delight. Religion can be so insidious that the potential for rote performance removes any sense of heartfelt delight in our serving.
This is the other factor that keeps coming to me by the Holy Spirit. Obedience is required, willingness is desired (not considered optional). It is the will that is sovereign to man. It is man’s will that God will not violate.
The question remains. Do you love me more than these? The examination of life reveals what we love and willingly sacrifice for. We can examine our days. Not just the intent of our hearts, but the reality of our giving, whether in duty or in delight. Sometimes we just have trouble sharing our fries.
Jesus reminds us the love we are called into is a love that steps into family, into humanity, and loves ‘even as’. We give ourselves up for the well being of another. If we set our affections on things above and yield to the workings of God we can find ourselves like Jesus, enduring our cross. For the joy set before us, we can delight to do His will.
You will notice the end of the conversation did not change Peters calling but rather searched the heart of a man to reveal the one thing that was lacking to help him move along.