Between Text

and Sermon

John 21: 15-17

Caleb O. Oladipo
Lecturer, African Studies Program
Baylor University

JOHN 21 IS ALMOST CERTAINLY AN EPILOGUE to t h e F o u r t h Gospel. Nevertheless, in

the evangelist's presentation of a conversation between Jesus a n d Peter concern-
ing discipleship (w. 15-17), we see n o t only t h e tradition of t h e rehabilitation of
Peter (cf. J o h n 18:15-27), b u t also a portrait of t h e vocation of Christian minis-
try. I wish to draw attention to t h e foundation, n a t u r e , a n d challenge of that
ministry as p r e s e n t e d in Jesus' conversation with Peter.
T h e foundation of Christian ministry p r e s e n t e d in this passage is love a n d
devotion to Jesus Christ. Note t h e question Jesus asks Peter: "Simon, son of J o h n ,
d o you love m e m o r e than these?" (v. 15). It could b e that Jesus sweeps his
h a n d s a r o u n d t h e nearby b o a t a n d nets a n d says: "Simon, son of J o h n , are you
p r e p a r e d to give u p t h e things you know in o r d e r to follow me? Are you ready to
a b a n d o n all h o p e of a successful fishing career in o r d e r to give yourself forever
to my p e o p l e a n d to my work?"
It may b e that Jesus looks at t h e rest of t h e little b a n d of disciples a n d says
to Peter: "Simon, son of J o h n , d o you love m e m o r e t h a n these o t h e r disciples
love me?" After all, Peter h a d boasted o n e night, " T h o u g h all b e c o m e deserters
because of you, I will never desert you" (Matt. 26:33). So Jesus r e m i n d s Peter
that h e h a d o n c e t h o u g h t h e alone could be true a n d loyal to Jesus.
We must n o t e that t h e way Jesus frames t h e first part of t h e question is im-
portant. H e asks Peter, "Simon, son of J o h n (using t h e full title of P e t e r ) , d o you
love m e ? " In Nigeria, especially a m o n g t h e Yoruba p e o p l e , t h e use of a full title
of an individual implies that a n i m p o r t a n t message is to follow. T h e i m p o r t a n t
message to Peter h e r e is that t h e motivation for Christian vocation has its origins
in o u r love a n d devotion to Jesus Christ. Jesus does n o t ask Peter, "Simon, son of
J o h n , d o you love t h e sheep?" or "do you love t h e m e m b e r s of t h e c h u r c h in
Jerusalem?" As you a n d I know, t h e sheep are n o t always lovable. In this text,
Christ m e a n s that n o n e of us can faithfully a n d diligently p r e p a r e for t h e Chris-
tian ministry a n d execute o u r responsibilities as faithful servants of t h e c h u r c h
a n d of God's creation unless we look beyond h u m a n s . It is n o t easy to bring to-
g e t h e r in a small c h u r c h u n d e r t h e yoke of Christ m e n a n d w o m e n from totally
different social, economic, a n d historical backgrounds. Some are weak; others
are strong. Those w h o are strong may n o t be gentle. Those w h o are gentle may
be slow. Those w h o are n o t slow may b e h a r d to teach. Therefore, you a n d I
would n o t persevere in o u r s h e p h e r d i n g task unless t h e love of Christ were o u r
motivation. Christ has called us to t h e ministry, a n d we have n o t only b e e n
called to work for h i m , we have also b e e n called to work with h i m , a n d o u r love

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for h i m compels us to obey him. "Simon, son of J o h n , d o you love m e ? "
T h e conversation between Jesus a n d Peter continues when Jesus asks Peter,
"Simon, son of J o h n , d o you love me?" a n d Peter replies simply: "Yes, Lord, I
love you." T h e n Jesus says, "Feed my lambs." In o t h e r words, "If you love m e ,
t h e n give your life to feeding my lambs. They are d e a r a n d precious to m e . Feed
them." Each time I c o m e across a passage like this in the New Testament, I am
r e m i n d e d of the n a t u r e of ministry. As ministers of the gospel, we have b e e n
called to feed the sheep. T h e Greek word used h e r e is a very specific word boske,
m e a n i n g to graze or feed on growing grasses. From time to time I see this in
Africa. Cattlemen in n o r t h e r n Nigeria often take their cattle south to the city of
Lagos. Trekking t h r o u g h r o u g h terrain necessitates resting o n several occasions
along the way. While Nigerian cattlemen sit down o n rocky m o u n t a i n s resting
with staff in h a n d , the animals graze on the g r e e n grass. This is the image that
comes to my m i n d when I read in this passage that Jesus tells Peter to feed the
sheep. O u r ministry must take seriously the feeding a n d n u r t u r i n g of God's
flock. In o t h e r words, we must feed God's p e o p l e with the truth of the Christian
faith.
But the Christian proclamation is n o t limited to preaching. D u r i n g this early
m o r n i n g conversation with Peter, Jesus uses a n o t h e r word that is b r o a d e r than
feeding. In verse 16 of the text h e says, "Simon, son of J o h n . . . tend my sheep,"
or take care of my sheep. T h e Greek word used h e r e is different from the word
used in verse 15. It is poimaine, which has b r o a d e r implications t h a n the term
boske. Christian ministry includes many dimensions of taking care of the sheep:
watching over t h e m , talking to t h e m , gathering t h e m together, visiting t h e m ,
putting clothes o n t h e m , protecting t h e m from waves of religious extremism,
g u a r d i n g t h e m from physical danger, praying with t h e m , listening to t h e m , a n d
helping t h e m in difficult times. "Simon, son of J o h n , d o you love me? . . . t e n d
my sheep."
Finally, Jesus challenges Peter as b o t h of t h e m are finishing breakfast. T h e
challenge is r e c o r d e d in verse 17. In verses 15 a n d 16, Jesus used the word agape
when h e asked Peter, "Do you love me?" But now in verse 17 h e uses phileö w h e n
h e asks the same question, "Do you love me?" Although agape a n d phileö are used
as synonyms t h r o u g h o u t the Gospel of J o h n , the shift h e r e may be instructive.
We may take the shift as a signal that we n e e d to be p r e p a r e d to h e a r a
clear witness to Christian discipleship by e m b r a c i n g the truth spoken to us by
the "Peters" a m o n g w h o m we minister. If in this story Jesus is portrayed as will-
ingly a d o p t i n g the finite vocabulary of Peter, we too may expect to be surprised
by the ineffable c o m m u n i c a t e d t h r o u g h the m u n d a n e . Will n o t s h e p h e r d i n g the
sheep also include learning from them m u c h of what it m e a n s to love the Lord?
I n d e e d , could it be that in listening carefully to the sheep we shall c o m e to h e a r
m o r e clearly the call of the G o o d S h e p h e r d (John 10:11)?

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