Jn. 21:12. Jesus says to them: Come, dine. None of the disciples dared ask Him: Who are You? knowing that it was the Lord.
When the Lord said "come, dine," no one asks or dares to ask. They no longer had their former boldness, but in silence and with fear they marveled at Him; they knew that it was the Lord, and therefore did not ask. Seeing that His appearance had changed and was filled with striking majesty, they were greatly astonished. They would have liked at least to ask about this, but the fear in their awareness that this was none other than He Himself held them back from asking, and they merely partook of what He had created for them. How then did He create it? With full authority. For He no longer looks toward heaven nor calls upon the Father, for that was done then out of condescension.
The command "come, dine" serves as a hint that the saints, after their labors, receive rest, contentment, and delight. For everything that was done and said at that time is filled with mystery. For example, the fact that Mary took Him for a gardener appears simple, but there is also something hidden in this. For He truly was the real cultivator of the garden, in the garden of the tomb, as if in paradise, correcting the female sex, and turning the one who deceived the first gardener—Adam—away from deception and unbelief. For the conversion of Mary and the teaching about the resurrection indicates that the female sex is being converted and led to perfection.
Jn. 21:13. Jesus comes, takes the bread and gives it to them, and likewise the fish.
Jn. 21:14. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to His disciples after He was risen from the dead.
The Evangelist says: "This is now the third time that He showed Himself," and by this he indicates that He did not associate with them constantly, nor as before.
Jn. 21:15. When they had dined, Jesus says to Simon Peter: Simon, son of Jonas! do you love Me more than these? Peter says to Him: yes, Lord! You know that I love You. Jesus says to him: feed My lambs.
Since the dinner had a purpose for Him, He entrusts to Peter the care of the sheep of the whole world, entrusting the care not to anyone else but to him, first, because he was the chosen one from among all and was the mouthpiece of the entire company of the apostles; then in order to show that he must have boldness, since his denial has been atoned for. He does not bring up the denial, does not reproach him for it, but says: "If you love Me, take care of the brethren and prove now that ardent love for Me of which you spoke, saying that you were ready even to die for Me."
Jn. 21:16. Again He says to him a second time: Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me? Peter says to Him: Yes, Lord! You know that I love You. Jesus says to him: Tend My sheep.
Jn. 21:17. He says to him the third time: Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me? Peter was grieved that He asked him the third time: Do you love Me?
He asks him three times, partly to show that He cares so much for the faithful and loves His own sheep so much that the care of His sheep serves as a sign of love for Him Himself; and partly by the threefold questioning and confession He heals the threefold denial, and corrects with words the fall that occurred in words. From this arose the custom of requiring a threefold confession from those desiring to be baptized.
Jn. 21:17. And he said to Him: Lord! You know all things; You know that I love You.
After the first and second question, Peter calls as witness Him who knows hearts; he no longer trusts in himself, does not answer hastily, but each time adds: "You know."
When Peter was asked a third time, he became troubled, wondering whether he was mistaken in thinking that he loved, when perhaps in reality he did not love, because before he too had thought highly of himself and his own strength, yet the outcome proved him wrong. And now he feared the same thing. Therefore he answers with reverence: "Lord! You know all things, both the present and the future; You know that now I love You, as it seems to me, but whether my love will endure for the time to come, this You know, and I do not vouch for myself."
Jn. 21:17. Jesus says to him: Feed My sheep.
Another person, perhaps, will find a distinction between the terms "lambs" and "sheep," between the words "feed" and "tend." By "lambs," perhaps, are meant beginners, and by "sheep" – those more perfect. Therefore, whoever loves Christ must have care for both the lambs and the sheep, must "feed" the lambs, that is, exercise over them a simpler oversight, and "tend" the sheep, which points to a higher guidance. Sometimes, however, even the most perfect are in need of tender care, and the overseers of the sheep must nourish them. "To tend" expresses a stricter oversight, while "to feed" – a more tender one. What then shall we render to the Lord, who so loved us that He made the care of His sheep the sign of love for Himself?
Jn. 21:18. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.
The Lord, having spoken to Peter about love for Himself, also foretells to him the martyrdom that he will endure. He says this in order to show that if He asks him about love, He asks not out of distrust toward him, but out of confidence that he loves, for how can he not love who will even be martyred for Him? He asked in order to more fully reveal the love of Peter himself and to teach all others that if we desire to love Him, we must prove our love for Him through care for the brethren.
How then does He foretell his martyrdom? Listen. "When you were young, you girded yourself," and so forth. "Since," He says, "you love Me and have more than once promised to lay down your life for Me in times of danger, be at peace; I will fulfill your desire, so that what you did not suffer in your youth, you will suffer in your old age." He reminds him of his former life in order to show that the spiritual and the carnal stand in inverse relation. In worldly affairs the young man is useful, while the one who has grown old is useless; in spiritual affairs, on the contrary, the struggle is more glorious when old age has come. He says this with the aim of stirring up his love and inflaming him for martyrdom.
He also hints to him that he too will be crucified. For the words "you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you" indicate nothing other than being stretched out on the cross and being bound. By the words "when you were young" and again "but when you grow old," he shows that Peter at that time was neither young nor old, but a man in his prime.
Why did the Lord tell him that "another will gird you and lead you where you do not wish"? Although Peter desired martyrdom, and desired it ardently, the Lord's words point to the sympathy of our nature for life and to the fact that the soul is reluctant to part from the body. For God so arranged it, and arranged it for our benefit, so that we would not kill ourselves. Therefore no one, even if he be a saint, puts off the body without feeling.
Jn. 21:19. He said this, giving him to understand by what kind of death Peter would glorify God.
The Evangelist, according to his custom, adds in explanation of the words: "This he said, signifying by what death Peter would glorify God." Jesus said to Peter "you will stretch out your hands" and so forth, signifying that he would suffer martyrdom for Him. He calls Peter's death the glory of God, because suffering for Him unto death is truly the glory of God. For if the soul is not fully convinced that He is the true God, then a man will not die for Him. And therefore the death of the saints is a confirmation of the glory of God.
And, having said this, He says to him: Follow Me.
The Lord entrusted to Peter the care of all believers. For if James received the throne in Jerusalem, Peter received it in the whole world. After this the Lord says to him: "Follow Me," showing His care for him and His great affection toward him.