Simon, son of John, do you agape-LOVE me

[tonychanyt]

In this OP, I assume John was inspired to write in Greek. G25-agape-love was often used as the noble and high kind of love, particularly in the NT. G5368-phileo was, more specifically, a brotherly kind of love.

After the resurrection, Jesus prepared a breakfast of fish on a shore for his disciples in John 21:

15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love [agape] me more than these?”

In this context, Jesus asked Peter if he loved him nobly or if he just loved him highly, like he loved eating the fish.

He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love [phileo] you.”

Peter denied knowing Jesus three times. He knew he had failed to agape-loved him nobly or highly to the standard Jesus meant. So Peter replied he phileo-loved Jesus with a brotherly love.

He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love [agape] me?”

Jesus wanted to reinforce his point. He asked Peter again about agape-love.

He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love [phileo] you.”

Once again, Peter answered with phileo-love.

He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love [phileo] me?”

This time, Jesus lowered the standard and used the same word phileo-love that Peter had been using.

Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love [phileo] me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love [phileo] you.”

Peter was sad because he already told Jesus twice that he phileo-loved him. Still, Jesus had to ask him.

Before Jesus was arrested, Peter proudly told Jesus he would rather die than deny him. Now he had learned his lesson, he was more humble. He did not proudly announce that he agape-loved Jesus. He humbly admitted that he phileo-loved Jesus. Ironically, this was evidence that he would agape-love Jesus:

Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”

Peter would follow Jesus to death.