John Calvin Commentary John 21:16

"He saith to him again a second time, Simon, [son] of John, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Tend my sheep." — John 21:16 (ASV)

Feed my sheep. Christ does not give to Peter and others the office of feeding all sorts of persons, but only his sheep or his lambs. He elsewhere describes who they are whom he considers to belong to his flock.

My sheep, he says, hear my voice, and follow me; they hear not the voice of a stranger (John 10:5, 27).

True, faithful teachers ought to endeavor to gather all to Christ; and as they cannot distinguish between sheep and wild beasts, they ought to try by all methods if they can tame those who resemble wolves rather than sheep.

But after they have put forth their utmost efforts, their labor will be effective only for the elect sheep.

For docility and faith arise because the heavenly Father delivers to his Son those whom he elected before the creation of the world, so that they may obey him.

Again, this passage teaches us that no one can be fed to salvation by the doctrine of the Gospel except those who are mild and teachable; for it is not without reason that Christ compares his disciples to lambs and sheep; but it must also be observed that the Spirit of God tames those who by nature were bears or lions.