Jn 21:15-19
15When [Jesus and the disciples] 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.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16He then said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” [Jesus] said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”
FEED MY LAMBS: Ancient Near Eastern texts traditionally depict the king as a king-shepherd who provides for the well-being of his subjects. In the Bible, Jeremiah rebukes the kings of Israel for their slackness in office (Jer 2:8; 10:21). The prophet proclaims that Yahweh will give Israel new shepherds who will pasture the people with integrity (Jer 3:15). Ezekiel later also rebukes the kings and other leaders for their neglect of the people (Ez 34:1-10). He proclaims that God will take the people, his flock, out of the charge of their human leaders. God declares himself the shepherd of the people (Ez 34:11-22; Ps 23; Is 40:11). In time, God will give the people a shepherd of his own choice, another David (Ez 34:23-24).
Jesus sees his relationship with the crowd that follow him as that of a shepherd and sheep (Mt 9:36-37). His compassion makes Jesus feed the crowd. Later, Jesus proclaims himself as the “Good Shepherd” who lays down his life for his flock (Jn 10).
Jesus’ words to Peter—“Feed my lambs”—can be taken as the giving of a solemn charge to care for and to rule the community of believers in his name. Jesus, the Chief Shepherd (1 Pt 5:4), enters into a contract with Peter as a delegated caretaker. In accordance with the Semitic form of entering an agreement (Gn 23:3-20), Jesus stresses the terms of the agreement three times.
The apostolic tradition will later pass on this image of the shepherd who is “feeding the flock” as a metaphor for Christian leadership (1 Pt 5:1-4; Acts 20:28-29).