Why Did Jesus Tell Peter to "Feed My Sheep" (John 21)?
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“Feed my sheep.” What a strange command Jesus gave Peter—one of the four fishing brothers in Jesus’s twelve closest disciples. Impulsive Peter, who once earned a sharp scold from Jesus, but another time demonstrated enough faith to be the only disciple to walk on water. To this Peter Jesus three times said, “Feed my sheep.” A command? An invitation? Why did Jesus use the words “feed my sheep”?
Peter’s transformation from fisherman to apostolic shepherd is a compelling story of Holy Spirit triumph over temperament. How and why does Peter’s spiritual journey take him from his nets to a ministry as shepherd of the newborn church? How does a fisherman accustomed to long nights out at sea learn to be happy leading men and women to safe pasture and still waters? Let's explore all this more.
Where Does Jesus Say “Feed My Sheep” in the Bible?
Matthew records Jesus’s first conversation with Andrew and his brother, Simon Peter: “And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men’” (Matthew 4:19 ESV). John records His last earthly conversation with Peter: “Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep’” (John 21:17 ESV).
Of course, in ancient biblical times, fishing and shepherding were common forms of work. Everyone in Israel would understand stories based on these vocations, and much of the crowd would profit in some way from them. But is there more here than a convenient metaphor?
In John 21, we are privy to an incident shared by several disciples following Jesus’s resurrection:
“Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, ‘I am going fishing.’ They said to him, ‘We will go with you.’ They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing” (John 21:2-3 ESV).
This must have been an especially poignant time for all of them in the wake of Jesus’s death and resurrection, but especially for Peter. Peter loved Jesus and was one of the three disciples closest to Him (with James and John). Yet, in the hours before Jesus was crucified, Peter denied knowing Him not once but three times. Now, Peter must have wondered what damage this had done to their relationship. It would seem that Peter decided, at least in that moment, to spend time doing what was most comfortable and familiar— fishing. The night of fishing, however, yielded empty nets.
In the early morning following this fruitless night, the fishermen saw a man on the beach. They didn’t initially recognize that it was Jesus. When He asked if they’d caught fish and they confirmed they had not, He told them to cast the net on the right side of the boat. Of course when they did, there were so many fish, they couldn’t haul them in. Peter realized it was Jesus and immediately swam to shore while the others rowed in dragging the full net.
Once they reached the beach, they saw Jesus had made a charcoal fire and was already roasting fish and bread. Jesus invited Peter to add fish from their catch and they ate breakfast together. It was then Jesus spoke with Peter:
“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.’
He said to him 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, ‘Tend my sheep.’
He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love 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 love you.’
Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.’” (John 21:15-17 ESV).
What Is the Context of Jesus Telling Peter, “Feed My Sheep”?
There are many layers Christians see in this simple conversation between Peter and Jesus.
First, just as Jesus told Him he would, Peter had denied Jesus three times on the night of Jesus’s arrest. The first denial happened around a charcoal fire. “The servant girl at the door said to Peter, ‘You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?’ He said, ‘I am not.’ Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself” (John 18:17-18 ESV). Some scholars note that John mentions both that fire and the charcoal fire on the beach. Was Jesus setting the stage with this beach fire for their conversation?
Second, why did Jesus press Peter to express his love three times? Peter denied Jesus thrice and now here, he affirms his love the same number of times. Was this intentional on Jesus’s part? Was Peter grieved because on the third repetition of the question, he understood the echo from his denial? Was he grieved that Jesus felt the need to keep asking since Peter had, prior to the night of the arrest, always demonstrated his love? Scholars often reflect and wonder about why Jesus asks three times.
Third, scholars also point out three unique original language curiosities in this conversation. The first and second times Jesus asks, He uses the word agape, “Simon, son of John, do you agape me more than these?”
Agape is the term for a sacrificial, deep, holy type of love. Peter responds both times in the affirmative but uses the word phileo for love, meaning a brotherly or friendship type of love. The third time He asks the question, Jesus also uses phileo. Why the variation? Also, why does Jesus use Peter’s given name, Simon, and not Peter, the name He gave him? And who are the “these” to whom Jesus refers in His question? Was He asking if Peter loved Jesus more than he loved fish or fishing? Was He asking if Peter loved Him more than the others gathered?
