John 21:15

Simon, son of Jonas] RV 'son of John': see John 1:42. Observe that in this, as in the other Gospels, our Lord does not call him Peter. Luke 22:34 is the only exception. Lovest thou me (agapâs) more than these?] i.e. more than these thy brethren love Me? Once (Matthew 26:33; John 13:37) Peter had boasted of a love and constancy greater than that of others. Now he is more humble. In his reply he will not say that he loves Jesus 'more than these.' He will not even say that he loves Jesus at all in the full sense of Christian love (agapân, agapç). All he will say is that he loves Jesus with the warmth of personal affection (phileîn, philiâ). Twice Jesus asks him, 'Lovest thou Me?' (agapân). The third time He adopts Peter's own word, phileîn. Feed my lambs] lit. 'give food to them,' i.e. by the ministry of the Word and Sacraments. The 'lambs' here are probably neither Christian children nor recent converts, but, like the 'sheep' in John 21:16, Christians in general, the name being one of affection: cp. 1 Peter 5:2; 1 Peter 5:3.