John 21:15 (WEB)
So when they had eaten their breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I have affection for you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”
Catechism · 6
The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation
“Jesus' look of infinite mercy drew tears of repentance from Peter and, after the Lord's resurrection, a threefold affirmation of love for him.” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Lk 22:61; Jn 21:15-17.
The Sacrament of Holy Orders
“"The Lord said clearly that concern for his flock was proof of love for him."” — Catechism footnote: St. John Chrysostom, De sac. 2, 4: PG 48, 636; cf. Jn 21:15-17.
The Mysteries of Christ's Life
“Jesus, the Good Shepherd, confirmed this mandate after his Resurrection: "Feed my sheep."” — Catechism footnote: Jn 21:15-17; Cf. 10:11.
On the Third Day He Rose from the Dead
“He invites them in this way to recognize that he is not a ghost and above all to verify that the risen body in which he appears to them is the same body that had been tortured and crucified, for it still bears the traces of his Passion.” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Lk 24:30, 39-40, 41-43; Jn 20:20, 27; 21:9, 13-15.
Christ's Faithful - Hierarchy, Laity, Consecrated Life
“When Christ instituted the Twelve, "he constituted [them] in the form of a college or permanent assembly, at the head of which he placed Peter, chosen from among them."” — Catechism footnote: LG 19; cf. Lk 6:13; Jn 21:15-17.
“He gave him the keys of his Church and instituted him shepherd of the whole flock.” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Mt 16:18-19; Jn 21:15-17.
Fathers and councils · 41
Athanasius of Alexandria
- Athanasius of Alexandria, Against the Arians III.5Discourse III
“In Paradise God asks, ‘Adam, where art Thou’ and He inquires of Cain also, ‘Where is Abel thy brother?’” — editor's note: S. Chrysostom, S. Ambrose, and Pope Gregory, in addition to the instances in the text, refer to ‘I will go down now, and see whether they have done, &c., and…
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Jerome
“…so there will not be merely wisdom in Solomon, sweetness in David, zeal in Elias and Phinees, faith in Abraham, perfect love in Peter, to whom it was said, “Simon, son of John, lovest thou me?” zeal for preaching in the chosen vessel, and two or three virtues each in others, but God will be wholly in all, and the…” — editor's note: S. John xxi. 15–17.
Read the whole comment“Now, when Peter denied the Son of God, he wept bitterly and effaced his threefold denial by a threefold confession.” — editor's note: Joh. xxi. 15–17.
Read the whole comment“By a threefold confession Peter blotted out his threefold denial.” — editor's note: Joh. xviii. 15–27; xxi. 15–17.
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Ambrose of Milan
“It is Peter, chosen by the Lord Himself to feed His flock, who merits thrice to hear the words: “Feed My little lambs; feed My lambs; feed My sheep.”” — editor's note: S. John xxi. 15 ff.
Read the whole comment“And who would dare to deny the operation of Christ in him, since he was certainly elected and chosen by Christ, when the Lord said: “Feed My lambs.”” — editor's note: S. John xxi. 15.
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Augustine of Hippo
“Who afterwards that, from being afar off, he might be made to draw nigh, heard after the resurrection the question, “Lovest thou Me?” and said, “I love Thee;” and by so saying was brought “nigh,” even as by denying Him, he had become “far off;” till with the threefold confession of love, he had put away from him his…” — editor's note: John xxi. 15.
Read the whole comment“…times whether he loved Him, and that, when Peter returned the same answer thrice over, He also gave him thrice over the self-same charge to feed His sheep.” — editor's note: John xxi. 15–17.
Read the whole comment“The Lord, after His resurrection, what question put He to Peter, but, “Lovest thou me?”” — editor's note: John xxi. 15–17.
Read the whole comment“…a will which loves God and his neighbor for God’s sake; whether through love, of which the Apostle Peter makes answer, “Lord, Thou knowest that I love Thee;” whether through fear, of which says the Apostle Paul, “In fear and trembling work out your own salvation;” whether through joy, of which he says, “In hope…” — editor's note: John xxi. 15
Read the whole comment“And a third time, “Peter, lovest thou Me?”” — editor's note: John xxi. 15, etc.
