Having completed reading Jesus’ Last Supper farewell discourse and farewell high priestly prayer (John 14:1-17:26), from the Friday of the Fourth Week until yesterday, Friday of the Seventh Week of Paschaltide, we read today, Friday of the Seventh Week of Paschaltide, Friday before Pentecost Sunday, the Johannine Gospel account of risen Jesus fully reinstating Peter after his threefold denial of Jesus (John 21:15-19). And this is the tail-end episode of risen Jesus’ third apparition to the disciples, according to John (John 21:14).
Jesus must have had known that the disciples would
go fishing but catch none, after his resurrection. So, he was there, on the
share and asked them if they had caught any. As they caught no fish at all,
Jesus told them to cast the net on the right side of the boat. And they caught
net-full of fish. At that time, none of the disciples on the boat recognized
him as risen Jesus – until John recognized. Then, Peter jumped out of the boat
and move toward risen Jesus on the shore, while other disciples followed on the
boat. As he had already set up the grill, with fish on charcoal fire, Jesus
invited them to have breakfast with him, asking to bring some of the catch to
add to what he already had (John 21:1-14).
In a way, risen Jesus made his third appearance, as
to know Peter’s return to his fishing business (John 21:3). But, Jesus had
promised Peter to make him and his fellow fishermen fishers of men, not keeping
them as fishermen of Galilee, when he recruited them, as he began his public
ministry (Matthew 4:19). But, Peter and other disciples were back in fishing in
the Sea of Tiberius (Galilee), as they has been before being recruited by
Jesus.
Jesus knew it would be better not directly to preach
them to remind of their discipleship but to eat first before giving important
instructions. And, as today’s Gospel Reading (John 21:15-19) describes, Jesus singled
out Peter, because he was the one whom Jesus gave the keys of the Kingdom (Matthew
16:19), expecting him to serve as the head of the disciples (Pope to all the bishops),
after his departure. And during Last Supper, it was Peter to present himself as
the disciple who loves Jesus more than any other, by promising to lay down his
own life for Jesus (John 13:37). But, Peter failed to keep his promise as he
denied Jesus three times. Today’s Gospel Reading (John 21:15-19) is known as
risen Jesus’ reinstating action for
Peter so that he would be able to really keep his promise to die for Jesus.
As we read this narrative (John 21:15-19) on Friday
before Pentecost Sunday, we also see Jesus not only reinstating but also
commissioning Peter, as the one to hold the keys of the Kingdom (first Pope) to
shepherd his Church on behalf of the Good Shepherd, who is Jesus. For Peter’s
commissioning, Jesus really focused on love to make sure that Peter would be
able to represent him.
So, after eating grilled fish and toast for
breakfast, Jesus asked Peter:
Simon,
son of John, do you love me (ἀγαπᾷς/agapas) more than these?
And Peter answered:
Yes,
Lord, you know that I love you (φιλῶ/philo).
Then Jesus said to Peter:
Feed
(Βόσκε/boske) my lambs (ἀρνία/arnia).
It is important to note that Jesus asked Peter with “agapas” and implied if he is the one who
can love him more than “these” – more than other disciples. It means that Jesus inquired Peter if he
would be able to die for him – making self-sacrifice for him, in his love for
him. Jesus knew that Peter really loved him so passionately. But, the true love
“agape”, which is far greater than “phileo”, demands more than “passion” or “zeal”
but “selfless sacrifice”. But, Peter’s
response with “philo” indicating that
he was not yet ready to really die for Jesus – he did not love Jesus more than
other disciples did. Nevertheless, Jesus
commanded Peter to feed (boske) his
lambs. “Boske” means to give
something to eat (gaze) for animals. Thus, Jesus was implying that Peter would
provide his lambs (arnia), those who
follow him the Good Shepherd, with what he has promised – the Living Bread of
Life (John 6:51), as well as, his words which are the (Holy) Spirit and life
(John 6:63), after his departure.
Besides expecting Peter to serve as fisher of men
(Luke 5:10), risen Jesus also indicated that he would want Peter to shepherd
his flock, on behalf of Jesus himself, the Good Shepherd (John 10:11-18), and
it means that Peter would be able to “agapas”,
as the Good Shepherd lays down his life for his sheep (John 10:11,15, 17, 18), and
as the greatest love for friends (John 15:13). Though “philo” implies to love so dearly, by itself, it does not suffice to
lay down one’s life.
So, Jesus asked Peter again:
Simon,
son of John, do you love me (ἀγαπᾷς/agapas ) ?
And Peter replied:
Yes,
Lord, you know that I love you (φιλῶ/philo).
Then, Jesus commanded:
Tend
(Ποίμαινε/poimaime) my sheep (πρόβατά/probata).
Also, for the second time, Peter was not able to
show risen Jesus that he was able to lay down his life for Jesus – though he
had promised to do so during Last Supper. Nevertheless, Jesus commanded Peter
to shepherd (poimaime) his sheep (probate), changing from “to feed”(boske). “Poimaime” implies more than “boske”,
as a shepherd does more than feeding for sheep.
Jesus asked Peter for the third time:
Simon,
son of John, do you love me (φιλεῖς/phileis) ?”
Note that Jesus did not ask with “agapas” this time, as if he realized that
Peter was not yet ready to love him with the level of laying down his life.
But, this somewhat frustrated Peter, as he had
already expressed his dearly love (philo)
for Jesus twice, but it was because Peter seemed to have had perceived Jesus
asking him: Do you love me (Φιλεῖς/Phileis)?
