[Jesus and Peter]
[15] When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs." [16] He said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep." [17] He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." 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."
[Jesus and the Beloved Apostle]
[20] Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, "Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?" [21] When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?" [22] Jesus said to him, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!" [23] So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?"
[24] This is the disciple who is bearing witness about these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his testimony is true.
[25] Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.
(John 21:15-25 ESV)
We come to the final paragraph of the gospel. Appropriately it stakes out the path for those who, having become convinced that Jesus is indeed 'the Christ, the Son of God', now wish to commit [John, Page 316] themselves to 'believe' in him (20:31). Jesus takes us back to an image of the Christian life which surfaced in the very first chapter where Andrew and an unnamed disciple of John the Baptist are directed to Jesus by John, and so 'they followed [him]' (1:37). Later Jesus finds Philip and says to him, 'Follow me' (1:43).
Now, as the gospel closes, Jesus instructs the leader of the new disciple community, Follow me! (19) … You must follow me! (22). The words echo the terms in which Peter himself had been called by Jesus at the first: 'Come, follow me,… and I will make you fishers of men' (Mk. 1:17), and the setting, as we have suggested, may indeed have been the same stretch of shore.
So, as Jesus brings the disciples back to where it all began, seeing it now through eyes which have been opened by the experience of the years with Jesus and above all by his death and resurrection, he calls them to reaffirm that first commitment, and then go on with him in the power of the coming gift of the Holy Spirit for the remainder of their earthly pilgrimage.
Five things are implied in following Jesus then and today.
a. A barrier to be removed (21:15–17)
The breakfast on the beach leads to a confrontation with Peter, though one to which the others are apparently party. The public nature of the conversation is important, for part of what Jesus is doing here is to reinstate Peter after the public disgrace of his denials. Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these? (15). Note that Jesus does not address him as Peter, the rock, for he had failed to live up to that name. Jesus is facing Peter with his own limitations so that he might entrust himself in a new way to Christ's leadership. Simon on his own will always be Simon. He has no capacity to rise beyond that. But Simon trusting in Jesus is Peter-the-rock, from whose witness and leadership the church will receive its earliest foundation.
The question has been raised: what does more than these refer to? Almost certainly Jesus is noting the other disciples gathered around. Peter's boast had been, 'Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will' (Mt. 26:33). In replying now, however, he significantly makes no reference to what he can or cannot do; he is thrown back on Christ and Christ's knowledge of him, Yes, Lord,… you know that I love you (15). The question is asked twice more: do you truly love me? (16), do you love me? (17). Each time Jesus commissions Peter with respect to ministry in the church.
The word used for 'love', both in Jesus' questions, and in Peter's answers, switches between agapaoœ and phileoœ. This accounts for [John, Page 317] the distinction in the NIV translation between truly love (rendering agapaoœ), and love (rendering phileoœ). Attempts to identify subtle distinctions between the two verbs fail to carry conviction. John has a habit through his gospel of using pairs of terms interchangeably, and, for example, in this very passage he has two different Greek words for take care of and feed (16–17), for lambs and sheep (15–16), and for know (17), both of which NIV, in common with other versions, renders know. The lambs/sheep distinction may have some significance, but it is difficult to see what points can be made from the others. Classical studies have shown that the two Greek verbs for love were used fairly interchangeably in most contexts. The likelihood that no major distinctions are intended is rendered the more credible by the lack of a clear consensus among those who want to make a distinction. It is probably therefore wiser to see this as a Johannine stylistic feature rather than as the basis of a major exegetical truth.
The true significance of the incident lies in Peter's being confronted with the last occasion on which he had warmed himself at a charcoal fire (9; cf. 18:18), and being called to undo his denials with these three public reaffirmations of his love and loyalty to Jesus. Until that has been done Peter is not ready to be a follower of Jesus; the barrier of failure and sin has not been removed.
Behind the specifics of Peter's situation lies a principle of universal application. Before Jesus can be followed and served, the sin in our lives has to be addressed. Jesus is insistent on this, even to the point of Peter's being hurt (17), and probably also embarrassed on account of the public forum of Jesus' insistence on full repentance. 'Without holiness no-one will see the Lord' (Heb. 12:14).
