Analysis of John 21:15-17: Peter’s Love for Christ and his Mission to Feed Christ’s Sheep and Lambs
Analysis of John 21:15-17: Peter’s Love for Christ and his Mission to Feed Christ’s Sheep and Lambs
Laurence Gonzaga
A friend asked me this morning about some significant points in the passages below. So after answering his questions I decided to put together this study. Unfortunately, as many people know already, sometimes it is difficult to pick up on some nuances in the original language when one is attempting to translate into another language. The same is true for the Bible. Below I will point out some significant nuances in the Greek which one misses out on when one only refers to the English translations.
Joh 21:15-17 Douay-Rheims Bible (Catholic)
(15) When therefore they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter: Simon, son of John, lovestthou me more than these? He saith to him: Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith to him: Feed my lambs.
(16) He saith to him again: Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? He saith to him: yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith to him: Feed my lambs.
(17) He said to him the third time: Simon, son of John, lovestthou 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. He said to him:Feed my sheep.
Notice above, that Jesus uses the word “love” asking Peter if this was true of him towards Jesus. Peter answers, apparently using the same word. He does this three times, and Peter even gets a bit impatient.
Also notice that at the end of each verse Jesus asks Peter to “feed” his lambs/sheep, using the same word, apparently, in all three cases.
Joh 21:15-17 Vulgate (Catholic)
(15) cum ergo prandissent dicit Simoni Petro Iesus Simon Iohannis diligis me plus his dicit ei etiam Domine tu scis quiaamo te dicit ei pasce agnos meos
(16) dicit ei iterum Simon Iohannis diligis me ait illi etiam Domine tu scis quia amo te dicit ei pasce agnos meos
(17) dicit ei tertio Simon Iohannis amas me contristatus est Petrus quia dixit ei tertioamas me et dicit ei Domine tu omnia scis tu scis quia amo te dicit ei pasce oves meas
Now, looking at the Latin, we see some exciting (at least to me anyway) differences, which we would not have seen with just the English. In the first two verses, Jesus uses the word “diligis” (which means “to choose out; to prize , love, esteem highly”) here for “love”, but Peter responds with another word signifying “love” in the word “amo” (which means “to love (passionately) , be fond of”). Significantly, perhaps, Jesus in the third verse changes his word for “love” into the same usage of Peter by saying “amas”, and Peter responds in the same way he already did the first 2 times. Think about why Jesus may have changed his usage here.
Also note here, that Jesus uses the same word for “feed” by using “pasce” (which means“to feed , lead to pasture; to keep, support; to nourish; to give as pasture; to graze on”), referring to Peter “feeding” Jesus’ lambs/sheep.
Joh 21:15-17 King James Version (Protestant)
(15) So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
(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.
(17) He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovestthou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
There doesn’t seem to be any new information we can gather from the KJV here.
Joh 21:15-17 English Standard Version (Protestant)
(15) When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs."
(16) He said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do youlove me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep."
(17) He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do youlove me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I loveyou." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep.
Notice that Jesus and Peter are still using the same word for “love” here, apparently.
But, here we can see that the Protestants have picked up on a distinction between Jesus’ command in the first and third verse above and the second verse. Instead of saying “feed” all three times, as we have seen above in the DRB, the Vulgate, and the KJV, we see that Jesus says “tend” here. Think about why this may be significant.
Greek
Οτε οὖν ἠρίστησαν λέγει τῷΣίμωνι Πέτρῳ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ΣίμωνἸωάννου, ἀγαπᾷς (agapas) μεπλέον τούτων; λέγει αὐτῷ, Ναί,κύριε, σὺ οἶδας ὅτι φιλῶ (philo)σε. λέγει αὐτῷ, Βόσκε (Boske)τὰ ἀρνία μου.
λέγει αὐτῷ πάλιν δεύτερον,Σίμων Ἰωάννου, ἀγαπᾷς(agapas) με; λέγει αὐτῷ, Ναί,κύριε, σὺ οἶδας ὅτι φιλῶ (philo)σε. λέγει αὐτῷ, Ποίμαινε(Poimaine) τὰ πρόβατά μου.
