Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 21:16
He saith to him again the second time, Simon, [son] of Jona, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
16. lovest thou me? ] Jesus drops the ‘more than these,’ which the humbled Apostle had shrunk from answering, but retains His own word for ‘love.’ S. Peter answers exactly as before.
Feed my sheep ] Better, Tend, or shepherd, My sheep. The word rendered ‘feed’ in Joh 21:15 ; Joh 21:17 ( boskein) means ‘supply with food.’ Comp. Mat 8:30; Mat 8:33; Mar 5:11; Mar 5:14; Luk 8:32; Luk 8:34; Luk 15:15 (the only other passages where the word occurs in N.T.) of the feeding of the herd of swine. The word used here ( poimainein) means rather ‘be shepherd to.’ It is used literally Luk 17:7; 1Co 9:7; and figuratively Mat 2:6; Act 20:28 ; 1Pe 5:2. Comp. Judges 12; Rev 2:27; Rev 7:17; Rev 12:5; Rev 19:15. Tending implies more of guidance and government than feeding does. The lambs, which can go no distance, scarcely require guidance, their chief need is food. The sheep require both.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Feed my sheep – The word here rendered feed, as has been remarked, is different from the word in the previous verse. It has the sense of governing, caring for, guiding, protecting – the kind of faithful vigilance which a shepherd uses to guide his flock, and to make provision against their wants and dangers. It may be implied here that the care needed for the young in the church is to instruct them, and for those in advanced years both to instruct and govern them.
My sheep – This term commonly denotes the church in general, without respect to age, John 10.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Divines here raise a question, why our Saviour propounds this question thrice to Peter. The most of the ancients agree, that it was because Peter had thrice denied him. Some say, it was to show his great love to his church, which he could not commit to Peter but after three inquiries if he truly loved him, who was the Lord of it. Others refer it to the three ways by which good pastors ought to feed the church; prayer, preaching, and a holy life. Others think, that it hath reference to the three flocks that Peter was to feed; the Jews in Judea, the Gentiles, the dispersed amongst the Gentiles.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
16. He saith to him . . . the secondtime . . . lovest thou me, c.In this repetition of thequestion, though the wound was meant to be reopened, the words “morethan these” are not repeated for Christ is a tenderas well as skilful Physician, and Peter’s silence on thatpoint was confession enough of his sin and folly. On Peter’srepeating his protestation in the same words, our Lord rises higherin the manifestation of His restoring grace.
Feedkeep.
my sheepIt has beenobserved that the word here is studiously changed, from onesignifying simply to feed, to one signifying to tend asa shepherd, denoting the abiding exercise of that vocation,and in its highest functions.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
He saith unto him again the second time,…. Willing to have the expressions of his love repeated and confirmed;
Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? he leaves out the words, “more than these”, though Nonnus expresses them; he saw Peter’s heart, and observed the modesty of his answer, and would not urge him any more in that comparative way, only required a repetition of his sincere and hearty love to him:
he saith unto him, yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee; expressing himself in the same language as before; and it is, as if he should say, Lord, what can I say more? I can say no more than I have done, and by that I abide:
he saith unto him, feed my sheep; both the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and his other sheep among the Gentiles, whom the Father had given him, and he had paid a price for, and must be brought in; these being called, he would have fed with the word and ordinances, with the bread of life, and water of life, not lorded over, and fleeced, and much less worried and destroyed; every instance of care and love shown to these, he takes as a mark of affection and respect to himself.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Lovest thou me? ( ;). This time Jesus drops the and challenges Peter’s own statement. Peter repeats the same words in reply.
Tend my sheep ( ). Present active imperative of , old verb from (shepherd), “shepherd my lambs” (, diminutive of , sheep).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Lovest [] . Again the colder word, but more than these is omitted.
I love [] . Peter reiterates his former word expressive of personal affection.
Feed [] . A different word : tend, as Rev. See on 1Pe 5:2. Sheep [] . Some of the best texts read probatia, diminutive, little sheep.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “He saith to him again the second time,” (legei auto palin deuteron) “He (Jesus) said to him again, a second time,” as He pressed the same subject of devoted, spiritual love of the highest order, Joh 21:15.
2) “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?” (Simon loannou agapas me) “Simon, son of John, do you love me with an holy or priority love?” He used the same (Gk. agapa) term as before, which kind of love Peter avoided using in reply. Do you love me as the law demands? Luk 10:27.
3) “He saith unto him, yea, Lord;” (legei auto nai kurie) “He replied to him, yes, Lord;” surely or certainly Lord, as he had replied the first time, Joh 21:15.
