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lost confidence in me and now He is calling me by my old
name.” That was very uncomfortable for Peter.

Then Jesus asked him the same question three times. He
had denied the Lord three times. John 21:15, “So, 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, ‘Tend
My lambs.’” John 21:16, “He said to him again a second time,
‘Simon, son of John, do you love Me?’ He said to Him, ‘Yes,
Lord; You know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Shepherd
My sheep.’” John 21:17,“He said to him the third time, ‘Simon,
son of John, do you love Me?’ And he said to Him, ‘Lord, You
know all things; You know that I love You.’ Jesus said to him,
‘Tend My sheep.’”
These are painful memories for Peter. Then Jesus says
the most wonderful thing that Peter could hear. John 21:12,
“Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ None of the
disciples ventured to question Him, ‘Who are You?’ knowing
that it was the Lord.” He invites Peter to come and dine at the
charcoal fire. It’s as if the Lord was saying, “Peter, I know all
about your past and I know all about your failures and I know
all about your denials and I choose you anyway. Before the
foundations of the world I chose you. I knew what you would
do.” I think when He said, “Come and dine,” He wants
fellowship with Peter. I think what He was saying is, “I’m
comfortable with your past. You should be comfortable with
your past.”
Now I want to come to the main point. Many who have
studied this have called attention to three different Greek words
for the word “love”. There are also different words for the word
“feed”. There are also different Greek words for the word
“sheep”. People get lost in the Greek. That’s not the point.
What Jesus asked Peter is, “Do you love Me? Do you love Me?
Do you love Me?” And you know the record. Peter hesitated
and he got caught in his throat. He couldn’t say it. “Do you
love Me enough to die for Me?” Peter couldn’t say, “Yes.” So,
Jesus said it for him.