Read the whole comment““Lovest thou Me?”” — editor's note: John xxi. 15.
Read the whole comment“This was done a second, and a third time; and at each several reply, the Lord said, “Feed My lambs.”” — editor's note: John xxi. 15.
Read the whole comment“On the same words of the Gospel of John. xxi. 15, “Simon, son of John, lovest thou me more than these?” etc.” — the author cites it
Read the whole comment“Peter, too, throughout used one word for the one thing, and the third time also replied, “Lord, Thou knowest all things, Thou knowest that I love (amo) Thee.”” — editor's note: John xxi. 15–17. On these synonyms see the commentaries in loc.
Read the whole comment““Feed my sheep” applies, then, to this, that thou shouldst lay down thy life for my sheep.” — editor's note: Chap. xxi. 15–19.
Read the whole comment“In fine, before the Lord’s passion, his slavish fear was questioned by a bond-woman; but after the Lord’s resurrection, his free love by the very Lord of freedom: and so on the one occasion he was troubled, on the other tranquillized; there he denied the One he had loved, here he loved the One he had denied.” — editor's note: John xxi. 15.
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John Chrysostom
“And at the end he hears Christ say, “Peter, lovest thou Me more than these?” ( c. xxi. 15.)” — the author cites it
Read the whole comment“John xxi. 15” — the author cites it
Read the whole comment““Peter, lovest thou me,” saith He; “Feed my sheep:”and having asked him a third time, declared this to be an infallible proof of love.” — editor's note: John xxi. 15–17.
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Catena Aurea on Mark
- JeromeCatena Aurea on Mark
“The lord of the house is the Apostle, Peter, to who the Lord has entrusted His house, that there may be one faith under one Shepherd. [ref John 21:15] The large upper-room is the wide-spread Church, in which the Name of the Lord is spoken of, prepared by a variety of powers and tongues.” — the author cites it
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Catena Aurea on Matthew
- JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
“…note: In John 21, the Vulgate has ‘Johannis,’ but in John 1, 43, ‘Jona.’], according to that question in another place, “Simon, son of John, lovest thou me?” [John 21:15] affirming that it is an error of the copyists in writing here Barjonas for Barjoannas, dropping one syllable.” — the author cites it
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Leo the Great
“…not only was the power of loosing and binding given to Peter before the others, but also to Peter more especially was entrusted the care of feeding the sheep.” — editor's note: Cui cum præ (Quesnel conj. pro) cæteris solvendi et ligandi tradita sit potestas, pascendarum tamen ovium cura specialius mandata est. Cf. S. John xxi. 15–17.
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Cyprian of Carthage
“And again to the same He says, after His resurrection, “Feed my sheep.”” — editor's note: John xxi. 15. [Here is interpolated]: “Upon him, being one, He builds His Church, and commits His sheep to be fed.”
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Gregory of Nazianzus
“Yet Jesus received him, and by the threefold question and confession healed the threefold denial.” — editor's note: John xxi. 15. sq.
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Aphrahat
“For He said to Simon Cephas:—Feed My sheep and My lambs and My ewes.” — editor's note: John xxi. 15–17.
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Catena Aurea on John
- Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on John
The dinner being ended, He commits to Peter the superintendence over the sheep of the world, not to the others: So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me more than these?
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
Our Lord asked this, knowing it: He knew that Peter not only loved Him, but loved Him more than all the rest.
