Love and affection

In John 21, Jesus has a very moving encounter with Peter, in the course of which he asks him 3 times whether he loves him. Three times Peter says yes. The three questions mirror the three times Peter denied that he was a follower of Jesus, on the night of his arrest. Jesus is offering Peter a new start, despite his abject failure. That's the main point of the story, and that's why John records it.

But there is something else going on here too, something which tends to be masked by English translations of the passage. In Greek (the language in which the text was first written) there are several words which can be translated as 'love'. One is agape, another is philia. In the Greek text, Jesus first asks Peter about his commitment using 'agape'. Peter replies using 'philia'. Second time round, the same thing happens: agape ... philia. When Jesus asks the third time he uses the word 'philia' and Peter responds in the same way.

Agape? Philia. Agape? Philia. Philia? Philia.

Now there are no hard and fast definitions of these Greek words - they can be used interchangeably. And Jesus probably didn't speak Greek, so the distinction may be one that John makes as he tells the story.

But why does he tell it in this way?

It does seem as if Jesus is asking Peter for a level of commitment which (at this point) Peter can't honestly offer. And the key word is 'honestly' - there is a reality and realism about Peter which wasn't there when he claimed he would follow Jesus anywhere, even to death (John 13:37). He's been humbled, even humiliated. And something has changed.

What does Jesus do? He accepts what Peter can offer - and commissions him to lead the church!

Jesus is not interested in grand claims or bold intentions, he wants our honest devotion, flowing from who we truly are.