He saith to him again: Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? He saith to him: Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith to him: Feed my lambs.

“Above, the Evangelist set down what the Lord showed to the disciples in common; here he shows what he showed specially to the two most beloved, and first he sets down what he showed to Peter; second, what he showed to John, at the place, "Peter, turning, saw that disciple whom Jesus loved." Concerning the first he does two things. First he enjoins on him the pastoral office; second he foretells to him the martyrdom of his passion, at the place, "Amen, amen, I say to thee," and so on. Now he enjoins the pastoral office with an examination going before it: and therefore those who are taken up into this office are first examined. 1 Timothy 5:22: "Impose hands upon no man lightly." But he examines him three times, and therefore according to this, this part is divided into three parts according to three examinations. The parts are plain. In the first, however, first is set down the Lord's question; second, Peter's answer, at the place, "He said to him: Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee"; third, the enjoining of the office, at the place, "He said to him: Feed my sheep." Concerning the first, three things occur to be considered. First, the order of the examination; second, the manner of the address; third, that concerning which the examination is made. The order indeed, because "when they had dined": in which is signified the spiritual banquet in which the soul too, together with the body, is refreshed by spiritual gifts. Apocalypse 3:20: "I will come in to him, and will sup with him." And therefore it is fitting that he who is taken up to this office should first be refreshed by this happy banquet; for otherwise how could those who are themselves famished refresh others? Jeremiah 31:14: "I will fill the souls of the priests with fatness": that fatness, I say, of which it is said in Psalm 62:6: "let my soul be filled as with marrow and fatness." Now the manner of the address is set down when he says, "he said to Simon Peter": where three things are set down which are necessary for a prelate. Obedience, when he says "to Simon," which is interpreted "obedient," which is necessary for prelates: for he who does not know how to obey his superiors does not know how to command his inferiors. Proverbs 21:28: "An obedient man shall speak of victory," and so on. Likewise knowledge, when he says "Peter," which is interpreted "recognizing" or "knowing": which is necessary for a prelate, because he is set as a watchman; and he who is blind is a bad watchman. Isaiah 56:10: "his watchmen are all blind"; Hosea 4:6: "because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will reject thee, that thou shalt not do the office of priesthood to me." Likewise grace, when he says "of John," that is, son of John: and this is necessary for prelates, because without it they have nothing. 1 Corinthians 15:10: "by the grace of God, I am what I am"; Galatians 2:9: "when they had known the grace of God that was given to me, Peter, James, and John, who seemed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship." Now the examination is concerning love: "lovest thou me," he says, "more than these?" And this indeed fittingly enough. Peter had earlier fallen into sin, as is plain above, nor was he fit to be set over others unless his fault were first blotted out: which does not happen except through charity. 1 Peter 4:8: "charity covereth a multitude of sins"; Proverbs 10:12: "charity covereth all sins." And therefore it was fitting that his charity be made manifest through the examination, not to him who searches the reins and hearts, but to others: and therefore he does not speak as one ignorant when he says, "lovest thou me more than these?" But because, as is said in 1 John 4:18, "perfect charity casteth out fear." Hence it is that upon Peter, who, when the Lord was dying, feared and denied him, the Lord, rising, instilled love, and put fear to flight. Therefore he who then denied, fearing to die, when the Lord rose, feared nothing. For what would he fear, when he now found death itself dead? This examination also fits the office. For many, taking up the pastoral office, use it as men loving themselves. 2 Timothy 3:1: "dangerous times shall be at hand, and men shall be lovers of themselves." And he who does not love the Lord is not a fit prelate; but rather he is fit who does not seek the things that are his own, but the things that are Jesus Christ's, and this out of love for him. 2 Corinthians 5:14: "the charity of Christ presseth us." It also fits the office as regards the profit of one's neighbors: for it is out of the abundance of charity that some who love God at times set aside the quiet of their own contemplation, in order to procure the profit of their neighbors. For when the Apostle had said, Romans 8:39: "for I am sure that neither death shall be able to separate us from the charity of God," he adds: "I myself wished to be an anathema for my brethren." And therefore an examination concerning love is necessary for a prelate. He adds, moreover, "more than these," because, as is also had from the Philosopher in his Politics, by the natural order he who presides and governs ought to be more excellent; whence he says that as the soul is related to the body which it rules, and