Who are the lambs in John 21:15?
score:1
The "lambs/sheep" in this case referred to the whole Church
From one of the notes at the Vatican's web site issue of the New American Bible, for John 21:15 we find the following analysis of verses 15-17 in notes 8 & 9:
8 [15-23] This section constitutes Peter's rehabilitation and emphasizes his role in the church.
The lambs are addressed in this note:
9 [15-17] In these three verses there is a remarkable variety of synonyms: two different Greek verbs for love (see the note on ⇒ John 15:13 {agape/philios}; two verbs for feed/tend; two nouns for sheep; two verbs for know. But apparently there is no difference of meaning. The threefold confession of Peter is meant to counteract his earlier threefold denial (⇒ John 18:17, ⇒ 25, ⇒ 27). The First Vatican Council cited these verses in defining that Jesus after his resurrection gave Peter the jurisdiction of supreme shepherd and ruler over the whole flock.
A citation(excerpt) from the First Vatican Council:
On the Institution of the Apostolic Primacy in Blessed Peter (Fourth Session, Chapter 1)
And it was to Peter alone that Jesus, after his resurrection, confided the jurisdiction of supreme pastor and ruler of his whole fold, saying: Feed my lambs, feed my sheep [44]{44. Jn 21, 15-17}. To this absolutely manifest teaching of the sacred scriptures, as it has always been understood by the catholic church, are clearly opposed the distorted opinions of those who misrepresent the form of government which Christ the lord established in his church and deny that Peter, in preference to the rest of the apostles, taken singly or collectively, was endowed by Christ with a true and proper primacy of jurisdiction.
About lay led retreats and bible studies
It is in my experience common for Catholic lay leaders to have OK, albeit incomplete, explanations for a variety of doctrine and theology. I have experienced this first hand serving on just under a dozen ACTS retreats. The enthusiasm of the leaders and team members is often matched by a lack of depth in the grasp of doctrine and various high level Church positions.
Sources used to supplement lay led bible studies vary widely, from articles in faith based magazine, to the Catechism, notes from formal classes in theology or religion, notes used to teach CCD to children, to favorite blogs, to official doctrine and of course Scripture. I'll offer the suggestion that the lay leader was passing on something they had learned informally. For a lay led event's purposes it's close enough not to matter. The original apostles were very much Jesus' sheep, and if not The Whole Flock they represent a very important flock, or a key part of his flock, whom he sent to the rest for our salvation.
More post
- 📝 A question on Cohabitation
- 📝 Do Latter Day Saints / Mormons consider themselves to be henotheists?
- 📝 Why did God create Adam and Eve so that they would sin?
- 📝 How should a Christian deal with destructive higher criticism of the Bible?
- 📝 What's the normal term for a Catholic priest that works in a parish under another one?
- 📝 Can you give air-kisses to icons in the Eastern Orthodox church instead of physical kisses?
- 📝 How do Oneness Pentecostals (and other modalistic denominations) interpret Revelation 3:21?
- 📝 How is the matter of why the Son of God needed to be sacrificed explained in the Roman Catholic Church?
- 📝 Has T. D. Jakes clarified what he believes about the Trinity?
- 📝 How were people saved prior to 33 AD?
- 📝 What are the arguments that the book of Acts was written after 70 AD?
- 📝 Why are people traditionally buried facing east?
- 📝 Was Jesus guilty or not guilty by the law?
- 📝 Is it Christian Doctrine to say that macroevolution is not the same as microevolution?
- 📝 Why does 1 John say Christians are unable to sin?
- 📝 What does it mean that the "The Evil One snatches away what was sown in them."
- 📝 Can only the priest lead the ritual of washing the feet in Holy Thursday in the Catholic Church?
- 📝 Did Jesus ever directly say he would die as a voluntary sacrifice? If so, was it double sense?
- 📝 What is the difference between original sin and original guilt?
- 📝 How could Abraham dine with God?
- 📝 How does Christianity work with all the biblical covenants?
- 📝 Why was the mark of Cain necessary?
- 📝 Can the devil be considered guilty?
- 📝 Are monks allowed by Church law to set up a religious order for clergymen with a particular profession (ex. developers)?
- 📝 How do believers in present-day miraculous healings respond to skeptics requesting thorough scientific medical documentation accessible worldwide?
- 📝 What is the protestant apologetic for James' explicit statement that we are justified by works?
- 📝 What are the oldest surviving manuscripts of the scriptures?
- 📝 What are the main differences between Jesusonians and Protestant christians?
- 📝 Biblical justification of the salvation theory of Christ's death presented by Paul
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis that God's sacrifice is sufficient for all of our sins (past included)?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 Who are the lambs in John 21:15?
- 📝 What are the arguments of those who believe that the prerequisite stated here by John is yet not sufficient for being born of God?
- 📝 For Catholics who object to Vatican II, what are the key issues?
- 📝 According to Evangelicals, before the Reformation, who were Christians if “Catholics are not Christians”?
- 📝 What is the Biblical basis for withholding communion from believers who are unbaptized?
- 📝 Among modern critics who believe in the attributed authorship of the Gospels, what are their arguments?
- 📝 Who are David and Sibyls in the first stanza of Dies Iræ?
- 📝 What are the main views on who created God?
- 📝 Who are the hypocrites associated with fasting in the Didache?
- 📝 According to Jehovah's Witnesses, who are the 144,000 mentioned in the book of Revelation?
- 📝 How many witnesses are there who physically saw and/or touched the golden plates from which the Book of Mormon was reportedly translated?
- 📝 How do Theistic Evolutionists who are Christians reconcile these Scriptures with the adoption of evolutionary theory?
- 📝 Are the gospel authors who we believe them to be?
- 📝 What is the Meaning of Hebrews 2:11 - he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one
- 📝 According to reformed theology, does Satan know who the elect are (during their time on earth?)
- 📝 Who is the John Owen that translated Calvin's Commentary on Romans?
- 📝 Which persons of the Trinity are attached to which noun in John 1:18?
- 📝 Who are the leaders of the Jehovah's Witnesses church?
- 📝 For Catholics who have expressed concern about Pope Francis and are wary of his pontificate, what are the key issues?
- 📝 What is the status of Catholics who reject Vatican II? Are they considered heretics?
- 📝 If we are the bride, who are the invited?
- 📝 Which pre-Nicene Christians who helped shape the trinity doctrine are now considered heretics?
- 📝 Where are the manuscripts of Dean John Burgon?
- 📝 Are politicians who are integral to passing pro-abortion laws automatically excommunicated from the Catholic Church?
- 📝 Who are the two witnesses in the book of Revelation?
- 📝 According to Catholic doctrine, what effect does the Last Judgment have on those who are already in heaven?
- 📝 What are the main points of dissent between Cyril of Alexandria and John Chrysostom?
- 📝 Who are the five brothers mentioned in the story of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:28)?
- 📝 Are there any Christians who only accept the gospels?
- 📝 Who are the 144,000 according to the Roman Catholic Church?
