After Jesus was cruxified, He appreared to His disciples. He asked Peter this question 3 times. "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?" What was Jesus motivation?
2006-11-29 22:55:52 · 9 answers · asked by thru a glass darkly 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Jn 21:15-17
2006-11-29 23:00:37 · update #1
Read it in the original Greek. It is not the same question. Once it really should be translated "are you even my friend."
2006-11-29 23:00:33 · answer #1 · answered by wayne 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The reason Jesus asked Peter this question three times, is because Peter was avoiding actually answering. In the original text, Jesus asked Peter if he 'agape' loved him. Peter prevaricated, by saying of course, I 'fileo' love you. The difference is found in the knowledge that the Jews have three words for love. The first, fileo, is familial love. The second, eros, is sexual love. Finally, the third word for love is agape, meaning unconditional love.
So you see, Jesus was asking a much deeper commitment from Peter than Peter was at first willing to fulfill. But in the end, when Jesus said do you AGAPE Me? Peter was able to answer unequivocally, Yes!
I pray we may all do the same!
2006-11-29 23:16:04 · answer #2 · answered by therealme 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Jesus was preparing Peter to lead his Church even to be crucified upside down. There is a wonderful old movie called Quo Vadis showing how Peter went to Rome when the Christians were being fed to the lions and was crucified there.
2006-11-29 23:05:27 · answer #3 · answered by Search4truth 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What really grieved Peter was the three-time repetition, because it was a big reminder of his previous three-time denial. Jesus restores us by causing us to face our point of failure, then challenges us to set our eyes on the work ahead. Jesus doesn’t ask “are you sorry?” or “will you promise never to do that again?” He wasn't looking for vows, or for conduct, but for a heart; and when that is given, all the rest will follow.
Jesus allowed Peter a three-fold public affirmation of love to replace a three-fold denial, and gave him a three-fold challenge to "feed My sheep." Jesus' motive was restoration ... To live for the future unencumbered by the past!
2006-11-29 23:18:24 · answer #4 · answered by thundercatt9 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
this was to test Peter`s awareness of his new found humility, he had in his pride swore that he would die for Jesus but when it came to the crunch he denied even knowing Jesus three times, and so the threefold question of Jesus was to build up the confidence of Peter and to attest to his leadership of the Apostles that had suffered because of the denials.
2006-11-29 22:59:47 · answer #5 · answered by Sentinel 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jesus wanted peter to preach to His children
2006-11-29 22:59:50 · answer #6 · answered by daleswife 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Peter saw a ghost and the other dumb followers belived the dumb story.
2006-11-29 22:58:29 · answer #7 · answered by tell me about Darwin 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋
He was copying Horatio and trying to figure out who the mole was.
2006-11-29 22:58:33 · answer #8 · answered by luko b 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I don't think this ever happened.
2006-11-29 22:59:22 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