And, this indicates that Peter was not yet fully ready to serve as the head of
the disciples, who loves Jesus more than they do, with the level of “agapas”, the greatest love by laying
down life.
So, Peter answered:
Lord,
you know everything; you know that I love you (φιλῶ/philo).
Peter seemed to have been thinking that Jesus was
not expecting him to die for him or for his sheep. Peter lacked his
understanding of Jesus’ expectation at that time because it was before
Pentecost. Peter needed to receive the powerful Pentecost Holy Spirit to turn
his level of “philo” for Jesus to “agapas”.
So, Jesus said to him:
Feed
(Βόσκε/boske) my sheep (πρόβατά/probata).
Perhaps, Jesus felt that Peter was not quite ready
to “poimaime”(shepherd) yet, as he
did not yet receive the power to do so in the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8).
Then, Jesus had to reiterate his desire for Peter to
be able to “agapas” by truly laying down his life to serve as the holder of the
keys to the Kingdom – as the head of the disciples (Pope among the bishops),
figuratively with these words:
Amen,
amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go
where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and
someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go
(John 21:18).
It was like Jesus telling Peter:
Dear Peter, when I was with you, teaching you for
all these years, you were not mature enough to love with the level of “agape”, the highest love of all, to be
able to making total self-sacrifice. But, look, Peter, as I am departing soon
(Hey, Peter, didn’t I remind you all of my departure during Last Supper and
prayed for you? – John 14:1-17:26)), you need to be able to love on the level
of “agape”, growing up from the level of “philo”,
from now to Pentecost, when you receive the power, the Holy Spirit, another Parakletos (Advocate), who would leads
you not to where your will would lead but he would.
So, according to John, risen Jesus’ final commandment to Peter is – “Follow me”(John 21:19). It means, Jesus commanding Peter to follow him to the Cross and lay down his life for him – for his sheep, so that he can truly shepherd (tend) “poimaime” his sheep, on behalf of him, the Good Shepherd, doing more than feeding (boske).
Throughout Paschaltide, we have been reading from the Acts of the Apostles, for First Readings, to see how the Holy Spirit on Pentecost empowered the disciples on their apostolic mission.
We have read how Peter served Jesus on his apostolic
mission as a great fisher of men, in making disciples. We also saw how the Holy
Spirit led Peter to reach out to Gentiles, starting with Cornelius and his
family. And, we have been also following Paul, another great fisher of men, who
has made three fishing journeys – mission journeys through the northeastern
parts of the Greco-Roman world, where both diaspora Jews and Gentiles lived.
In the First Readings for yesterday (Acts 22:30;
23:6-11) and today (Acts 25:13b-21), we see Paul’s hardship increasing and
intensifying, threatening his life, after his third mission journey.
When Paul returned to Jerusalem, upon his successful
completion of the third mission journey, which was more extensive than his first
and second mission journeys, the Jews, who became hostile to him, came to
Jerusalem, as to hunt him down, from Asia Minor. In Jerusalem, these Jews from
Asia Minor provoked Jews in Jerusalem to kill Paul. And this turned into a
riot, and the Roman authority had to intervene to bring order. So, Paul was put
in the Roman custody.
At first, the Roman commander (like police chief)
tried to flog him for having involved in the social chaos. But, Paul reminded
the Roman authority of his Roman citizenship, as the Roman law prohibited to
treat a citizen of the Roman Empire in such a way. Because of this, Paul was
once released. However, it did not mean that Paul’s ordeal ended (Acts 22:30).
Paul spoke to the Sanhedrin (Acts 23:1-10), and
Jesus comforted him and indicated that he would go to Rome for his martyrdom (making
a great witness to Jesus )(Acts 23:11). This, in a way, echoes what Jesus said
to Peter in John 21:18-19, for Peter’s martyrdom so that Peter could
demonstrate his ability to “agapas”.
Again these fanatic Jews still wanted to kill Paul
and form a conspiracy, binding themselves with an oath not to eat or drink
until they had Paul killed (Acts 23:12). Thanks to God’s providence through
Paul’s nephew (his sister’s son), this information reached the Roman commander
and the Roman authority moved Paul to Caesarea from Jerusalem, bringing him before
Governor Felix for safety with the commander’s letter to the governor (Acts
23:16-35). Caesarea was where the Roman governor’s residence was in Judea.
Then, Paul was questioned by Felix (Acts 24) and
questioned by Felix’ successor, Festus (Acts 25:1-12). Neither of these Roman
governors could resolve the problem with the fanatic Jews, though it has been
made known that Paul had no case against applicable Roman law.
So, Paul invoked his rights as a Roman citizen to appeal
the case to Caesar (Acts 25:11), and Governor Festus conferred Paul’s appeal to
Caesar (Acts 25:12).
While Paul was waiting for the day to leave for Rome,
Herod Agrippa II and Bernice, the oldest daughter of Agrippa I, came to
Caesarea to pay their respect to Festus (Acts 25:13), and Festus discussed the
matter with Agrippa II, hoping that this Jewish basal king to Rome would help
him resolve this thorny “Jewish matter” on Paul (Acts 25:14-21).
Eventually, Paul would travel to Rome, as his
request to appeal his case to Caesar (Nero) was granted by governor Festus.
But, as Jesus implied (Acts 23:11), Paul’s final journey to Rome was to give a
great witness (martyr) to Jesus. And we will see how Paul give his witness not
to Caesar but to the Jews in Rome in tomorrow’s First Reading (Acts 28:16-20,
30-31).
No comments:
Post a Comment