reason to the lower powers, so likewise is man related to the brute animals. So ought a prelate to be related to his subjects. Whence according to Gregory, such ought to be the life of the pastor, that in comparison with him his subjects are as animals in comparison with their shepherd. And therefore he says "more than these," because the more one loves, the greater one is. 1 Kings 10:24: "surely you see him whom the Lord hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people." But is it necessary in an election always to choose the simply better, even though the laws determine that it suffices to choose a good man? To this it must be said that a twofold distinction is needed. For a certain thing suffices according to human judgment which nevertheless does not suffice according to divine judgment. According to human judgment, that suffices concerning which a man cannot be accused, nor is his election disapproved. Now it is plain that it would be difficult for elections to be made, if they could be disapproved on the ground that another is better than the one who was elected. Whence it suffices, according to human judgment, as is had in the decretal, that the election be right, and that a fit man be elected. But according to divine judgment and conscience, it is necessary to elect the better. Yet someone is called better in an unqualified sense, and thus he is called better who is holier — for holiness makes a man good — but he is not thereby better with respect to the Church. And in this respect someone is better insofar as he is more learned, more capable, and more discreet, and is elected with greater concord. But if, all else being equal as regards the profit of the Church and the betterment in this respect, someone should prefer a man less good in an unqualified sense to another, he sins, because of necessity something moves him to this. Now either this pertains to the honor of God and the profit of the Church, or to something private. If indeed the profit of the Church and the honor of God move him, this good is understood in the condition of the one elected, and makes him better in this respect. But if something private, for instance carnal affection, hope of benefice, or temporal advantage, then it is a fraudulent election, and a respecting of persons. Here is set down Peter's answer: from which an evident sign of the correction of his denial appears, and that the predestined are always corrected for the better, if ever they should stumble. For before he denied, Peter was proud against the other apostles, saying: "although all shall be scandalized, I will never be scandalized in thee." Likewise against the Lord: for when the Lord said, "thou wilt deny me three times," he added: "if I should have to die with thee, I will not deny thee." But now, overcome as to his own powers, he does not dare to confess his love, except under the witness and protestation of the Lord, humbling himself before Christ, and saying, "Lord, thou knowest that I love thee." Job 16:20: "behold, my witness is in heaven, and he that knoweth me is on high." Likewise, humbling himself before the apostles, he does not say "more than these" but simply "I love thee." In which we are instructed that we ought not to set ourselves before others, but others before ourselves; Philippians 2:3: "but in humility, esteeming one another superior to themselves." It should also be noted, according to Augustine, that when the Lord asked "lovest thou me," Peter did not answer "I love [diligo]" but "I love thee [amo te]"; as though love [amor] and loving-affection [dilectio] were the same. Which is true as regards the reality; but they differ as regards the name. For love [amor] is a movement of the appetite, and if indeed the appetite is regulated by reason, it is then the love of the will, which is properly called dilectio, because it follows upon choice: and hence it is that brute animals are not properly said to have dilectio; but if the movement is not regulated by reason, it is called amor. Here, Peter now having been examined, he enjoins on him the office, saying "feed my lambs," that is, my faithful, called lambs from me the lamb; above, John 1:29: "behold the lamb of God, behold him who taketh away the sins of the world"; so that thus no one can call himself a Christian who says he is not under the care of this pastor, namely Peter. Ezekiel 37:24: "there was one shepherd of you all"; Hosea 1:11: "they shall appoint themselves one head." Fittingly, moreover, he committed this office, all others being passed over, to Peter, who according to Chrysostom was the foremost of the apostles, and the mouth of the disciples, and the summit of the college. Here is set down the second examination. Now, so that the same words not be repeated many times, note that three times he says "feed my sheep"; because three times he ought to feed. Namely, by the word of doctrine; Jeremiah 3:15: "I will give you pastors according to my own heart, and they shall feed you with knowledge and doctrine." Likewise, by example of life; 1 Timothy 4:12: "be thou an example to the faithful in word, in conversation, in charity, in faith, in chastity"; Ezekiel 34:14: "on the mountains of Israel," that is, on the sublimity of great men, "shall your pastures be." Likewise, by temporal support; the same, verse 2: "woe to the pastors of Israel that fed themselves. Should not the flocks be fed by the pastors?" But observe