FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Acts 4:1–12
1 John 3:16–24
John 10:11–18
Lord Christ, good shepherd of the sheep, you seek the lost and guide us into your fold. Feed us, and we shall be satisfied; heal us, and we shall be whole. Make us one with you, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Jesus, the Good Shepherd, Lays Down His Life for the Sheep
The Lord Jesus is “the good shepherd” who “lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). His life is not taken from Him, but He lays it down willingly, of His own accord, because He knows and loves the sheep. As the One sent by the Father, He has the “authority to lay it down” and the “authority to take it up again” (John 10:18). So has He done, and now He continues to love and serve as the Good Shepherd of the sheep by the voice of His Gospel. He thus calls all people into the fold of His Church, so that there may be “one flock, one shepherd” (John 10:16). That is why the apostles “were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead” (Acts 4:2). Since “there is salvation in no one else,” His voice rings out to this day through the preaching of His name, “for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). His voice comforts our hearts against all condemnation and gives us courage to “love one another” and “to lay down our lives for the brothers,” as He laid down His life for us (1 John 3:16, 23).
John 10:10-18
What's good about Jesus, the good shepherd - good is more than moral quality - good by the Father's command and call.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. - John 10:10
:11 Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ καλός: ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ καλὸς τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ τίθησιν ὑπὲρ τῶν προβάτων:
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. - John 10:11
καλός (good/right) - The idea of God's people being led by a shepherd is common in the OT. It is used of God himself (Psalm 23) and also of religious leaders (Zechariah 11:4-9). The term καλος here suggests nobility or worth – the 'worthy' shepherd. CS Lewis "of course he's good he's the King...
There may be a self-conscious allusion to the worthless shepherds of Zechariah 11:17.
ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ τίθησιν (life/self of him renders/lays down/sets/appoints) - A Palestinian shepherd might risk danger for his sheep (Genesis 31:39; 1 Samuel 17:34–37), but he expected to come through alive. Jesus said that the good shepherd will die for his sheep.
The phrase τιθεναι την ψυχην is peculiar to John and 1 John (10:11,15,17-f.; 13:37-f.; 15:13; 1 John 3:16) (but see δουναι την ψυχην in Mark 10:45). Some early MSS (P45 א* D etc.) read δίδωσιν here rather than τίθησιν, conforming to John's more common expression. ὑπὲρ (for) – This word is used in connection with Christ's death in Mark 14:24. The word suggests sacrifice. See also Hebrews 13:20 which echoes Jesus words here.
:12 ὁ μισθωτὸς καὶ οὐκ ὢν ποιμήν, οὗ οὐκ ἔστιν τὰ πρόβατα ἴδια, θεωρεῖ τὸν λύκον ἐρχόμενον καὶ ἀφίησιν τὰ πρόβατα καὶ φεύγει καὶ ὁ λύκος ἁρπάζει αὐτὰ καὶ σκορπίζει
He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, (whose own the sheep are not )sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. - John 10:12
μισθωτὸς (hired hand/laborer) - He is interested in wages, not sheep. In time of danger he runs away because of what he is (13) and abandons the flock to predators. Thieves and robbers (1, 8) are obviously wicked; the hired hand is not wicked, simply more committed to his own well-being than to the well-being of the sheep.
ἴδια (his/one's own)
λύκον (wolf) – See also Acts 20:29. See also the attacks of the prophets on the religious
:13 ὅτι μισθωτός ἐστιν καὶ οὐ μέλει αὐτῷ περὶ τῶν προβάτων.
He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. - John 10:13
μέλει (care/concern/matter) - The hired hand’s flight is due to his character and relation with the sheep; he cares for himself and his wages, not for the sheep.
Let the Law speak for itself. There are no Pharisees to point to...we are called 'sheep dogs' not shepherds.
:14 Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ καλός, καὶ γινώσκω τὰ ἐμὰ καὶ γινώσκουσί με τὰ ἐμά
I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, - John 10:14
Ἐγώ εἰμι - 'I am' see John 18:5
γινωσκω (I know) … γινωσκουσί με (the ones of me know) - A deep mutual knowledge, like that of the Father and the Son.
ἐμὰ ([the] ones mine) – See also verse 3.
:15 καθὼς γινώσκει με ὁ πατὴρ κἀγὼ γινώσκω τὸν πατέρα: καὶ τὴν ψυχήν μου τίθημι ὑπὲρ τῶν προβάτων.
just as the Father knows me and I myself know the Father; and I lay down my life for (on behalf of) the sheep. - John 10:15
This is the image of God.
