Why did Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him?

Answer 1

Peter had denied his Lord three times before the crucifixion. Later, when the risen Christ encountered Peter on the seashore, He did not ask Peter for a confession of his sin, but a confession of his love, again three times as Peter had denied Him. Read this account in John 21:15-17.
Perhaps because Peter denied Jesus 3 times and Jesus wanted him to realize that Jesus knew that he loved him even if he had denied him, and he asked three times because Peter denied him three times.

SH

Additional Answer:

This exchange reminds us of the time when Peter was questioned for his professed loyalty to Jesus. Three times bystanders questioned Peter's association with the Master. Now Jesus questioned Peter three times about his love for and loyalty to Him. Christ's gentle rebuke no doubt made a huge impression on the disciple.

More importantly perhaps is the use of words for the term 'love.' Jesus used the word 'agape' or the love of God the first two times only while Peter replies with 'filio' or the love of man on all three replies and Jesus uses it on the third question. Also, lambs reflects those called but not yet converted while sheep are the converted but not part of the soon to be established true Church.

Answer 2

The Greek language has different words for different types of love, including agape (unconditional or sacred love) and philia (brotherly love). There is a passage in John chapter 21 that works well because it was written in Greek, but its meaning would be lost had it been spoken in Aramaic, just as the meaning is lost in English.

In this chapter, on the Sea of Galilee, the risen Jesus questioned Peter three times, just as Peter had previously denied Jesus three times. Jesus addressed him each time theatrically as "Simon, son of Jonah", not as Peter, the name always previously used by Jesus. It was as if the scene was designed to humiliate Peter in front of the other disciples.

The first time, Jesus asked , "Do you love (agape) me more than these [the other disciples]?" Peter answered that he loves him, but only using the Greek word for friendly or brotherly love (philia). In exasperation, Jesus said, "Feed my sheep." With the meanings of sacred and brotherly love lost in the English translations, this last statement is usually interpreted as a sign of approval, quite the opposite of the original meaning.

Jesus again asked Peter, "Do you love me?" Again, sacred love (agape), but this time did not ask whether Peter loved Jesus more than the others. And again, Peter replied with the Greek word for brotherly love (philia).

In the third questioning, Jesus asked only whether Peter had brotherly love for him (philia). He accepted that this was the most that Peter would give.