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Lovest thou me?

The Bulletin Board is for gratitude for Christian Science and the Church, as well as timely excerpts from the Bible, the works of Mrs. Eddy, and the early workers that help and encourage. We are very grateful for all posts that conform to these guidelines, but will edit or remove anything that the Practitioners feel is not in complete accord with pure Christian Science or in any way disrespectful of it.

We also ask that you keep your postings as concise as possible. If you quote the Bible, please use The King James Version, as this is what Mrs. Eddy used. Thank you!


Viewing 4 posts - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
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  • #7490
    gortkenn
    Participant

    “He saith unto him the third time. Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.”
    John 21:17

    I found an interpretation by George Lovell on the Internet that I found most helpful as follows:
    “The risen Christ asked Peter the question three times because Peter had thrice denied Christ after Christ was arrested. This questioning allowed Peter [to] affirm his love and adoration of Christ and thereby acknowledge his true feelings.”

    #7498
    spencel
    Participant

    Thank you for sharing this. While doing some research regarding the Original Mother Church I came across a letter Mrs. Eddy wrote addressing how church members should treat one another that was then published in the Journal during her time. It fits in with what Jesus was doing for Peter.

    “…be governed therein by the spirit and the letter of this
    Scripture : ‘Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto
    you, do ye even so to them.’

    “I cannot be the conscience for this church. But if I were,
    I would gather every reformed sinner that desired to come,
    into its fold, and counsel and help them to walk in the foot­
    steps of His flock. I feel sure that as Christian Scientists
    you will act relative to this matter up to your highest under­
    standing of justice and mercy. ”
    Affectionately yours,
    MARY BAKER EDDY
    Concord, N. H., Feb. 12, 1895.

    #7504
    chardelle
    Moderator

    Thank you both. It makes so much sense that Jesus asked his question about loving him three times since Peter denied him three times. I have asked myself … what would I have done if I had been Peter? It is a sobering question because whenever I am afraid it is a form of denying Christ. I also think about how Jesus knew everything —even before it took place and he read the minds of those around him. I like this because nothing is hid from God and we can ask for help at all times under all circumstances which certainly helps combat fear.

    #7505
    Michael Pupko
    Participant

    Thank you for the point of why Jesus may have asked the question three times. It expanded my thought to also the three days Jesus spent in the tomb and the three days after Mary Baker Eddy’s fall, declared fatal by the doctors and her clergyman, when she was illumined with Christian Science and rose out of that false state of consciousness.

    In the past this passage in the Bible was very confusing to me but I was then introduced to the importance of knowing what the original words in Greek mean, by checking in Strong’s Concordance or Biblehub.com. Peter perceived it as the same question three times. The ‘nuance’ of which form of ‘lovest’ used in Greek gets a little lost in English because Jesus asks the first two times if Peter ‘lovest’ (agape/charity Love) and Peter responds with with “I ‘love’ (phileo; closer to am fond of you and “denoting personal attachment’!!) thee.” The third time Jesus changes his question by using ‘phileo.’

    These comments inspired a need for me to better understand ‘feed’ as used in this passage. The word ‘feed’ Jesus used the first and third times Strong’s defines as literally ‘feeding’ and also to ‘keep’ (“retain possession of”). The second time ‘feed’ is translated as “to tend as a shepherd”, “supervise,” “rule.”

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Love is the liberator.