By the Sea Once More
695
Again Jesus applied the test to Peter, repeating His former words:
“Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me?” This time He did not ask
Peter whether he loved Him better than did his brethren. The second
response was like the first, free from extravagant assurance: “Yea,
Lord; Thou knowest that I love Thee.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My
sheep.” Once more the Saviour put the trying question: “Simon, son
of Jonas, lovest thou Me?” Peter was grieved; he thought that Jesus
doubted his love. He knew that his Lord had cause to distrust him, and
with an aching heart he answered, “Lord, Thou knowest all things;
Thou knowest that I love Thee.” Again Jesus said to him, “Feed My
sheep.”
Three times Peter had openly denied his Lord, and three times Jesus
drew from him the assurance of his love and loyalty, pressing home
that pointed question, like a barbed arrow to his wounded heart. Before
the assembled disciples Jesus revealed the depth of Peter’s repentance,
and showed how thoroughly humbled was the once boasting disciple.
Peter was naturally forward and impulsive, and Satan had taken
advantage of these characteristics to overthrow him. Just before the
fall of Peter, Jesus had said to him, “Satan hath desired to have you,
that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith
fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”
Luke
22:31, 32
. That time had now come, and the transformation in Peter
was evident. The close, testing questions of the Lord had not called
out one forward, self-sufficient reply; and because of his humiliation
and repentance, Peter was better prepared than ever before to act as
shepherd to the flock.
The first work that Christ entrusted to Peter on restoring him to
the ministry was to feed the lambs. This was a work in which Peter
had little experience. It would require great care and tenderness, much
patience and perseverance. It called him to minister to those who were
young in the faith, to teach the ignorant, to open the Scriptures to them,
and to educate them for usefulness in Christ’s service. Heretofore Peter
had not been fitted to do this, or even to understand its importance.
But this was the work which Jesus now called upon him to do. For
this work his own experience of suffering and repentance had prepared
him.
Before his fall, Peter was always speaking unadvisedly, from the
impulse of the moment. He was always ready to correct others, and