Section 5
the Lord was forced to temporarily remove His hand. As a result, Peter fell and denied the Lord three times. Moreover, Peter could not stand the test of his daily living and took the lead to back slide to the sea. Perhaps Peter thought that he had reason to do this because, at that point, he had not seen the supply of the Lord. Nevertheless, by his backsliding Peter was exposed. The Lord with drew His hand for a little while, and Peter was fully exposed. This was the Lord's dealing.
In chapter twenty-one, Peter was humble and very low. Undoubtedly he was quite disappointed. Thus, the Lord came in to recover, strengthen, and restore him. It is quite meaningful that, in front of all the other disciples, the Lord asked Peter, "Do you love Me more than these?" The Lord seemed to be saying, "Simon, have you for gotten that a few days ago you said, in the pres ence of all the others, that although they would forsake Me, you would follow Me to death? That was your word. Now, Simon, I ask you if you love Me more than these do?" If I had been Peter, I would not have had the face to say anything. Peter simply replied, "Yes, Lord, You know that I love You" (v. 15). Peter could not answer the Lord with a clear word, for he was in a very perplexing sit uation. He did not say, "Lord, I love You," or, "Lord,