τὴν ψυχήν μου τίθημι (the life of me I lay down) - The fact of central importance (11). In verses 14–15 we have a good example of how concepts in different languages can draw close, yet still require discrimination. In the Greek tradition knowledge is thought of as analogous to seeing, with a view to grasping the nature of an object; for the Hebrew, knowledge means experiencing something. In the area of religion, therefore, knowledge of God for the Greek is primarily contemplation of the divine reality; for the Hebrew it means entering into a relationship/connection with God. This latter is vividly, if not shatteringly, illustrated in Amos 3:1–2. On this background verses 14–
Vs.15 have a clear meaning: the mutual knowledge of the Shepherd and his 'sheep' denotes an intimate relationship which reflects the fellowship of love between the Father and the Son. For further analogy between the Father's relationship with the Son and Jesus' relationship with his people, see also 15:9-11; 17:21.
:16 καὶ ἄλλα πρόβατα ἔχω ἃ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τῆς αὐλῆς ταύτης: κἀκεῖνα δεῖ με ἀγαγεῖν, καὶ τῆς φωνῆς μου ἀκούσουσιν, καὶ γενήσονται μία ποίμνη, εἷς ποιμήν.
And I have other sheep that are not of this (one) fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. - John 10:16
μία ποίμνη (one flock) - All God’s people have the same Shepherd (17:20–23). John's thought is not identical with that of the Stoic view of the unity of mankind. For John, the unity of the one flock is not a given unity naturally existing, but a unity created in and by Jesus. As is indicated by the first part of this verse, his primary thought is of the unity of Jew and Gentile in the Church; see especially Ephesians 2:11-22; 4:3-6. He also mentions again, as frequently, the unity of believers with Christ and of Christ with the Father.
For the 'one shepherd' see Ezekiel 34:23. Their unity is the fruit of his solitary sacrifice (15, 17–18) and his unique relation to God and man (14–15a) as the Pauline epistles joyfully proclaim (Romans 5:12–21; 2 Corinthians 5:14–21; Ephesians 2:11–18).
Vv. 17–18 -
That Christ would die for his people runs through this section of John’s Gospel. Both the love and the plan of the Father are involved, as well as the authority he gave to the Son. Christ obediently chose to die; otherwise, no one would have had the power to kill him.
:17 διὰ τοῦτό με ὁ πατὴρ ἀγαπᾷ ὅτι ἐγὼ τίθημι τὴν ψυχήν μου, ἵνα πάλιν λάβω αὐτήν.
For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. - John 10:17
ἀγαπᾷ (loves) - The relation between the Father and the Son is essential and eternal; John does not mean that the Father loved Christ because the crucifixion took place. But the love of the Father for the Son is a love that is eternally linked with and mutually dependent upon the Son's complete alignment with the Father's will and his obedience even to death.
:18 οὐδεὶς αἴρει αὐτὴν ἀπ' ἐμοῦ, ἀλλ' ἐγὼ τίθημι αὐτὴν ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ. ἐξουσίαν ἔχω θεῖναι αὐτήν, καὶ ἐξουσίαν ἔχω πάλιν λαβεῖν αὐτήν: ταύτη
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father." - John 10:18
αἴρει (takes [away]) - A few early MSS (P45 א* B) read ηρεν instead of αἴρει; while it is the more difficult reading the greater attestation of the latter led the UBS editors to retain it.
ἀπ· ἐμαυτοῦ (from myself/of my own accord) … ταύτην τὴν ἐντολὴν ἔλαβον (this the command/charge/order/instruction I [have] received) - Such is Jesus’ love for the Father who loves Him (15) that desire and duty do not conflict in Him; the Father’s will and His desire are one. The words ἐντολη and ἐντελλεσθαι are frequent in the latter part of John (and in 1 and 2 John).
The Father gives a commandment to Jesus (10:18; 12:49-f.; 14:31; 15:10) and he gives commandment to his disciples (13:34; 14:15, 21; 15:10,12,14,17). The characteristic ('new') commandment of Jesus is that his disciples should love one another (13:34; 15:12,17). If they keep his commandments they abide in his love and show their love for him (14:15,21; 15:10,14). Similarly the love of the Father for the Son is bound up with the Son's voluntary acceptance of suffering in the work of salvation. The word ἐντολη therefore sums up the Christian doctrine of salvation from its origin in the eternal love of God, manifested in Jesus, to the mutual love of Christians in the Church. Jesus himself found complete freedom of action in obedience (18a); so will the disciples.
1. He lays down his life for the sheep v.11 "I lay down my whole being, my whole self, seat of being, on behalf of, in the place of the sheep." You expect the sheep to die not the shepherd. His audience are the Pharisees who are the hired ones who care nothing for the sheep. Yet this is what He is called to do. See Ez.27:24-25; 34:23...a command authorization I received from the Father. Cf. Hebrews "as a son He learned obedience."
2. He knows the sheep v. 14 sheep are the "me ones" again, He is good...our relationship to the Son is analogous to the Father's knowledge of the Son...the lover must die...this is why the Father loved Him see v.17
3. He gathers the sheep v. 16 Those who hear His voice...not from this pen but there will be one flock.
Sources:
-The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software
-ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
-Schnorr Von Carolsfeld woodcuts, ‘The Resurrection of our Lord’© WELS permission granted for personal and congregational use
-LCMS Lectionary notes © 2018
-Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing
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