“DO YOU LOVE ME, PETER?”
There will be a NIGHT SHADOWS RADIO PROGRAM TONIGHT
Most Christians are totally unaware of what is the true meaning of this exchange between Peter and Jesus. Within this exchange is the REAL issue between GOD AND MAN. It is the issue of LIFE AND DEATH, or WHAT TRUE REBIRTH is. So let’s take a look at this exchange as you find in John 21:14-17, and the 153 fishes, a mystery as well.
14 This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.
15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
So the question is this: Why would Jesus ask Peter THREE TIMES if Peter loved Him? Does not actually make a lot of sense. Further, why is Peter so upset when asked the THIRD TIME?
We need to take a very careful look at the ACTUAL WORDS that both Peter and Jesus used, for here is the ENTIRE issue between man and God. Herein is the secret to ETERNAL LIFE, glossed over and now totally IGNORED and BURIED by modern Christian theology – exactly why MILLIONS OF CHRISTIANS are rejected by Jesus Himself as found in Matthew Seven. It all deals with WHAT TYPE OF LOVE are we speaking of here?
Joh 21:15 SoG3767 whenG3753 they had dined,G709 JesusG2424 saithG3004 to SimonG4613 Peter,G4074 Simon,G4613 son of Jonas,G2495 lovestG25 thou meG3165 moreG4119 than these? HeG5130 saithG3004 unto him,G846 Yea,G3483 Lord;G2962 thouG4771 knowestG1492 thatG3754 I loveG5368 thee.G4571 He saithG3004 unto him,G846 FeedG1006 myG3450 lambs.G721
Joh 21:16 He saithG3004 to himG846 againG3825 the second time,G1208 Simon,G4613 son of Jonas,G2495 lovestG25 thou me? HeG3165 saithG3004 unto him,G846 Yea,G3483 Lord;G2962 thouG4771 knowestG1492 thatG3754 I loveG5368 thee.G4571 He saithG3004 unto him,G846 FeedG4165 myG3450 sheep.G4263
Joh 21:17 He saithG3004 unto himG846 theG3588 third time,G5154 Simon,G4613 son of Jonas,G2495 lovestG5368 thou me?G3165 PeterG4074 was grievedG3076 becauseG3754 he saidG2036 unto himG846 theG3588 third time,G5154 LovestG5368 thou me?G3165 AndG2532 he saidG2036 unto him,G846 Lord,G2962 thouG4771 knowestG1492 all things;G3956 thouG4771 knowestG1097 thatG3754 I loveG5368 thee.G4571 JesusG2424 saithG3004 unto him,G846 FeedG1006 myG3450 sheep.G4263
Notice these two LOVES. One is 25 in STRONG’S and the OTHER is 5368. This is why you must really dig down as to the TRUE MEANINGS OF WORDS and not TRUST the SCRIBES, as Jesus warned us about them. So let’s dig down further.
The meaning of 25 is far different that 5368.
25
G25
ἀγαπάω – agapaō – ag-ap-ah’-o
Because there was no way for the Greeks to express the DIVINE LOVE OF GOD, they coined the word AGAPE-AGAPAHO. It’s expression is far above the LOVE TYPES OF FALLEN HUMANITY. This is the LOVE TYPE than mankind LOST AT THE FALL.
People also ask
How do you explain agape love?
agape, Greek agapē, in the New Testament, the fatherly love of God for humans, as well as the human reciprocal love for God. In Scripture, the transcendent agape love is the highest form of love and is contrasted with eros, or erotic love, and philia, or brotherly love.
Remember back in Genesis when God warned Adam and Eve about the tree of good and evil? And they would DIE if they ATE OF IT?
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
So they DID EAT and they DID DIE THAT VERY INSTANT. What died is their INNER SPIRITUAL ESSENCE, DIVINE AGAPE. Mankind was severed from the spiritual love of God. It was no longer a part of their existence.
The FALL OF MAN is all about the LOSS OF DIVINE LOVE and instead is a dualistic nature of good and evil. Mankind is a LOST CREATURE, a FALLEN CREATURE.
Now back to the TWO LOVE TYPES. Jesus asked Peter if he DIVINELY LOVED JESUS and Peter replied YES, but then substituted ANOTHER LOVE TYPE. A FALLEN LOVE TYPE as though they were the SAME or IDENTICAL. EQUAL with each other.
G5368
Φιλέω- phileō – fil-eh’-o
From G5384; to be a friend to (fond of [an individual or an object]), that is, have affection for (denoting personal attachment, as a matter of sentiment or feeling; while G25 is wider, embracing especially the judgment and the deliberate assent of the will as a matter of principle, duty and propriety…
We could call phileo, as brotherly love, far below the actual LOVE OF GOD, AGAPE.
