IN these closing verses of John's Gospel we find that Peter has the centre of the stage. It is plain that, though Jesus came to bring blessing and assurance to all who were present, Jesus came specially for the sake of Peter.

There can be no doubt that in spite of outward appearances Peter must have found his denial of Jesus at the time of Christ's trial weighing on his mind in all sorts of ways. Jesus comes in this special way to minister to Peter, and publicly make it clear that, in spite of such a dreadful failure, he was still loved and accepted into the service of his Lord.

Everything Jesus did was with purpose and for the best interests of his people. This is so here concerning Peter. Peter had been so sure of himself in the past. He needed to learn the lesson of his weakness, and the lesson of humility, and the lesson of his utter dependence on Christ in all things. In his questions Jesus forces Peter to be honest and face what he is in himself and apart from Christ.

Our English language has only one word for love. The Greek language has four, and we have two used in these three question of Jesus and in Peter's answers. Jesus uses the word 'agapao' in the first two queries. Then in the third he uses a lesser word for love 'fileo', which word Peter used in all his answers. 'agapao' is only found in the Bible, and it has the meaning of love which has appreciated Christ's love in dying for us, and in the knowledge and experience of this responds with the desire to love Jesus in an equal way. 'Fileo' is natural love and affection which is spontaneous towards those we like.

Peter, very conscious of his failure in 'agapao' to Jesus, feels he dare only claim 'fileo' for Jesus. So when Jesus, asking a third time, even questions whether Peter loves him with 'fileo', Peter is desperately hurt, saying that Jesus knows that he has 'fileo' for him.

Each time, Peter is brought low in humility, and each time Jesus builds him up by sending him forth in His service. Peter is sent to feed little lambs and little sheep, and these two different Greek words both suggest that Peter was given the responsibility to help the most vulnerable and needy of the flock of Christ, a very responsible and important ministry.

Jesus did this all publicly so that the other disciples would have no cause to look down on Peter, but would be challenged themselves for their desertion of Jesus at his trial. Such is Christ great love for his 'sheep' � you and I. We are failures like Peter, but as we live in humble dependence of Christ and seek to serve him, Jesus embraces us in the arms of his love, and builds us up in his strength, as he did Peter.

It is fortunate that the future is hidden from us, but sometimes Christians are given a glimpse into the future as Peter was here. Peter is told of his death, and told that even though it would not be easy, yet in his old age he would be standing firm for Jesus, and bringing glory to Jesus in his death.

Peter then shows he has still much to learn, and much of his sinful flesh still to overcome. He wants to know what will happen to John.

In answer to this Jesus gives Peter a lesson which we all need to learn. The lesson is that we are not to concern ourselves with how Jesus deals with other believers, but make sure that we do not fail to follow Jesus closely in all the way he leads us through life. This does not mean we don't have to care for others and pray for them, but it does mean that our business is to trust and obey Jesus faithfully. From this lesson we see how easily Christians can get carried away by wrong understanding. The church heard this story and what Jesus said concerning John, but they heard what they wanted to hear, rather than what was actually said by Jesus. John must have spent much time in correcting this error in the years that followed. His record of this error here certainly suggests this.

How we need to be sure that we listen carefully to God's Word in the Bible, and make sure we understand it properly, and so not be carried away by false interpretations, and wrong and half digested opinions. We should listen to Scripture, test all teaching by Scripture, and not be deceived by ideas which please, but are not the revelation of God.