Jesus Forgives And Restores!

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Grace777x70

Grace777x70

Banned
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Nov 22, 2015
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[TD="align: center"]In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. [/TD]
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[TD]Ephesians 1:7[/TD]
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Jesus Forgives And Restores! ​
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Peter’s restoration by Jesus is one of the most touching scenes in the New Testament. The Lord not only forgave Peter, who had denied Him not once but three times to save his own skin, but also restored him and entrusted the care of the then-infant church to him.

When Jesus rose from the grave, He instructed the angel at the tomb to tell Mary to “go, tell His disciples—and Peter” (Mark 16:7). Peter was specially mentioned because Jesus knew that after such a heart-breaking mistake, the disciple was probably filled with guilt and sorrow.

Peter, on the other hand, thought that with his betrayal and Jesus’ death, everything was probably over for him. So he went back to his old job. And that’s where Jesus found him, fishing on the Lake of Galilee. The Bible tells us that Jesus gave Peter and the fishermen with him an abundant catch, and also made them breakfast on a fire of coals (John 21:1–18).

The scene of men sitting around a fire to keep warm in the early morning must have painfully reminded Peter of what he had done just a few days earlier (John 18:17–18, 25–26). What was the Lord doing? He was showing Peter that He didn’t hold that sin against him, and that Peter didn’t have to be afraid of that memory anymore!

What a compassionate Savior we have! He knows all about your failures, but doesn’t hold them against you because He has completely and righteously forgiven you through His death on the cross.

Like Peter, let the Lord’s forgiveness and love for you restore you to wholeness and propel you into your God-given destiny!
 
J

JesusIsAll

Guest
#2
#2
Something else touching of how our Lord dealt with Peter in John 21 is the use of the word "love" in the Greek, how He comes down to meet Peter at his level. From some old notes:

John 21:15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest [agapao] thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love [phileo] thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. [16] He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest [agapao] thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love [phileo] thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. [17] He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest [phileo] thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest [phileo] thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love [phileo] thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

In verses 15 and 16, when the Lord asks Peter if he loves Him, the Lord uses "agapao" for love, the highest sense of love in the Greek:

agapao ag-ap-ah'-o: to love (in a social or moral sense) -- (be-)love(-ed)

Peter answers in verses 15 and 16 using the word "phileo" for love, which is more a friendship love:

phileo fil-eh'-o: to be a friend to (fond of (an individual or an object), i.e. have affection for; specially, to kiss (as a mark of tenderness) -- kiss, love.

Peter also answers with "phileo" in verse 17, but also the Lord asks Peter using "phileo" in verse 17, which is amazing, showing how the resurrected Lord Jesus was willing to reach down to Peter's level in love, meet Peter where he was at, in all his imperfection, a sublime illustration of the faithful agape love of the Lord Jesus.
 
Y

yoninah

Guest
#3
#3
JesusIsAll said:
Peter also answers with "phileo" in verse 17, but also the Lord asks Peter using "phileo" in verse 17, which is amazing, showing how the resurrected Lord Jesus was willing to reach down to Peter's level in love, meet Peter where he was at, in all his imperfection, a sublime illustration of the faithful agape love of the Lord Jesus.
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Yes. Correct. Many of the commentators try to say that the difference in use of the word means nothing but the fact that it's different is conclusive that there was an intention as to why Jesus was doing this.

And one step further...

Jesus says 'Do you 'self-sacrifically' love me?' and Peter is hesitant because of His betrayal. So Jesus meets Peter where he is and then goes on to tell Peter that there will come a time when he *will* lay down his life for Him. He really will 'agapao' even though he can only 'phileo' right now.
 
crossnote

crossnote

Senior Member
#4
Nov 24, 2012
30,706
3,650
113
#4
yoninah said:
Yes. Correct. Many of the commentators try to say that the difference in use of the word means nothing but the fact that it's different is conclusive that there was an intention as to why Jesus was doing this.

And one step further...

Jesus says 'Do you 'self-sacrifically' love me?' and Peter is hesitant because of His betrayal. So Jesus meets Peter where he is and then goes on to tell Peter that there will come a time when he *will* lay down his life for Him. He really will 'agapao' even though he can only 'phileo' right now.
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That's right agape is a sacrificial love.
Even the pharisees agaped (sacrificially loved) the top seats.

Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love (agape) the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.
(Luk 11:43)

But we find sometimes the two words (agape and phileo) are used interchangeably.

and they love (phileo) the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues
(Mat 23:6)
 
Y

yoninah

Guest
#5
#5
crossnote said:
But we find sometimes the two words (agape and phileo) are used interchangeably.
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Yes, agreed. Where agape or philia stand alone, there really needs to be a context to be sure of their meaning but, in the John passage, the contrast shows that the writer is being careful to use their specific meanings.

It's a bit like Bara and Asah in Genesis 1-3, too, where they are used to tell us about 'creation from nothing' and 'made from something' - in other Biblical places their use may not imply too much but the contrast is important when used side by side.

And there are a fair few words which we give meaning to that simply aren't there in the original use, too. But, I digress...
 
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