When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love you.” “Feed my lambs,” he told him. A second time he asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love you.” “Shepherd my sheep,” he told him. He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved that he asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” “Feed my sheep,” Jesus said. “Truly I tell you, when you were younger, you would tie your belt and walk wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you and carry you where you don’t want to go.” He said this to indicate by what kind of death Peter would glorify God. After saying this, he told him, “Follow me.” (John 21:15-19, CSB).
John 21 reads like an epilogue to his book. John’s gospel seems to end in Chapter 20 with the last statement concluding that his purpose for telling this story was so its readers might believe that Jesus was the Messiah and receive eternal life (vs. 31).
The appearance of Jesus to His disciples by the Sea of Galilee that John described in Chapter 21 provides an interesting twist to the resurrection and ascension story. It portrays Jesus in a different light from the Resurrected Christ.
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