that the third time he says to him, "feed my sheep." The reason for this is that in the Church there are three kinds of men, namely, the beginning, the progressing, and the perfect. And the first two indeed are lambs, as being still imperfect; but the others, as being perfect, are called sheep. Psalm 113:4: "the mountains," namely the perfect, "skipped like rams, and the hills," that is the others, "like the lambs of the flock." And hence it is that all prelates ought to guard their subjects as the sheep of Christ, and not as their own. But alas, because, as Augustine says in his paschal sermon, there have existed certain unfaithful servants, who abandoned the flock of Christ, and out of their thefts made the flock into their own private possessions, and you hear them say: "those sheep are mine. Why do you seek my sheep? You will not find me at my sheep." But if we say "mine," and they say "theirs": Christ has lost his sheep. It should also be noted that just as he enjoins three times, so he examines three times. First indeed because he had denied him three times; and therefore a threefold confession is required, lest the tongue serve love less than it served fear, and it seem that imminent death drew forth more speech than does present life, as Augustine says. Second, because Peter was bound to love Christ for a threefold cause. First, from sin forgiven: Luke 7:42: "to whom more is forgiven, he loveth more." Second, from honor promised, because it was great, namely "upon this rock I will build my Church," Matthew 16:18. Third, from the office committed, as here, when he committed to him the care of the Church; or when he says "feed," on account of this, because the Lord commanded, Deuteronomy 6:5: "thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart," namely that you should direct your whole intention to God, "with thy whole soul," namely that your whole will should rest wholly in God through love, and "with thy whole strength," that the whole execution of your works should serve God. It should also be noted that Peter, questioned the third time, was made sorrowful. Because, whereas before the passion he had readily asserted that he loved Christ, he was reproved by the Lord, as has been said. Seeing therefore that he is asked so many times concerning his love, he fears lest he be reproved by the Lord, and he is made sorrowful. And therefore he says, "thou knowest all things: thou knowest that I love thee," as if to say: I love thee, as far as it seems to me; but thou knowest all things, and perhaps thou knowest whether something else ought to happen. And therefore, Peter having been thus humbled, the final commission of the Church is made. And according to a certain Greek doctor, it is said that this is why those to be baptized are questioned three times in Baptism.”

“He saith unto him again the second time,.... Willing to have the expressions of his love repeated and confirmed; Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? he leaves out the words, "more than these", though Nonnus expresses them; he saw Peter's heart, and observed the modesty of his answer, and would not urge him any more in that comparative way, only required a repetition of his sincere and hearty love to him: he saith unto him, yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee; expressing himself in the same language as before; and it is, as if he should say, Lord, what can I say more? I can say no more than I have done, and by that I abide: he saith unto him, feed my sheep; both the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and his other sheep among the Gentiles, whom the Father had given him, and he had paid a price for, and must be brought in; these being called, he would have fed with the word and ordinances, with the bread of life, and water of life, not lorded over, and fleeced, and much less worried and destroyed; every instance of care and love shown to these, he takes as a mark of affection and respect to himself.”

“The lambs and the sheep of our Saviour here mean the faithful, who compose his Church, without any distinction of Jew or Gentile. St. Peter, by these words, is appointed to take charge of the whole flock, as being the chief and prince of the apostles. He is, in some manner, the pastor, not of the sheep only, but of the pastors themselves. They have each their own flock to look after; but to him is committed the care of all; he alone is the pastor of all. (Calmet) — Feed my sheep. Our Lord had promised the spiritual supremacy to St. Peter; (St. Matthew xvi. 19.) and here he fulfils that promise, by charging him with the superintendency of all his sheep, without exception; and consequently of his whole flock, that is, of his whole Church. (Challoner)”

“He saith to him . . . the second time . . . lovest thou me, &c.--In this repetition of the question, though the wound was meant to be reopened, the words "more than these" are not repeated; for Christ is a tender as well as skilful Physician, and Peter's silence on that point was confession enough of his sin and folly. On Peter's repeating his protestation in the same words, our Lord rises higher in the manifestation of His restoring grace. Feed--keep. my sheep--It has been observed that the word here is studiously changed, from one signifying simply to feed, to one signifying to tend as a shepherd, denoting the abiding exercise of that vocation, and in its highest functions.”