Peter did not forget this principle when he proclaimed the gospel to others. 'What shall we do?'…'Repent and be baptised, every one of you,… for the forgiveness of your sins' (Acts 2:37–38). A relationship with Jesus begins when, in his presence, we face up to all that grieves and contradicts God's holy will in our lives, whatever this may cost us.
This principle applies in a special way at the beginning of Christian life; but it is continually applicable. As Peter discovered, and as Paul was to find later (cf. 1 Tim. 1:12–16), no matter how desperate our failure, or how deep-seated our shame, he can forgive and renew us and then use us in his service. Failure is never final with God. 'You ask me what forgiveness means; it is the wonder of being trusted again by God in the place where I disgraced him' (Rita Snowden).
[John, Page 318]
b. A responsibility to be accepted
The experience of being forgiven clears the way for serving Jesus. Peter restored is Peter recommissioned. Jesus' concern here is not just for Peter's welfare and self-confidence; he is also genuinely concerned for his fledgling church. So Peter is directed to his work: Feed my lambs, Take care of my sheep, Feed my sheep (15–17). Following Jesus and loving Jesus mean accepting responsibility for Jesus' people, a truth which is in need of rehabilitation at the present time. Commitment to Christ involves commitment to the church of Christ. Jesus Christ is not a 'single' person in the sense that he comes to us without other attachment. He is a 'married' person; he comes to us with a bride, whom he loves and for whom he sacrificed himself (Eph. 5:25). To be in relationship to Christ while ignoring or even despising his bride is no more acceptable than such behaviour would be in human contexts when relating to a married friend; far less so, because the relationship with Jesus has infinitely greater dimensions. Genuine New Testament conversion means not only turning to and accepting Christ. It also means turning to and accepting his bride, the church. Jesus' love for his church remains undiminished even though the church be torn, illclad, dirty in places, and generally malnourished and diseased. The church is still his bride, the people for whom he died, and who are therefore the burden of his concern. So he speaks his word today to those who will hear it: Feed my lambs, Take care of my sheep, Feed my sheep.
c. A cross to be carried
Peter, having accepted his commission, is immediately confronted with its cost (18–19) as Jesus prophetically prepares him for his eventual martyrdom. He will serve into old age and in the end die with hands outstretched, a euphemism for crucifixion. The details are not known with certainty, but there is fairly reliable tradition that Peter followed his Lord in the form of his death, probably in Rome under the Emperor Nero in the early sixties of the first century. This literal 'carrying' of the cross would be preceded by an experience in which Peter's self-will would be thwarted as he is led where he does not want to go (18).
This principle applies all the way along the path 'following Jesus'. The road of discipleship is the road of the cross, as Jesus had earlier made clear. 'The man who hates [i.e. views as secondary] his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me' (12:25–26; Mk. 8:34–35). The Christian life is in this sense a 'continual mortification' (Calvin), in which, daily and in a [John, Page 319] thousand ways, we die to self-will and do the will of the Lord. 'Not I, but Christ' (see Gal. 2:20) is the essence of the Christian walk. This is negative in form, inevitably so because our hearts are naturally inclined to rebellion. But, in experience, it is the most positive of lifestyles, for death for Christ is the door to living with Christ. As with Jesus, crucifixion leads to resurrection, death to life. Peter, and we with him, by dying bring glory to God (19).
d. A partnership to be maintained
Having received the Lord's recommission and an insight into his own future, Peter, seeing the disciple whom Jesus loved close behind, asks concerning his future ministry, Lord, what about him? (21). Jesus rebukes Peter over this. What is that to you? (22) really means 'Mind your own business!' Peter, having got 'in the know' about his own future, now wants to use the privileged position he has obtained with the Lord to find out about others.
