John 21:15

"So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?'..."

What a moment. The Master Teacher asking a seemingly-simple question, in order to gently but convictingly reveal Peter's heart to himself.

[The world urges that each one of us should 'know thyself.' However, the Scriptures are clear that the heart is more deceitful than all else, and is desperately sick (Jeremiah 17:9). Taking God seriously, then, involves distrusting our heart's inclinations in living by feelings, and instead acting on His Word by faith.]

The Lord was testing Peter's commitment, his depth of love for fishing compared to the love he professed to have for his Master. Repeating the probing grieved Peter, for it seemed to reflect dissatisfaction with his response. Memories of his recent denials of the Lord were still fresh, adding to his insecurity. Nervous or not, Peter's faith once declared so boldly (Mt. 16:16) needed to be regained, motivated at its core by the self-denying love the Lord Jesus gives and requires.