A.T. Robertson Commentary John 21:15

"So when they had broken their fast, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, [son] of John, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs." — John 21:15 (ASV)

Lovest thou me more than these? (αγαπαις με πλεον τουτων; ). Ablative case of comparison τουτων (disciples) after πλεον. Peter had even boasted that he would stand by Christ though all men forsook him . We do not know what passed between Jesus and Peter when Jesus first appeared to him (Luke 24:34). But here Christ probes the inmost recesses of Peter's heart to secure the humility necessary for service.

I love thee (φιλω συ). Peter makes no claim here to superior love and passes by the "more than these" and does not even use Christ's word αγαπαω for high and devoted love, but the humbler word φιλεω for love as a friend. He insists that Christ knows this in spite of his conduct.

Feed my lambs (Βοσκε τα αρνια μου). For the old word βοσκω (to feed as a herdsman) see Mt 8:33. Present active imperative here. Αρνια is a diminutive of αρνος (lamb).