John 21:16-17

John 21:16-17

[16] He saith  to him  again  the second time,  Simon,  lovest thou  He saith  unto him,  Yea,  Lord;  thou  knowest  that  I love  He saith  unto him,  Feed  sheep.  [17] He saith  unto him  the third  time, Simon,  lovest  Peter  was grieved  because  he said  unto him  the third  time, Lovest  And  he said  unto him,  Lord,  thou  knowest  all things;  thou  knowest  that  I love  Jesus  saith  unto him,  Feed  sheep. 

What does John 21:16-17 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Jesus proceeded to ask Peter essentially the same question two more times. Peter gave virtually the same answer each time. Peter felt grief after Jesus" third question because Jesus asked the same question a third time, which is the reason for Peter"s grief that the text gives, not the use of His word for "love." Some commentators suggested that Peter was grieved too because this time Jesus used the word for love that Peter had used (Gr. philo). Morris noted that the original conversation between Jesus and Peter probably took place in Aramaic, so when John translated what they said into Greek he may have been using synonyms for variety rather than to express nuances of difference. [1]
Jesus probably intended that Peter"s threefold profession of love would correspond to, and in a sense counteract, his former threefold denial. Peter had denied his Lord in the presence of witnesses near a charcoal fire three times ( John 18:17; John 18:25; John 18:27). Now he affirmed his love for his Lord in the presence of witnesses near a charcoal fire three times. The Great Physician was restoring Peter"s soul.
"There can be little doubt but that the whole scene is meant to show us Peter as completely restored to his position of leadership.... It is further worth noting that the one thing about which Jesus questioned Peter prior to commissioning him to tend the flock was love. This is the basic qualification for Christian service. Other qualities may be desirable, but love is completely indispensable (cf. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3)." [2]
Some failures in ministry may bar a believer from serving the Lord in particular ways from then on (cf. 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-16). Other failures may only require temporary suspension from service until restoration is complete (cf. Acts 15:38; 2 Timothy 4:11). However regardless of one"s failures he or she can always serve the Lord in some capacity (cf. 2 Timothy 2:20-21).
Peter had learned not to make rash professions of great love. Therefore he did not compare his love for Jesus to the love of the other disciples as he had done before. He simply appealed to Jesus" knowledge of his heart.
Throughout this interchange Jesus consistently referred to the sheep as His sheep, not Peter"s sheep. Moreover Jesus described Peter"s ministry in terms of Acts , not in terms of an office. Later Peter wrote to elders urging them to apply these same viewpoints to their pastoral ministry ( 1 Peter 5:1-4). [3]
Some Roman Catholic scholars have used this passage to support their view that Peter was the first pope. Some of them do this mainly because in the Old Testament the shepherd was a figure for a kingly ruler (e.g, 2 Samuel 5:2). However other New Testament revelation does not exalt Peter to a place of authoritative rule over other under-shepherds ( Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:1-4). Matthew 16:13-20 establishes Peter"s role in the founding of the church, but it does not assign him the role of ruling over the other apostles.