Just a quick recap before we begin Part 4 – In Part 1, we focused upon “Love” as being one of the character traits of God Himself; in Part 2, we focused upon the night in the Upper Room where Jesus told His disciples that “Love” would be the trait that defines them as His followers; and in Part 3, we focused upon all of the exhortations from Paul and Peter to the churches to “Love” one another, reinforcing what Jesus had previously told His disciples. So what’s left?

As I mentioned two weeks ago, I want to take us back to the Sea of Galilee following Jesus’ resurrection where He challenged none other than Peter with regard to this particular Disposition of Love. Jesus is going to take Peter back to the tragic night of his three denials, and then challenge him three times regarding His love for Jesus and reaffirming his ministry to “feed My sheep.”

But first, there is one word found only twice in the Greek New Testament, and it is the word anthrakia, translated as “charcoal fire.” And you guess it – the word was used when Peter warmed himself around the “charcoal fire” during Jesus’ interrogation (John 18:18) and Peter’s denials, and then John used the same word the second time to describe the charcoal fire that Jesus had prepared along the shore of Galilee just prior to addressing Peter directly (John 21:9). I will not cover all the details of this passage, but just focus upon the issue of “Love.”

Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love Me?” (John 21:15). Jesus used the word agapao (the verb form of agape), meaning “unconditional and sacrificial” love. In response, Peter replied, “You know that I love you” (John 21:15). Interestingly, Peter did not respond with agapao, but with phileo, meaning “friendship or brotherly” love.

Once again, Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love Me?” (John 21:16). And once again, Jesus used the word agapao. And again, Peter replied, “You know that I love you” (John 21:16), still using the word phileo, or “brotherly” love. Peter was just being honest about the level of his love for Jesus!

And then once again, Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love Me?” (John 21:17). But this time Jesus did not use the word agapao, but the word phileo, or “brotherly” love. And Peter replied that he loved Him with phileo, “brotherly” love. What’s going on here? Why did Jesus lower lowering the bar (so to speak) from agape love to phileo love?

Jesus knew that at this time in his life, Peter was not able to love Him with “unconditional and sacrificial” agape love, so He knelt down (so to speak) and accepted Peter right where he was. Jesus wanted “agape” love from Peter, but knew that it would take time for him to finally get there! And he did – All we need to do is to read Peter’s first letter to the churches at the end of his life to see how Peter changed from phileo “brotherly” love to agape, God’s “unconditional and sacrificial” love.

Peter exhorted the churches to:

“Love one another earnestly from the heart” (1 Peter 1:22), and

“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly…” (1 Peter 4:8).

And you guessed it – He used “agape” love in both of these verses. Peter finally arrived at where Jesus wanted him to be by the shore of Galilee, but it just took time for him to grow in his love for Jesus.

And Jesus does the same with each of us. He sets the bar high, but He takes us right where we are and encourages us to grow in our love for Him. May He do that for each of us, beginning today. Blessings to all   

Sincerely, Jim Price