John 21:15

Simon, son of Jonah — The appellation Christ had given him, when be made that glorious confession, Matthew 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, Matthew 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.