4) “Thou knowest that I love thee.” (su oidas hot! philo se) “You know, perceive, or comprehend that I am your friend,” I have an affection for you like a friend, a very dear fondness toward you.
5) “He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.” (legei auto poimaine ta probata mou) “He (Jesus) then said to him directly, take care of or shepherd my flock of sheep,” 1Pe 5:1-3. Tend them, care for them, feed them, and lead them, like a good shepherd, Heb 13:20; 1Pe 2:25.
Note: The Lord said tend “my lambs” and “my sheep,” not yours. The shepherd must act as a steward, caring for and entrusted with, property that belongs to another, for which he must one day give account, 1Pe 5:4; Heb 13:17.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
16. Feed my sheep. Christ does not give to Peter and others the office of feeding all sorts of persons, but only his sheep or his lambs. He elsewhere describes who they are whom he reckons to belong to his flock.
My sheep, says he, hear my voice, and follow me; they hear not the voice of a stranger, (Joh 10:5.)
True, faithful teachers ought to endeavor to gather all to Christ; and as they cannot distinguish between sheep and wild beasts, they ought to try by all methods if they can tame those who resemble wolves rather than sheep. But after having put forth their utmost efforts, their labor will be of no avail to any but the elect sheep; for docility and faith arise from this, that the heavenly Father delivers to his Son, that they may obey him, those whom he elected before the creation of the world. Again, we are taught by this passage, that none can be fed to salvation by the doctrine of the Gospel but those who are mild and teachable; for it is not without reason that Christ compares his disciples to lambs and sheep; but it must also be observed, that the Spirit of God tames those who by nature were bears or lions.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(16) He saith to him again the second time.The question is repeated in exactly the same form, except that our Lord does not continue the comparison more than these. He uses the same word for the higher, more intellectual love, and Peter replies by the same declaration of personal attachment, and the same appeal to his Masters knowledge of him.
Feed my sheep.Better, be a shepherd of My sheep. The Vatican and Paris MSS. read little sheep here, and in the following verse. (See Note there.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
16. Lovest thou me? Jesus still uses the moral term for love, and omits the comparison which Peter had declined to accept. Peter still refers to Jesus’s knowledge, and again uses the affectional term for love. Thus: Prizest thou me? Answer: Thou knowest I love thee.
Feed my sheep Rather shepherd my sheeplings. Before the word was to feed; now it is to perform the whole shepherd’s office. Before it was lambs; now the Greek word for young and not full-grown sheep is used.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘He says to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Joanes, do you love me?” He says to him, “Indeed, Lord, you know that I love you.” He says to him, “Shepherd my sheep”.’
The same question is repeated by Jesus and the same answer brings confirmation that Peter has (along with the other disciples) been chosen to feed and watch over The Shepherd’s sheep (the verb is different from that in the first and third statements, again in order to prevent monotony).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Joh 21:16-17. He saith to him again From our Lord’s asking Peter if he loved him, before he renewed his commission to feed his lambs and his sheep, it is justly inferred, that, to render men duly qualified for the ministerial function, they must prefer the interest and honour of Christ to every other consideration. This is the great qualification by which alone a minister can be animated to go through the labours and difficulties of his office, and be fortified against the dangers which may attend it. Moreover, Christ’s exhortation to St. Peter, to feed his lambs and sheep, being the reply which he made to Peter’s declaration that he loved him, shews us that ministers best shew their love to Christ by their singular care and diligence in feeding his flock. Our Lord’s threefold repetition of his commission to Peter, most probably was in allusion to Peter’s three denials; and as it contains an oblique intimation that his repentance should bear some proportion to his crime, so it seems to have been intended by our Lord, to convince the rest of the disciples of the sincerity of St. Peter’s conversion, and to prevent any slight which he might be exposed to from their suspecting the contrary. However, we are told that Peter was grieved at this repeated application to him for it seemed to him an intimation that Christ perhaps did not consider his repentance to be sincere; and to a person of his sanguine temper, nothing could have afforded a more sensible anguish than such a suggestion. It recalled his crime, with all its aggravated circumstances, into his mind, and renewed his grief for having offended. One would wonder that, from circumstances so evidently humiliating to the mind of St. Peter, the Papists could have inferred a grant of his supreme dominion over the church. The passage has evidently a quite different meaning; for Peter, by his late cowardice and perfidy, having, as it were, abdicated the apostleship, was hereby no more than formally restored to his office through the indulgence of his kind and merciful Master, and not raised to any new dignity above his brethre
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
Ver. 16. Feed my sheep ] That is, Supremum is Ecclesia Dominium tibi assere. Lord it over the Church, saith Baronius. Regio more impera, reign as a king, saith Bellarmine. Christ, on the contrary, saith, The kings of nations exercise dominion over them, but ye shall not do so. And Peter himself saith to his fellow elders, Feed the flock of God, not as lording it over God’s heritage,1Pe 5:2-31Pe 5:2-3 . Indeed , here used, sometimes signifies to govern (usually to feed), but , the other word twice used here in this text, always signifies to feed. But they catch at government, let go feeding. It is as rare a thing to hear a bishop preach among them, said Dr. Bassinet, as to see an ass fly. Fisco potius apud multos consulitur quam Christo; attonsiona potius gregis quam attentioni.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
16. ] The words are found together in Joh 4:54 .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Joh 21:16 . To this confession, the Lord responds, , “Feed my lambs,” showing that Jesus could again trust him and could leave in his hands those whom He loved. “Lambs” is used instead of “sheep” to bring out more strongly the appeal to care, and the consequent complete confidence shown in Peter. . The second inquiry is intended to drive Peter back from mere customary or lip-profession to the deep-lying affections of his spirit. But now no comparison is introduced into the question, which might be paraphrased: “Are you sure that love and nothing but love is the bond between you and me?” This test Peter stands. He replies as before; and again is entrusted with the work in which his Lord is chiefly interested, . No different function is intended by : it repeats in another form the commission already given.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
the = a.
