John 21:15 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Lovest thou me more than these?— The original words, πλειον τουτων are ambiguous, and may either signify, "Dost thou love me more than any of thy brethren, as thou didst once profess?" (See Matthew 26:33.) Or, "Dost thou love me more than thou lovest these nets, and other instruments of thy trade, so as to prefer my service to any worldly advantages?" Whitby explains them in this latter sense. Peter only answers, Yea, Lord, or, assuredly, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee; but does not add, more than these: and this beautiful circumstance in the answer shews, how much he was humbled and improved by the remembrance of his fall; and possibly our Lord's question might be intended to remind him of that fall, and of the cause of it. Upon Peter's reply, Jesus said to him, feed my lambs: "As I shall favour thee so far as still to employ thee as one of my apostles, remember, that the most acceptable way of expressing thy love to me, will be by taking care even of the feeblest of my flock."