.
Here's another example of omniscience vs current events.
• John 21:15 . . So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter:
Simon; do you love me more than these?
» Some say that "these" refers to the other apostles, but I'm inclined to suspect that Jesus
was referring to the sea, and the fish they had just eaten, and to the boat, and to the
tackle, and to the fishing business. Certainly all of that was important to Peter seeing as
how fishing was his life.
The Greek verb for "love" in that passage is agapao, which isn't necessarily an
affectionate kind of love, rather, it's related to things like benevolence, preferences,
loyalties, and priorities. For example:
• Matt 6:24 . . No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love
the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.
• Luke 14:26 . . If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother,
his wife and children, his brothers and sisters-- yes, even his own life --he cannot
be my disciple.
The verb agapao is employed several times in the 13th, 14th, and 15th chapters of
John's gospel relative to Jesus and his apostles, and relative to the apostles among
themselves.
But then Jesus asked Peter:
• John 21:17 . . Simon, do you love me?
That time "love" is translated from the Greek verb phileo which is a very different
kind of love than agapao.
Well, the thing is: agapao is more or less impersonal; whereas phileo is just the
opposite. It's an affectionate, bonding kind of love felt among best friends, lovers,
and kinfolk.
In other words: Peter wasn't asked what he thought of Jesus, rather, how he felt
about him, viz: Jesus' question was: Peter; do you like me?
Of course Jesus already knew how Peter felt about him, but Jesus wasn't satisfied
with knowing; he wanted Peter to come out with it, and he did.
• John 21:17 . . He said: Lord, you know all things; you know that I like you.
» I'd imagine that expressing his feelings for Jesus was difficult for a rugged blue collar guy
like Peter. I worked as a professional welder for 40 years in shipyards and shops. Not many
of the men I worked alongside were comfortable talking about their feelings for each other.
_