Read the whole comment - Alcuin of YorkCatena Aurea on John
He is called Simon, son of John, John being his natural father. But mystically, Simon is obedience, John grace, a name well befitting him who was so obedient to God’s grace, that he loved our Lord more ardently than…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
While our Lord was being condemned to death, he feared, and denied Him. But by His resurrection Christ implanted love in his heart, and drove away fear. Peter denied, because he feared to die: but when our Lord was…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
That which most of all attracts the Divine love is care and love for our neighbour. Our Lord passing by the rest, addresses this command to Peter: he being the chief of the Apostles, the mouth of the disciples, and…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
Well doth He say to Peter, Lovest thou Me (ἀγαπᾶς diligis), and Peter answer, Amo Te (φελῶ amo), and our Lord replies again, Feed My lambs. Whereby, it appears that amor and dilectio are the same thing: especially as…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
A third time He asks the same question, and gives the same command; to shew of what importance He esteems the superintendence of His own sheep, and how He regards it as the greatest proof of love to Him.
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on John
Thence is taken the custom of threefold confession in baptism.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
The question asked for the third time disturbed him: Peter was grieved because He said unto him the third time, Lovest thou Me? He was afraid perhaps of receiving a reproof again for professing to love more than he…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
He was grieved because he was asked so often by Him Who knew what He asked, and gave the answer. He replies therefore from his inmost heart; Thou knowest that I love Thee.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
He says no more, He only replies what he knew himself; he knew he loved Him; whether any else loved Him he could not tell, as he could not see into another’s heart: (non occ.). Jesus saith unto him, Feed My sheep; as…
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on John
There is a difference perhaps between lambs and sheep. The lambs are those just initiated, the sheep are the perfected.
Read the whole comment - Alcuin of YorkCatena Aurea on John
To feed the sheep is to support the believers in Christ from falling from the faith, to provide earthly sustenance for those under us, to preach and exemplify withal our preaching by our lives, to resist adversaries,…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
They who feed Christ’s sheep, as if they were their own, not Christ’s, shew plainly that they love themselves, not Christ; that they are moved by lust of glory, power, gain, not by the love of obeying, ministering,…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
But unfaithful servants arose, who divided Christ’s flock, and handed down the division to their successors: and you hear them say, Those sheep are mine, what seekest thou with my sheep, I will not let thee come to…
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Cross-references · 43
Cited together in On Patience Chapter 22 and 1 other place.
Cited together in Letters Letter 10.
Cited together in Letters Letter 10.
Cited together in On Patience Chapter 22.
Cited together in Letters Letter 10.
Cited together in Letters Letter 10.
Cited together in Catechism §1551.
Cited together in Catechism §1429.
Cited together in Catechism §1429.
Cited together in Letters Letter 10.
Cited together in Sermons on New Testament Lessons Sermon 97.
Cited together in Sermons on New Testament Lessons Sermon 96.
Cited together in Letters Letter 10.
Cited together in Letters Letter 42.
Cited together in Jerome on Matthew 16:13–19 (7) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Catechism §881 and 2 other places.
Cited together in Catechism §553 and 2 other places.
Cited together in Letters Letter 42.
Cited together in Catechism §553.
Cited together in Letters Letter 42.
Cited together in Letters Letter 42.
Cited together in Letters Letter 42 and 1 other place.
Cited together in Letters Letter 42.
Cited together in Tractates on the Gospel of John Tractate 92.
Cited together in Tractates on the Gospel of John Tractate 92.
Cited together in Tractates on the Gospel of John Tractate 92.
Cited together in Tractates on the Gospel of John Tractate 92.
Cited together in Tractates on the Gospel of John Tractate 92.
Cited together in Letters Letter 42 and 1 other place.
Cited together in Catechism §1551.
Cited together in Catechism §1551.
Cited together in Catechism §1551.
Cited together in Jerome on Mark 14:12–16 (4) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Jerome on Mark 14:12–16 (4) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Jerome on Mark 14:12–16 (4) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Jerome on Mark 14:12–16 (4) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Jerome on Mark 14:12–16 (4) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Catechism §880.
Cited together in Sermons on New Testament Lessons Sermon 97.
Cited together in Catechism §1429.
Cited together in Catechism §553.
Cited together in Sermons on New Testament Lessons Sermon 97.
Cited together in Letters Letter 42 and 1 other place.