Feed = Shepherd. Greek poimaino. Occurs eleven times, translated “rule “in Mat 2:6. Rev 2:27; Rev 12:5; Rev 19:15. Compare poimen, Joh 10:2, Joh 10:11, Joh 10:12, Joh 10:14, Joh 10:16 (Shepherd); Eph 4:11 (pastors).
sheep. Greek probaton.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
16. ] The words are found together in Joh 4:54.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Joh 21:16. , feed) This verb Peter has repeated in his first Epistle, ch. Joh 5:2.-, sheep) The Latin Vulg. has, in the second answer, agnos:[407] although it comes to the same thing, as we shall presently see. By far the most frequent form in which this saying was quoted, was, Feed My sheep. Therefore more modern transcribers have introduced into John the formula which Ancient writers employed; and John seems to have written in this second place. [A different judgment is passed upon this reading in the margin of both Ed. and in Vers. Germ., wherein the word is approved of only in the first place, Joh 21:15 : however, the subject itself, exhibiting as it does three periods, equally favours each of the two views.-E. B.]; (and the more recent Greeks seem to have laid hold of ); so that thus there are three distinct sentences in Joh 21:15-17, . In these three sentences the flock that is committed to Peter is distributed into three ages; and the flock of the first age comes under the appellation, lambs; that of the third age, under the appellation, sheep (which, however, are never without lambs growing up to maturity); therefore the flock of the second age fall under the appellation of sheep still somewhat tender, or of lambs already become somewhat hardy. The distinction between the nouns, which the Greek language hardly admitted of, is compensated for by the distinction of the verbs, and : is a part of . And, though the Hebrew language did not admit of these distinctions in the words, it does not follow that John could not have expressed the sense of our Lord by the convenient propriety of distinctions which the Greek words afforded. It is with this meaning that the Syr[408] Version puts, in Joh 21:15-17, after the verb, Feed, three different nouns, to which lambs, little sheep (ovicul), sheep, correspond. And similarly Ambrosius writes on Luke 24., In fine, in the third instance Peter is desired to feed, not the lambs, as in the first instance, nor the little sheep (oviculas), as in the second instance, but the sheep; i.e. that having become more perfect himself, he should govern the more perfect. Maximus says, in his discourse concerning SS. Peter and Paul, that the little sheep were commended to Peter, as also the sheep. Neither of these writers, indeed, reads in Joh 21:16, , as Bellarmine contends in his B. I. concerning the Roman Pontiff, ch. 16., whilst seeking to find marvellous classes of sheep, subject to the Pope: but at all events those ancient writers acknowledged the gradation in the three sentences, which most delightfully accords with 1Jn 2:13-14, Fathers-young men-little children. Between this discourse and the death of Peter there elapsed thirty-six years: and this discourse itself divides that space of time into almost three equal periods. During the first. Peter fed the tender age of the Christian Church, or in other words the lambs; the appellation of which is in consonance with that appellation which is found in Acts, viz. disciples, to which afterwards the appellation, brethren, succeeded. See on Mat 10:1-2. [The Apostles were often called disciples before Pentecost; after it never, but apostles. In Acts, those who either had learned with, or were learning from the apostles, were called disciples. After Act 6:1; Act 21:16, the term disciples does not occur in the New Testament, but they are called brethren, Christians, believers, saints, etc.] In the second period, he brought to him, ruled, and gathered together, the sheep. In the third, he fed the Church collected out of Jews and Gentiles up to the time of his martyrdom.