It is so very human, but, as Jesus indicates, also so very wrong. The personal relationship between the Lord and individual Christians, including issues like the future form and sphere of their service, the degree of their obedience, or the quality of their contribution, is 'holy ground', sacred to the individuals concerned. We may not walk there unless with express invitation or clear obligation, and even then only with the greatest sensitivity and reserve. The ministries of Peter and John would be different. Peter would be the shepherd, John the seer; Peter the preacher, John the penman; Peter the foundational witness, John the faithful writer; Peter would die in the agony and passion of martyrdom, John would live on to great age and pass away in quiet serenity.
Peter is faced here, as we all are, with the fact of partnership in following Jesus. There are many others on the road with us, as truly Christ's, as surely commissioned, as deeply loved, as greatly valued. Their calling and gifts may be different; their instincts, and even their convictions in certain matters, may not coincide with our own; but we can thank God for them and at times be inspired and challenged by their example. In the end, however, our focus must remain on Jesus himself. 'Keep following me.' Jesus alone is our Master; to him we belong, to him we must give account; we are to live 'looking unto Jesus' (Heb. 12:2, AV).
e. A destination to be attained
In these concluding verses of the gospel, Jesus articulates the full terms of the Christian's hope for the future by referring to his 'return' (22–23). One of the marked features of the teaching of [John, Page 320] Jesus as John records it is the stress upon the presence of the kingdom of God in the here and now. Now, by faith in Jesus Christ, we enter the kingdom, now we receive eternal life, now we escape from the world, now we pass from darkness into light. The eschatology is realized in the present. But that does not exhaust the Christian's hope. 'A time is coming … when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God … a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out' (5:25, 28–29); 'I will come back and take you to be with me' (14:3). In harmony with the other New Testament writers, John reflects the conviction that Jesus will return in tangible majesty at the end of this age, to complete his work, to judge all people and to inaugurate the everlasting age of glory. The King is coming, and that crowning encounter is the ultimate destination of the Christian disciple and the pilgrim people of God.
Jesus' comment on John's future provoked controversy among the brothers, as reflected in verse 23. John is careful to underline that Jesus spoke hypothetically only to deflect Peter's mistaken inquisitiveness. The Lord did not commit himself categorically to return within the lifetime of John.
The trustworthiness of the evangelist's witness is then affirmed (24). Who are the we who pronounce this accreditation? Conceivably this is a testimonial by the elders of the church in Ephesus where John was resident. Alternatively, and perhaps preferably, it is an editorial we on the part of the author himself, rather as he had expressed himself at the beginning of the gospel: 'we have seen his glory'. If so, it forms a fitting conclusion.
The glory of Jesus Christ, which has been unveiled chapter by chapter through the gospel, finally points us forward to our ultimate destination, when he returns and the glories discerned by faith will be replaced by the glories opened to sight. Until then we 'follow him'.
The earliest reference to this image in the gospel beautifully blends these two perspectives. Like the disciples (1:37), we follow him until that moment, whether before or after our earthly death, when he will 'turn round' and look at us, and we will see him face to face. We will ask him where he is staying, and he will take us there, in fulfilment of his great prayer, 'I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory' (17:24).
But that will not be the end of our journey. For, as John's last words underline, there is no limit to the greatness of Jesus Christ. He has done many other things as well (25), not only during these few brief years among us, but as the pre-incarnate Word through whom all things were made (1:3), as the upholding Word who sustains the life of the universe (1:3), and as the everlasting centre [John, Page 321] of all the redeeming purposes of God. He is literally infinite, and hence no conceivable library in earth or heaven can adequately or fully 'tell the story' of Jesus Christ (25). So in eternity our exploration will go on in ways at present beyond our imagining as we discover more and yet more of 'the unsearchable riches' of Christ.
The stars shine over the earth,
The stars shine over the sea,
The stars look up to the Mighty God,
The stars look down on me;
The stars will live for a million years,
For a million years and a day!
But Christ and I shall live and love
When the stars have passed away.
Anon.
But although no book can ever tell it all, we thank God for the book that John wrote, more than nineteen hundred years ago, which we can take in our hands today. By reading it we begin to see 'the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father' (1:14).
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