John 21:15

So when they had broken their fast, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, 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.

Simon son of John ... This is the same as Matthew's "Simon Bar-Jonah" (Matthew 16:16,17ff) and had tremendous significance in Peter's memory, recalling the great Petrine confession which Christ made the dogmatic foundation of Christianity. The very use of "Simon Bar-Jonah" by Jesus here must have flooded Peter's heart with emotion.

Lovest thou me more than these ...? More than what? More than the big catch of fishes? More than the fishing business? More than the other apostles, of whom he had boasted that his love was greater? The words of Jesus are not specific here, and why should men feel the compulsion to be otherwise? Perhaps all of the above meanings, in one degree or another, are implicit in the Master's words here to his servant who denied him.

Thou knowest that I love thee ... The Greek words for "love" here are diverse (English Revised Version margin); and after reading a number of implications alleged from this premise, the most appealing is this, "There seems to be no difference of meaning between the two Greek words used for LOVE in John 20:15-17."[10] Perhaps the English Revised Version (1885) translators held the same view, for they made no distinction in the words as rendered into English. The big point of the whole episode would appear to be the threefold affirmation of Peter's love, contrasting with his triple denial.

Feed my lambs ... is a charge to teach Christ's disciples. The variation "feed my sheep" means the same thing, the only possible distinction being in the emphasis upon youth in the first charge.