21:17
Jesus asked Peter a third time if he loves Him. This is where the change from agape to philo occurs. Peter uses philo in all his responses. Peter is grieved that Jesus asks him a third time, and replies that he does indeed love Him, adding that Jesus knows everything about him. Most (all) of us are like Peter, a mixture of true devotion and failure. Jesus yet again commands him to feed his sheep. If we read Peter’s letters we can see that Peter did indeed learn his lessons and he wrote from a very gentle heart.
21:18,19
Jesus then gives Peter a very serious word. Jesus describes to Peter how he will die, on a cross. The stretching out of his hands refers to his hands being nailed to the cross. This prophecy is both terrifying and comforting to Peter. It would be terrifying because of the nature of the death that Jesus was foretelling. And Peter had this prophecy hanging over him for some thirty years. Imagine ministering knowing that this was your destiny, at least here on earth, of course death was not the end. Yet it would also be encouraging. Peter had declared his willingness to die for Christ and then failed in the most miserable way. Jesus is telling him that he would indeed die for Christ. Jesus can enable us to do what we can never do in our own strength.
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