“Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father” (KJV, John 10:17-18).
“Therefore doth my Father love me”
The love of the Father for the Son is evident in the Gospel accounts. Jesus Christ is the beloved Son of the Scriptures. While the Christian is a son of God, there is uniqueness in the relationship between the Son and the Father.
At Jesus’ baptism, the skies opened, and the Father’s voice could be heard declaring that Jesus was His beloved Son. In Matthew 12:17-18, Jesus is said to be the Father’s beloved Servant. Then, during Jesus’ transfiguration on the mountain, the Father called out again and stated that Jesus was His beloved Son.
As a result, Paul could later say, “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved” (Eph. 2:6). Likewise, Peter never forgot the love between the Father and Son and later declared, “For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (2 Pet. 1:17). Simply put, the Father loves the Son.
“because I lay down my life”
But here, one finds an interesting statement concerning the Father’s love for the Son. The Father loves the Son because Jesus laid down His life. The context of the passage is that of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. God’s appointed shepherds, the leaders of Israel, were not like the Good Shepherd. Instead, they were like hired hands who would run at first sight of danger. But Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep… As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10:11, 15). In context, the love of the Father is made clear.
The Father has always been concerned about His sheep. He has always desired that they would be adequately shepherded. So He appointed the leaders of Israel to shepherd His people, but they failed. Instead, the shepherds of Israel led the people astray.
The only hope for the sheep was for a Good Shepherd to come. The Good Shepherd was to lead and guide them. But also, the Good Shepherd was not to run at the sight of danger but die so that the sheep might live.
“that I might take it again”
However, although the Good Shepherd would come and lay down His life for the sheep, He could also take it up again. This declaration is a clear statement concerning Jesus’ involvement in His own resurrection. While this may sound confusing, it is important to remember that Jesus was the God-Man. This means that He was one hundred percent man and one hundred God.
When Jesus died on the cross, the man Jesus died, not God. Jesus’ body was laid in a tomb, but He remained God and never ceased to be God during His earthly ministry. As God, the Son raised the man Jesus from the dead.
“No man taketh it from me”
While it may seem that man could take Jesus’ life from Him, this was not the case. No man could take Jesus’ life from Him. Attempts were made on Jesus’ life, but the overwhelming testimony of Scripture is that His time had not yet come.
Instead, the death of Jesus was the foreordained plan of God before the ages began. Scripture says, “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” (2 Tim. 1:9). Before the world began, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit entered into an eternal covenant whereby the Son would come and die for the sins of humanity.
Jesus did not have to die, nor did man have the ability to take His life.
“but I lay it down of myself”
Instead, Jesus laid down His life for the good of the sheep and the glory of God. Multiple times in John 10, Jesus is seen as stating that He willingly lays down His life for the sheep. The willingness of the Savior was an essential component of acceptance of the sacrifice.
The Father would never have put Jesus forward unless Jesus was willing. The freedom of Christ to choose was necessary for atonement to be made. But as Jesus came to the earth, the Father guided the Son to the ultimate fulfillment of the plan.
Much like Isaac, of whom Abraham took the wood for the offering and laid it upon his son, so the Father placed the cross on Jesus’ shoulders. As Abraham went with Isaac up the hill, so the Father went with the Son up Calvary’s hill. Isaac never fought against Abraham, nor did the Son seek to break free from His Father’s will. Instead, Jesus willingly laid down His life.
“I have power to lay it down”
Jesus had the power to lay down his life. If Jesus wanted to save His life, He could have. He could have called legions of angels to deliver Him from death, and the Father would have allowed it. But from beginning to end, Jesus was willing to lay down His life for the sheep.
The Bible clarifies that Jesus had power given to Him by God the Father. Jesus stated elsewhere, “As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him” (John 17:2). So not only was Jesus given the power to lay down His life, but He was also granted the power to give life.
“and I have power to take it again”
Jesus also had the power to take up His life. Thus, He could take part in His own resurrection from the dead. Jesus Christ has risen and risen with power, for the Bible says, “And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead” (Rom. 1:4). Jesus knew that He was going to be killed. Nevertheless, it was His life’s mission.
However, Jesus also knew that He could make Himself rise. In speaking with the Jews about His resurrection, He stated, “…Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). But then the Bible says, “Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body” (John 2:20-21). Sure enough, Christ died, but He was raised from the dead three days later.
“This commandment have I received of my Father”
It is essential to see throughout the passage that it was the ultimate plan of the Father for the Son to die. However, this does not mean the Father forced the Son to submit to His will. Instead, Jesus had power and the ability to lay down His life of His own accord. He also had the power and ability to take up His life. But the oneness of the Father and Son are so close that while having freedom, He also submitted to command.
So it is that true freedom submits to command, for Paul has said, “But then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness” (Rom. 6:18).
Final prayer
Father, I thank You for the example of Jesus Christ. Thank You for my Good Shepherd and His desire to lay down His life for me. He deserves praise, honor, and glory. Please help me to listen for my Shepherd’s voice and follow Him. He has died for me but has risen from the grave, and for that, I am forever thankful. In Jesus’ name, Amen.