Most people think that Yeshua asked Peter this question 3 times, because Peter had denied Yeshua 3 times. I think that might very well be correct. But what I really wonder about is "what exactly were the "THESE" that Yeshua was referring to, when he asked Peter if he loved Him more than "THESE"?

Was Yeshua pointing at all the other disciples and asking Peter "Do you love me more than all these other disciples love me?" Remember. the last recorded conversation we have of Yeshua and Peter talking before this time was when they were all on the Mount of Olives: Matt 26:31-35:  "Then said Yeshua unto them, All of you shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. Yeshua said unto him, Verily I say unto you, that this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me three times. Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples. 

So, Peter might have came across a bit cocky by saying "Hey Yeshua, even if ALL these other disciples shall be offended because of you, I will NOT, in fact, I will die with you, but I will NOT deny you." But we all know how that turned out for Peter. In fact, Peter is the ONLY one of ALL the disciples who was recorded to have denied Yeshua.

OR was Yeshua perhaps asking Peter "Do you love ME more than you love all THESE other disciples?" 

Considering the entire context of this story, I have to wonder if Yeshua was pointing at the 153 fish that Peter and the other disciples had just caught and drug to shore. He may have been asking Peter "Do you love ME more than you love THESE ...... fish?"

The reason I wonder about this is because Yeshua had died and also resurrected in "Jerusalem" a short while before this particular story took place in "Galilee".

So, let's look back at what led up to this conversation: Remember what the angel told Mary and some of the other women at the tomb? He said in Mark 16:7 "But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goes before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you." 

So, we know that Yeshua did show Himself to the eleven disciples in Jerusalem "before" He appeared to them in Galilee. In the story of the men walking along the road to Emmaus (after Yeshua resurrected on the third day), after Yeshua made Himself known to these two men, they hurried to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples. See below:

Luke 24:33-36  And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, Saying, "The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon". And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. And as they thus spake, Yeshua himself stood in the midst of them, and said unto them, Peace be unto you. 

Then eight days later Yeshua appeared to them again, this time with Thomas being present. John 20:26  And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 

After this 2nd appearing to his disciples in "Jerusalem" the disciples must have traveled to Galilee to look for Yeshua again, because Mary and the other women had been instructed by the angel to tell the disciples this. 

Now in this story of the 153 fish, it tells us in John 21:14 "This is now the third time that Yeshua shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead." John 21:15  So when they had dined, Yeshua said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me more than these? He said unto him, Yes, Lord; you know that I love you. He said unto him, Feed my lambs. 

So, the reason I think that Yeshua might have meant "these" to be the fish (and fishing in general) was the last instructions that Yeshua had given ALL of the disciples in Jerusalem (before He came to Galilee) was this: Mark 16:15  And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

Then just before Yeshua feeds them fish that He cooked on the shore in Galilee, we read this in John 21:1-3

John 21:1-3 "After these things ("these things" being the things in the previous chapter of John 20 where Yeshua appeared to his disciples in Jerusalem) Yeshua showed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias (which is also called the sea of Galilee); and on this wise showed he himself. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. Simon Peter said unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with you. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing." 

So, it appears to me that the disciples knew exactly what Yeshua had told them the last time He had seen them in Jerusalem: "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."

But Peter, who had been told a long time ago by Yeshua "I will make you fishers of men!" also knew that Yeshua had called him to be an example to lead the other disciples.  But now Peter appears to be concerning himself with going back to the old life he had before Yeshua had called him (or back to a life of fishing) and possibly even causing the other disciples to concern themselves with their old lives of fishing, rather than focusing on the importance of spreading the gospel everywhere they traveled to.  

If this is true, perhaps Yeshua is asking Peter if he loves fish and fishing more than following what Yeshua told him to go out and do. Just some thoughts I had on this story. Maybe the disciples were just hungry and trying to catch something to eat? Who knows. Just my thoughts. 

We can probably all relate to circumstances when we felt completely devoted to Yeshua and then some event occurred where we could have stuck up for Yeshua, but we were silent or possibly even denied at least in our actions that we are followers of Yeshua. We may at times have concerned ourselves with the cares and concerns of this world, more than we concern ourselves with what we know Yeshua has called us to be about, sharing His love! 

This is not said out of condemnation, as Yeshua knows I have done these things at times in my life. But take cheer and realize the Lord would say the same to you and I as He did to Peter. Let us re-focus our priorities and dedicate our time and attention to using the gifts He has given each of us to reach the world with the gospel and the Light that lightens all men!
 
Please feel free to share your thoughts and comments on this subject. Blessings as you live your life for Yeshua!