Mike,

I was pondering over Joh 21:15-17 and seeking understanding on why the switch Jesus made after using agape two times, he ends using phileo. 

In the KJV the last two say “feed my sheep”, but I noticed the following switch in Young’s Literal Translation. 

Joh 21:15 When, therefore, they dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, ` Simon, [ son] of Jonas, dost thou love me more than these?’ he saith to him, ` Yes, Lord; thou hast known that I dearly love thee;’ he saith to him, ` Feed my lambs.’
Joh 21:16 He saith to him again, a second time, ` Simon, [ son] of Jonas, dost thou love me?’ he saith to him, ` Yes, Lord; thou hast known that I dearly love thee;’ he saith to him, `Tend my sheep.’
Joh 21:17 He saith to him the third time, ` Simon, [ son] of Jonas, dost thou dearly love me?’ Peter was grieved that he said to him the third time, ` Dost thou dearly love me?’ and he said to him, ` Lord, thou hast known all things; thou dost know that I dearly love thee.’ Jesus saith to him, ` Feed my sheep;

It dawned on me that this could mean that Jesus said if you love me from afar, impersonally then you can feed my lambs milk, and as they grow in questions and understanding you can tend them. But only when you love Jesus because you personally love him does he want you to feed his sheep the meat of the word. You can get a worldly knowledge of Jesus in seminary schools and from other literature and even the bible, but until you come to an intimate knowledge of who Jesus really is are you going to even know the true truth to feed to the sheep.
Kind of like you go to Bablyon or Egypt to get the corn or to know about God, but you have to leave and get out into the wilderness depending completely on God in order to really know him and help others in the word.
I look forward to your understanding of these verses.
D____

Hi D____,

When I consider that Christ used the Greek word ‘agape’ the first two times, and the word ‘phileo’ the third time, I think you are right on target with the progression in maturity you are seeing in this story. 1) feed lambs- agape, 2) tend sheep- agape, 3) feed my sheep- phileo.
It is one thing to show agape, unconditional love for all men; it is quite another thing to have a personal love for someone you know personally and admire in every way and love to be around.

Joh 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 thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
Joh 21:16  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 thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
Joh 21:17  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 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.

Here is the difference in these two words:

G5368
φιλεÌω
phileō
fil- eh’- o
From G5384; to be a friend to (fond of [ an individual or an object]), that is, have affection for (denoting personal attachment, as a matter of sentiment or feeling; while G25 (agapao) is wider, embracing especially the judgment and the deliberate assent of the will as a matter of principle, duty and propriety: 

“Principle, duty and propriety” are fine for your enemies and even for brothers you don’t really know. But Christ wants and insists upon a very intimate, unconditional and personal fondness of Himself. He will not play second fiddle to anyone or anything. He is a “jealous God.”

1Co 16:22  If any man love [ phileo] not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.

Now what makes this especially applicable is that “the lord Jesus Christ” is your brother and sister “whom you see.”

1Jn 4:20  If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

Thank you for sharing with me your thoughts on this very revealing section of God’s Word.

Mike