[407] b has oviculas. But ABacd support .-E. and T.
[408] yr. the Peschito Syriac Version: second cent.: publ. and corrected by Cureton, from MS. of fifth cent.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 21:16
Joh 21:16
He saith to him again a second time, Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Tend my sheep.-[In repeating the question, he leaves off more than these. Peter gives the same answer. If there was special significance in changing from lambs to sheep, I do not know what it is.]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
lovest (Greek – , deeply love; used of divine love Joh 14:21 and of that love which the law demands Luk 10:27
love (Greek – , am fond of). It is a lesser degree of love than agapas.
Feed tend; 1Pe 5:1-3
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
the second: Joh 18:17, Joh 18:25, Mat 26:72
my sheep: Joh 10:11-16, Joh 10:26, Joh 10:27, Psa 95:7, Psa 100:3, Zec 13:7, Mat 25:32, Luk 15:3-7, Luk 19:10, Act 20:28, Heb 13:20, 1Pe 2:25
Reciprocal: Deu 33:10 – They shall teach Joh 21:15 – son Joh 21:17 – Feed
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Joh 21:16. He saith to him again a second time, Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? The same verb (lovest) which had been used by our Lord in His first question again occurs here, and the question only differs from the first in the gracious omission of the words more than these. Jesus had appreciated the motive which had led peter in his previous reply to avoid all comparison between his own love to Jesus and that of others. He accepts the evidence of humility afforded by His apostle, and in that direction at least will no longer test him.
He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. Peters reply is in exactly the same tetras as before; the word I love being that which he had previously used, and not that used by Jesus.
He saith unto him, Be shepherd of my sheep. See on next verse.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Joh 21:16-17. He saith unto him again the second (and even the third) time, Simon, &c., lovest thou me? Doubtless with a view to impress the importance of the question with the greater force on his mind; and perhaps, also, to remind Peter of his having thrice denied him, and thereby given him cause to question the sincerity of his love. But at these two latter times, Christ leaves out the words more than these: because Peter, in his answer, had modestly left them out. Observe, reader, though we cannot say we love Christ more than others do, yet we shall be accepted if we can say we love him indeed. This Peter professes to do again and again, confidently affirming, Yea, or surely, Lord, I love thee. He had a high esteem and value for his Lord; a grateful sense of his kindness; and was entirely devoted to his honour and interest; his desire was toward him, as one he should be undone without; and his delight in him, as one he should be unspeakably happy in. And let it be remembered, those who can truly say that they love the Lord Jesus, may take to themselves the comfort arising from an assurance of their having an interest in him, notwithstanding their daily infirmities. It deserves our notice here, that Peter could appeal to Christ himself for the proof of his love, saying once and again, Thou knowest that I love thee; and the third time, speaking yet more emphatically, Thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. He doth not vouch his fellow-disciples to witness for him; they might be deceived in him; nor doth he think his own word might be taken; the credit of that was more than shaken already: but he calls Christ himself to witness. Happy they that, on good grounds, can do the same! He saith unto him, Feed my sheep The word rendered feed in the preceding verse, and in Joh 21:17 th , properly means to give food; but the word here used, , implies more largely to do all the offices of a shepherd, namely, to guide, watch, and defend the sheep, as well as to feed them. From our Lords asking Peter if he loved him, before he gave him commission to feed his lambs and his sheep, it is justly inferred, that to render men duly qualified for the ministerial function, they must prefer the interest and honour of Christ to every other consideration whatever. This is the great qualification by which alone a minister can be animated to go through the labours and difficulties of his office, and be fortified against the dangers which may attend it. Moreover, Christs exhortation to Peter to feed his lambs and sheep, being the reply which he made to Peters declaration that he loved him, shows us that ministers best testify their love to Christ by their singular care and diligence in feeding his flock. Our Lords three-fold repetition of his commission to Peter, was probably in allusion to Peters three denials; and as it contains an oblique intimation that his repentance should bear some proportion to his sin, so it seems to have been intended by our Lord to convince the rest of the disciples of the sincerity of Peters conversion, and to prevent any slight which he might be exposed to from their suspecting the contrary. However, we are told that Peter was grieved at this repeated application to him: 1st, Because it seemed to him an intimation that Christ doubted the sincerity of his repentance; and to a person of his sanguine temper, nothing could have afforded a more sensible anguish than such a suggestion. 2d, It recalled his crime, with all its aggravating circumstances, into his mind; it renewed his grief for having offended, and it increased that grief from a consideration that he had given sufficient grounds for suspecting his fidelity, even after his conversion. 3d, It put him in fear lest his Master foresaw some further misconduct of his, which would be as great a contradiction to his professions of love to him as the former was. One would wonder that from circumstances so evidently humiliating to the mind of Peter, the Papists could have inferred a grant to him of supreme dominion over the church, clergy as well as laity; as if a charge to serve the sheep, gave a power to lord it over all the shepherds. The passage has doubtless a quite different meaning; for Peter, by his late cowardice and perfidy, having, as it were, abdicated the apostleship, was hereby no more than formally restored to his office, through the indulgence of his kind and merciful Master; and not raised to any new dignity above his brethren. See Macknight, and Tillotsons Works.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Vv. 16, 17. Jesus says to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jona, lovest thou me? He says to him, Yes, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He says to him, Lead my sheep. 17. He says to him the third time, Simon, son of Jona, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he had said to him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said to him, Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus says to him, Feed my sheep.
