John 21:15
“So when they had eaten their breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I have affection for you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.””
What does John 21:15 mean?
After a quiet meal by the shore, Jesus asks Peter a deeply personal question about love, and Peter's honest answer reveals something tender about how he understood their relationship. Jesus had just risen from the dead, and Peter had just denied knowing him three times before the crucifixion, so this moment is Jesus gently restoring what was broken. When Jesus asks Peter to "feed my lambs," he's not just talking about literal sheep, but inviting Peter into a life of caring for and nurturing God's people, which becomes the very purpose that will define Peter's faith going forward. It's a beautiful picture of how Jesus meets us in our guilt and failure, affirms us anyway, and gives us meaningful work to do in his kingdom.