Friday, April 24, 2015
John 21:15a 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."
FAITHFUL ARE THE WOUNDS OF A FRIEND
Before his arrest and crucifixion, Jesus sat with his disciples at one final meal. At that meal he revealed that they would all soon abandon him. Peter, as usual, thought he knew better. Peter thought his love for Jesus was much greater than that of the other disciples--and he arrogantly said so. "Even if all those guys abandon you, I won't. I'd die for you."
But that wasn't exactly the way it happened. We remember the story. When faced with danger, Peter denied even knowing Jesus--three times.
And so, after the resurrection, on a strand of beach somewhere on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus wounded Peter--with his words. It was a gentle incision--but deep.
"Simon ... do you love Me more than these?" (John 21:15).
"Simon ... do you love Me?" (John 21:16).
"Simon ... do you love Me?" (John 21:17).
Each time Peter responded by saying, "Yes Lord, you know that I love you." But he didn't use the same word for "love" that Jesus did. The Greek shows that Peter humbly used a lower expression. But then in his last question, Jesus exchanged his high word for "love" for Peter's lower expression for "love." Essentially, Jesus asked, "Peter, do you really love me, like you keep saying you do?"
The infection? Pride. And Jesus would remove it. Jesus would show Peter his sin, and his Savior from sin as well. That meant it would hurt at first. Proverbs 27:6a says, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend."
Sometimes Jesus hurts us by showing us our true motives, and our sinfulness. He cuts deep with the Law's scalpel, and lances the putrid infection. He does this so that healing can come in His Name. For Jesus follows the knife of the Law with salve the Gospel, the healing power of the Good News: By Christ's cross, your sins stand forgiven.