Jesus renews His question, in order, as Weiss says, to press Peter to a more severe examination of himself.
As the: more than these, had attained its end, Jesus now pardons the apostle; but he persists in the use of the more elevated term to designate the love, . Peter, on his side, does not have the boldness to apply such a term to himself; but he so much the more emphatically affirms his love in the more modest sense of the word, and by appealing anew to the scrutinizing glance of the Lord. On this condition, Jesus again confides to him His flock, but with two characteristic differences. For the word , feed, which refers especially to the collective or private teaching by the word, He substitutes the term , to lead, a term which denotes rather the government of the Church as a whole. According to the Vatican and Ephrem MSS., He uses here the term, properly speaking little sheep, beloved sheep, instead of , sheep. And this reading may be the true one; for, while expressing a shade of feebleness, like the word lambs, this word yet denotes a more advanced state, and forms the transition to the term sheep, , in the third phase of the conversation.
Finally, the third question leaves no longer any doubt for Peter respecting the humiliating fact which the Lord wishes to recall to him, and this recollection affects him the more painfully as Jesus this time substitutes for the term, as Peter had himself done from the beginning, the term , whereby He seems to call in question even the attachment of an inferior order which the apostle had modestly claimed for himself. Peter feels the point of the sword penetrating to the quick. This time he suppresses the yes, the expression of his personal consciousness, and limits himself to making an appeal even more humbly to the penetrating glance of the Lord:
Thou knowest all things! It is under this glance of omniscience that he places himself, as if to say: See for Thyself if I do not love Thee! This appeal to the higher knowledge of Jesus springs from the painful feeling of the great illusions which he had indulged respecting himself (Weiss). Three ancient manuscripts read here (as two of them do above) ; but is it not probable that the copyists, not apprehending the shades of meaning, wrongly repeated this diminutive, and that Jesus said this time , my sheep, which denotes again the whole flock, but considered as in the normal condition? Jesus resumes the term feed, whereby He gives Peter to understand that the general government of the Church is not to prevent the shepherd from occupying himself with the individual and collective instruction of the members of his flock. Act 20:31 shows clearly that it was thus that the apostles understood their holy commission. The passage 1Pe 5:1-4 seems to be an echo of these words of Jesus addressed to the author of that epistle.Westcott rightly sets forth with emphasis the thrice repeated pronoun (my). The Lord does not give up His right of property in those whom He confides to His servants. Oves meas pasce, says Augustine, sicut meas, non sicut tuas.
After having restored to Peter his former governing position, Jesus announces to him, Joh 21:18-19 a, what will be the end of his ministry. The connection between this new idea and the preceding dialogue is easy to be apprehended. Peter learns in what way it will be given to him to testify to his Master the love of which he has just made profession, and thus completely to efface his denial.
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
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. [Note: Ibid., p. 770.]
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 (Joh 18:17; Joh 18:25; Joh 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. 1Co 13:1-3)." [Note: Ibid., p. 772.]
Some failures in ministry may bar a believer from serving the Lord in particular ways from then on (cf. 1Ti 3:1-13; Tit 1:5-16). Other failures may only require temporary suspension from service until restoration is complete (cf. Act 15:38; 2Ti 4:11). However regardless of one’s failures he or she can always serve the Lord in some capacity (cf. 2Ti 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 (1Pe 5:1-4). [Note: C. K. Barrett, Essays on John, pp. 165-66.]
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., 2Sa 5:2). However other New Testament revelation does not exalt Peter to a place of authoritative rule over other under-shepherds (Act 20:28; 1Pe 5:1-4). Mat 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.