λέγει αὐτῷ τὸ τρίτον, ΣίμωνἸωάννου, φιλεῖς (phileis) με;ἐλυπήθη ὁ Πέτρος ὅτι εἶπεναὐτῷ τὸ τρίτον, Φιλεῖς (Phileis)με; καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ, Κύριε, πάντασὺ οἶδας, σὺ γινώσκεις ὅτι φιλῶ(philo) σε. λέγει αὐτῷ [ὁἸησοῦς], Βόσκε (Boske) τὰπρόβατά μου.
Here we can now see, from studying the Greek words we have isolated as significant above, why we have some of the differences between the translations. Some translations conveyed some nuances that others did not.
The first two times Jesus asks Peter if he “agapas” him. But Peter answers with a different Greek word for “love” by saying “philo”. After asking him twice, using the same word, and Peter answering with a different word, Jesus then changes his word for “love” to the usage that Peter has, and asks him then if Peter “phileis” him. Peter, seemingly frustrated says again, that he does “philo” him. Below I have included the Strong’s Concordance entries for the words “Agapao” and “Phileo”. Some suggested conclusions will follow.
As for the “feed” issue, we can now see that in the first and third verse Jesus uses the word “Boske” in his command to Peter to “feed his lambs/sheep” but in the second verse he commands Peter to “Poimaine” his sheep. Below, I have included the Strong’s Concordance entries for the words “Bosko” and “Poimaino”. Some suggested conclusions will follow.
G25
ἀγαπάω
agapaō
ag-ap-ah'-o
Perhaps from ἄγαν agan (much; or compare [H5689]); to love (in a social or moral sense): - (be-) love (-ed). Compare G5368.
G5368
φιλέω
phileō
fil-eh'-o
From G5384; to be a friend to (fondof [an individual or an object]), that is, have affection for (denotingpersonal attachment, as a matter ofsentiment or feeling; while G25 is wider, embracing especially the judgment and the deliberate assent of the will as a matter of principle, duty and propriety: the two thus stand related very much as G2309and G1014, or as G2372 and G3563respectively; the former being chiefly of the heart and the latter of the head); specifically to kiss (as a mark of tenderness): - kiss, love.
We know from Catholic commentary that the “agape” form of love is a greater form of love than that of “phileo”; it is Christian love, the kind of love which sacrifices himself for others, for the sake of the Kingdom. “Phileo” is sentimental love; it is not necessarily Christian love. Pope Benedict XVI comments on this distinction between the “loves” in the Greek language in his first Enclyclical, Deus Caritas Est: “…of the three Greek words for love, eros, philia (the love of friendship) and agape, New Testament writers prefer the last, which occurs rather infrequently in Greek usage. As for the term philia, the love of friendship, it is used with added depth of meaning in Saint John's Gospel in order to express the relationship between Jesus and his disciples. The tendency to avoid the word eros, together with the new vision of love expressed through the word agape, clearly point to something new and distinct about the Christian understanding of love.” (DCE, #3)
G1006
βόσκω
boskō
bos'-ko
A prolonged form of a primary verb (compare G977 and G1016); topasture; by extension to fodder; reflexively to graze: - feed, keep.
G4165
ποιμαίνω
poimainō
poy-mah'ee-no
From G4166; to tend as a shepherd(or figuratively superviser): - feed(cattle), rule.
Both of the terms that Jesus used for what is often both translated as “feed”, actually do mean “feed”. However, there is a nuance here which is important for apologetics purposes. We know already that Jesus had appointed Peter to be his vicar here on Earth, the rock upon which the Church would be built (Matt16:18). Here, Jesus is giving him a command to do two things in service to the Church, to “feed” by giving spiritual nourishment (Boske), and to “feed” by juridical governance, that is by shepherding the flock and ruling over them (Poimaino).
I hope this study has been helpful to you and those with whom you may share this information with.
As always, since I am not an officially appointed teacher of the Roman Catholic faith, I submit all that has been stated here to the judgment of Holy Mother Church. If any assertion has been found wanting, I will gladly revise or retract the statements in question.
Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.
Laurence A. Gonzaga
November 17, 2009
Feast of St. Gregory ThaumaturgusBishop and Confessor
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