Clearly, this conversation between Jesus and Peter leads to many questions, and there are numerous angles for speculation. It seems reasonable to most readers that this conversation is Peter’s opportunity for restoration from his denials as Jesus invites him back into relationship, back into the work, back into ministry. Probably the most straightforward aspect of this conversation is Jesus’s call for Peter to “feed my sheep.”
Why Did Jesus Give The Command to "Feed My Sheep" Specifically to Peter?
In John 10, Jesus told those listening vital information about Himself and His ministry:
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father” (John 10:11-18 ESV).
These words, called to mind, would have expanded meaning for Peter following the crucifixion and resurrection. Jesus has literally laid down His life and has taken it up again. I imagine the words about having “other sheep not of this fold” would also come to have even greater meaning when, down the road, Peter has a vision related to the Gentiles and welcomes Cornelius into the family of God.
But, even in this moment, Peter knows Jesus as the Good Shepherd. He would have grown up hearing the words of Psalm 23 read in synagogue. He would know that the Greek word for shepherd is poimen. The verb form of poimen, poimaino means “to feed, to tend a flock.” Jesus asks Peter three times about Peter’s love for Him. Three times, Peter affirms his love. Three times, Jesus asks Peter to feed or to tend—first, His lambs, then His sheep. Here is the Good Shepherd now asking Peter to tend and feed the flock.
Jesus was asking Peter to represent Him by caring for the flock. As the psalmist wrote in Psalm 100:3 ESV, “We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.” Jesus was entrusting Peter, the same disciple who denied Him following His arrest, the same disciple who took His eyes off Jesus and fell beneath the waves, the same disciple who had received His sharpest reprimand, this disciple who loved Him, with the responsibility of shepherding His people.
How Does “Feeding the Sheep” Connect to Spiritual Leadership?
Jesus was not charging Peter with organizing food supplies for the people. Jesus did feed the crowds at times, but with Jesus, food and feeding were often metaphors for receiving God’s Word and for doing His work in this world. Jesus was charging Peter with spiritual leadership, serving the flock through shepherding.
When Jesus was tempted by Satan to turn stones into bread to feed Himself, He replied, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:4)
When the disciples returned from town with food for Him at Jacob’s well, food he declined, they urged Him to eat, but “Jesus said to them, 'My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work'” (John 4:34).
Having listened to Jesus talk about how the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over those they lead, but that it should not be that way among the disciples, Peter would have understood the servant aspect of this leadership. More than this, Peter had witnessed Jesus' great suffering and sacrifice. It was to this form of shepherding that Jesus was calling him.
Peter did go on to be a leader of the early church (Acts 15:6-7), to teach, write, serve, suffer, and eventually to be martyred for the faith.
How Can Christians Today Live out Jesus’ Call to “Feed My Sheep”?
My daughter and her family have a flock of goats. Daily, she and her sons rise early, often in the dark, cold, in any weather, to feed and water them. In the evening, they repeat this process. They protect the flock from predators by monitoring and repairing their fence. They expand their territory as the flock grows, help mamma goats give birth and care for their young. When goats fall sick, they tend to them and help them get well.
No one would accuse this family of “lording it over the goats.” I’m sure many mornings it feels like the flock owns them.
Likewise, leaders in the church of Jesus are to care for the body of Christ by consistently providing food (sound teaching), oversight, comfort, care for young and old, and remedy when there are signs of ill spiritual health (sometimes through church discipline). Jesus and the leaders of the early church sacrificed and suffered, enjoying little earthly comfort and glory in order to tend to their followers. They had their joys and didn’t apologize for having physical needs or needing financial support (1 Timothy 5:18), but their leadership was marked by humility, gentleness, and pastoral care. We, too, can feed His sheep.
Photo credit: Unsplash/Biegun Wschodni
