John 21:15

“So when they had dined, etc.] The Persic version adds, Jesus turned his face to Simon Peter; he did not interrupt them whilst they were eating; but when they had comfortably refreshed themselves, he looked at Peter, and singled him out from the rest, and directed his discourse to him; and saith unto Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas; not John, as the Vulgate Latin, and Nonnus, and some copies read; for this answers not to the Hebrew word Jochanan, but Jonah, the same name with the prophet. Some have observed, that Christ spoke to him particularly by his original name, and not by that which he himself had given him, with a view to his strong faith, as Cephas, or Peter; but it should be known…”

“when they had dined, Jesus saith--Silence appears to have reigned during the meal; unbroken on His part, that by their mute observation of Him they might have their assurance of His identity the more confirmed; and on theirs, from reverential shrinking to speak till He did. Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?--referring lovingly to those sad words of Peter, shortly before denying his Lord, "Though all men shall be offended because of Thee, yet will I never be offended" (Mat 26:33), and intending by this allusion to bring the whole scene vividly before his mind and put him to shame. Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee--He adds not, "more than these," but prefixes a…”

“Lovest thou me more than these? - There is a slight ambiguity here in the original, as there is in our translation. The word these may be in the neuter gender, and refer to these things his boat, his fishing utensils, and his employments; or it may be in the masculine, and refer to the apostles. In the former sense it would mean, “Lovest thou me more than thou lovest these objects? Art thou now willing, from love to me, to forsake all these, and go and preach my gospel to the nations of the earth?” In the other sense, which is probably the true sense, it would mean, “Lovest thou me more than these other apostles love me?” In this question Jesus refers to the profession of superior attachment…”

“Simon, son of Jonah - The appellation Christ had given him, when be made that glorious confession, Mat 16:16, the remembrance of which might make him more deeply sensible of his late denial of him whom he had so confessed. Lovest thou me? - Thrice our Lord asks him, who had denied him thrice: more than these - Thy fellow disciples do? - Peter thought so once, Mat 26:33, but he now answers only - I love thee, without adding more than these. Thou knowest - He had now learnt by sad experience that Jesus knew his heart. My lambs - The weakest and tenderest of the flock. John 21:17”

“21:15-17 do you love me? The three questions and affirmations mirror Peter’s three denials (18:15-18, 25-27). Jesus invited Peter to reaffirm everything he had denied. • The Greek term translated love in Jesus’ first two questions (agapaō) is different from the word in his third question (phileō). In each case, Peter answered with the second word (phileō). Most Greek scholars view the two words as synonyms in this situation. The focus of Jesus’ exchange with Peter was not the quality of Peter’s love, but Peter’s commission to take care of Jesus’ flock. Peter might be meditating on these events in 1 Pet 5:2-4. 21:15 more than these? Or more than these others do? Jesus was reminding Peter of…”

“son: Joh 21:16, Joh 21:17, Joh 1:42, Jona, Mat 16:17, Bar-jona lovest: Joh 8:42, Joh 14:15-24, Joh 16:27; Mat 10:37, Mat 25:34-45; Co1 16:21, Co1 16:22; Co2 5:14, Co2 5:15; Gal 5:6; Eph 6:24; Pe1 1:8; Jo1 4:19, Jo1 5:1 more: Joh 21:7; Mat 26:33, Mat 26:35; Mar 14:29 thou knowest: Joh 21:17; Sa2 7:20; Kg2 20:3; Heb 4:13; Rev 2:23 Feed: Psa 78:70-72; Jer 3:15, Jer 23:4; Eze 34:2-10, Eze 34:23; Act 20:28; Ti1 4:15, Ti1 4:16; Heb 13:20; Pe1 2:25, Pe1 5:1-4 lambs: Gen 33:13; Isa 40:11; Mat 18:10, Mat 18:11; Luk 22:32; Rom 14:1, Rom 15:1; Co1 3:1-3, Co1 8:11; Eph 4:14; Heb 12:12, Heb 12:13; Pe1 2:2 John 21:16”