“So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus
said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son
of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know
that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.” He said to him again a
second time, “Simon, son of
John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter
was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he
said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said
to him, “Tend My sheep.”
John 21, 15-17
There are only two times in Holy
Scripture where a charcoal fire is mentioned. The first is when Peter denies
the Lord three times on the night he was betrayed. The other is when Peter
affirms his love for Jesus after his resurrection. In the above passage it
appears that Jesus gives Peter a chance to redeem himself from his denial by
asking him three times if he loves the Lord. Peter answers that he does love
the Lord and yet the passage says that Pete was grieved by this. For someone
who only reads an English translation of the bible this passage can never make sense.
The true meaning of it has been lost in translation.
English is a vocabulary rich language. We have many
different words that can be used to express the same thought in a slightly
different manner. I can walk through the woods. I can also hike, amble,
stagger, skip, wander, journey, stride, stroll, saunter, meander, mosey, roam,
and high tail it through the woods. Each of those hold the same basic meaning but
express it in a way where someone can understand what type of “walk” occurred.
English is a vocabulary desert when it gets to the concept of love. We have one
word with a dozen different meanings. I love my wife. I love my pet squirrel. I
love this town. I love this pencil. I love the smell of napalm in the morning.
In each of those the word love was used but each held a distinctly different
meaning.
Greek (the language of the New Testament) has four words for
love that have distinctly different meanings. The first is “Éros” from which we
get words like “erotic”. It refers to a love of a physical nature. The second
is “Phillia” from which we get words like “Philadelphia” or “pedophilia”. It refers
to affectionate regard, friendship, or brotherly love – usually between equals.
The third is “Storge” and refers to the love usually felt between a parent and
a child. The greatest type of love is “Agápe”. For a
Christian this is a sacrificial love, a love above all others. It is the love
God has for man and the love we are called to have for each other.
When you read this passage in Greek you come away with an entirely
different understanding of it. The exchange between Jesus and Peter goes like
this;
Jesus: Peter, do you love me above all things? (agápe)
Peter: Yes, Lord. You know
that I love you like a brother. (phillia)
Jesus: Simon, son of John, do
you love me above all things? (agápe)
Peter: Yes, Lord. You know
that I love you like a brother. (phillia)
Jesus: Simon, son of John, do
you love me like a brother? (phillia)
At this Peter became upset for
he knew that he had failed once again. He did not love Jesus with the perfect,
sacrificial love but as a brother.
Peter: Yes, Lord. You know all
things. You know I love you as a brother. (phillia)
Jesus knew Peter did not yet
have the love he needed to have but he was willing to meet Peter where he was
on his spiritual journey. He trusted Peter to teach his people in his place and
knew that he would eventually come to love the Lord with agápe.
Each of us will stand where
Peter did. Each of us will be asked before a charcoal fire if we love the Lord
above all else, with perfect sacrificial love - agápe.
I suspect that is what purgatory is for. For those of us, like Peter, who
answer that we love the Lord like a brother, phillia love, we will be given
time in purgatory to perfect our love until only agápe
remains. Hell is reserved for those who have no love at all for the Lord.