So what Peter did was to SUBSTITUTE HIS FALLEN BROTHERLY LOVE TYPE for Christ’s DIVINE LOVE TYPE. Again, Christ would have none of that, and was pressing Peter hard to make Peter recognize there is a HUGE DIFFERENCE between AGAPE and PHILEO.
Inasmuch as all of humanity is going to be JUDGED by AGAPE LOVE as the standard when they die, they FAIL AND THEIR HOUSE (BODY/MIND/SOUL FALLS INTO ETERNAL RUIN. Every one born on Earth is a FALLEN CREATURE that has no DIVINE LOVE WITHIN! All humanity has are fallen love types!
Now Jesus goes in for the kill. He asks Peter the third time “DO YOU PHILEO LOVE ME? The lightbulb in Peter’s mind suddenly realized what Jesus is actually telling him and becomes very upset.
The word for grieved means:
G3076
Λυπέω- lupeō – loo-peh’-o
From G3077; to distress; reflexively or passively to be sad: – cause grief, grieve, be in heaviness, (be) sorrow (-ful), be (make) sorry.
Peter suddenly realizes that the LOVE OF CHRIST is so very DIFFERENT and so far ABOVE Peter’s FALLEN LOVE that he became very upset and very sad.
So now let’s summarize this:
1 – CHRIST ASKS PETER IF HE DIVINELY LOVES HIM (STRONG’S 25). Peter says YES, LORD I “BROTHERLY LOVE YOU A TOTAL LOVE TYPE SUBSTITUTION.
2. CHRIST ASKS PETER A SECOND TIME IF HE DIVINELY LOVES HIM (STRONG’S 25) AND PETER THE SECOND TIME SAYS YES, I BROTHERLY LOVE YOU, ANOTHER TOTAL SUBSTITUTION OF LOVE TYPES.
3. CHRIST ASKS PETER THE THIRD TIME BUT USES BROTHERLY LOVE (STRONG’S 3076) INSTEAD OF GOD’S LOVE TYPE. PETER THEN RECOGNIZES WHAT THE ISSUE REALLY IS, A LOVE TYPE ISSUE!!
DIVINE LOVE vs. FALLEN HUMAN LOVE
We could word is this way:
The first time, ‘Peter are you BORN AGAIN in DIVINE LOVE?”
Peter then replies “YES, I AM BORN AGAIN in PHILEO LOVE”.
The second time, “Peter are you BORN AGAIN in DIVINE LOVE?
Peter then replies “YES, I AM BORN AGAIN in PHILEO LOVE”.
The third time “Peter, you ONLY LOVE ME IN PHILEO LOVE, YOU ARE A FALLEN CREATURE, you need to be BORN FROM ABOVE, BORN AGAIN IN DIVINE AGAPE LOVE.
This is why PETER BROKE DOWN. He finally realized that the issue between God and Man is ONLY ONE. A LOVE TYPE ISSUE. This is totally confirmed in John 3:19 as well,
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Do you see? There is only ONE CONDEMNATION, ONLY ONE.
IT IS A LOVE TYPE ISSUE, THAT IS ALL.
Modern Christians exactly do as PETER DID, they are claiming that there is NO difference between God’s love and their own loves. This IS the deception of all modern Christians and the world of humanity. They KNOWEST NOT that they are NOT BORN AGAIN or even that have to be – Satan is very clever and has deceived billions of people.
Jesus said YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN, or you CANNOT ENTER IN HEAVEN. End of story. Can you testify that you have personally met Jesus Christ and He has SHOWN YOU by DIRECT REVELATION DIVINE LOVE?
Jesus answered and said unto him,
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be bornagain, he cannot see the kingdom of God
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
True rebirth is to meet Jesus Christ and have Him REVEAL TO YOU the DIVINE LOVE OF GOD AND ACCEPTING IT after He has MANIFESTED HIMSELF to you. That is TRUE REBIRTH, there is no other “born again”. CONVERSION IS NOT REBIRTH, and has nothing to do with it. One MUST enter in the strait gate and walk the narrow way. No other way is offered to humanity.
How does one FIND CHRIST and HIS DIVINE LOVE? How does one become BORN AGAIN? One must enter the strait gate and walk the narrow way unto LIFE ETERNAL and that is found at the END OF THE NARROW WAY because that is where Jesus is as He says in Matthew 7:14 (777) and in verse 15 He warns you the FALSE PROPHETS who look like Christians, speak life Christians but instead are WOLVES who come to lead you into ETERNAL RUIN.
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
WAKE UP, ENTER IN OR REMAIN DEAD IN YOUR TRESPASSES AND SINS!
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