Feeding The challenge
to Peter, his ultimate restoration and commission to leadership. This restoration to leadership was done in
the presence of the other disciples. The
others would get to know, and when we read the book of the Acts we see they
recognised this. But first Peter must
learn the deep issues involved.
15-17 “So when they had dined, Jesus saith
to Simon Peter, Simon son of Jonas lovest thou me more than these? He saith
unto Him, yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon son
of Jonas lovest thou me? He saith unto Him,
yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee. He
saith unto him, feed my sheep. He saith
unto him the third time, Simon son of Jonas lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because He said unto him the
third time lovest thou me? And he said
unto him, Lord thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee; Jesus
said to him feed my sheep.”
We take note of the many wonderful things that
are here:
· Jesus addressed Peter by his old name, Simon
son of Jonas. He was reminding him of
the propensity in all of us to revert to the old nature, and live as we did in
unconverted days. Oftentimes, Jacob who
had his name changed to Israel was referred to as Jacob, the deceitful man, the
man who manipulated his way through life.
Jesus indicates here that his reversion to fishing, which he had left to
serve Christ was a backward step to the old ways of self-determination rather
than waiting on the Lord.
· This may have been in the mind of the Lord when
He said “lovest thou me more than these?”
Do you love fishing more than you love me? It is a relevant question for all of us. He had been called from the lucrative trade
of fishing to highest service, and now had, temporarily lapsed back, due to
inactivity, which did not suit Peter’s nature.
It is a relevant question, what is priority in my life, my business or
the Lord? This goes to where the heart
is-remember that Jesus taught them that where their treasure is there will the
heart be. Peter’s actions revealed where
his heart was, and the Lord digs very deep.
Paul could say that to follow Christ, he had suffered the loss of all
things; Peter the same-we have left all to follow thee. Yet the Lord poses the question, as if to
say, very quickly, Peter, you have had a hankering after the old life, where is
your heart really? Peter appeals to
Jesus supreme knowledge, thou knowest that I love thee. OK, then said Jesus, the evidence that you
love me will be that you will feed my lambs.
His role is now not to be engaged in his own business, using his own
expertise, but to be engaged in the work of providing food for the lambs, for
the young members of the flock of God who need feeding. Some have asked, why does the Lord mention
the lambs before the sheep? It has been
said by those who tend sheep that if you have contented lambs, you have a
contented flock. Interesting observation
and it is also true with the people of God.
Provision of fresh, healthy pasture is important, especially where the
young in the faith are concerned.
· Jesus asks for the second time, do you love me
Peter? This time he deepens the meaning
of love, using the Greek word agape. Previously
He had used phileo which is brotherly love. Now He asks, do you really love me Peter,
would you really give up everything for me, would you even sacrifice yourself
for me in a kind of love that knows no limits, Peter do you love me like
that? He replies in the positive, but uses
phileo in reply; this is best translated, Yes Lord you know that I am very fond
of you, and you are a big part of my life, I may not go as far as you suggest
but I do love you in a brotherly kind of way.
Jesus says “Feed my sheep”-the word is more than feed, it is tend to
every need of the mature sheep. Now says
Jesus, love to me will involve tending to the sheep. The word for tend is pomaino which
involves more than feeding and refers to the whole work of shepherding, tending
to every need. This is a comprehensive
word, translated feed 7 times, rule 4 times.
The work of the shepherd is many sided, and involves the whole range of
needs; This is summed up in 1st Thessalonians 5v14-“…warn the
unruly, comfort the feeble minded, support the weak, be patient unto all.” Peter, himself, who became an elder,
encouraged fellow elders to “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking
the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly, not for filthy lucre
(ungodly gain) but of a ready mind”-1st Peter 5v2. Only sacrificial love for the Lord will
enable a man to fulfil this work, and it will take every strength you can
muster. Only love beyond even brotherly
love will enable you for this.
· Jesus said to him for the third time, do you
love me? This time Jesus changed the
word love back to phileo-ordinary brotherly love. Peter was grieved-greatly upset, that He asked him a third time, and reduced the level
of love. Jesus had touched a raw
nerve. Three times Peter had denied Him,
now three times Jesus challenged his love for Him. We need to understand our weakness, we need
to be aware of our imperfection as we serve Him. Perhaps he was grieved because He downgraded
the word love, and Peter made no claim to the greater. In the presence of one who knew all things,
who knew him inside out, who knew him better than he knew himself, Peter
settled for the lesser brotherly love.
Jesus said, therefore feed my sheep, provide spiritual food for them to
keep them. Don’t just say you love me,
provide for my sheep!
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