The Good Shepherd Jesus – the Father knows Him, He knows the Father, His will and His love for the sheep
John 10:14–21 (NKJV)
14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
17 “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes 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 command I have received from My Father.”
19 Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings. 20 And many of them said, “He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?”
21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
Message
The good shepherd, Jesus, gives His life for the sheep because He owns and cares about the sheep (John 10:11-13).
Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd.” again in v14a. Let us study other aspects of Jesus being the good shepherd.
I. The good shepherd, Jesus, know His sheep and is known by His own (14)
See v14.
14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.
Jesus is the good shepherd (14a). First of all, the good shepherd knows His own sheep (14b). This fact is also shown in John 10:3c (“and he calls his own sheep by name”). And they know the good shepherd (14c). In John 10:3, we learn that the sheep hear the voice of the shepherd. They follow the shepherd because they know (recognise) his voice (John 10:4b).
II. As the Father knows Jesus, Jesus knows the Father, His will and His love for the sheep (15-16)
See v15.
15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.
As the Father knows the Son Jesus, Jesus knows the Father (15a). So, Jesus knows very well what the Father’s will is. Jesus said, “This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:39, 40). Jesus has come down from heaven, not to do His own will, but the will of God who sent Him (John 6:38). Jesus obeyed the will of the Father, obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:8). The good shepherd understands His sheep who need Him and knows the Father’s love for them and His will to save them. And He lays down His life for the sheep. To forgive (save) them, He sacrificed His life on the cross and paid for their sins.
See v16.
16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
‘this fold’ is the Jewish sheepfold and other sheep not of this fold are the Gentiles. The Jews and the Gentiles will become one flock under one shepherd, the Lord Jesus.
III. The Father loves Jesus because He lays down His life that He may take it again (17-18)
See v17.
17 “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.
Jesus always did those things that pleased the Father (John 8:29b). So, the Father was with Him and had not left Him alone (John 8:29a). And Jesus lay down His life that He may take it again. So, the Father loves Him. ‘laying down His life’ is one of the things that pleased the Father.
See v18.
18 No one takes 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 command I have received from My Father.”
Jesus was crucified not because He didn’t have enough power to protect His own life but because He laid it down voluntarily. Jesus had the power to take His life down and the power to take it again. His sacrifice on the cross and the resurrection are commanded by His Father.
IV. A division among the Jews (19-21)
See v19-20
19 Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings. 20 And many of them said, “He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?”
We see that the people in the world may mistakenly think that the heavenly (John 3:31) and spiritual (John 6:63) man Jesus has a demon and a mental disorder. So, we shouldn’t be surprised when we are misunderstood by them.
See v21.
21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
Those who took the work(s) of God performed by Him into consideration maintained their belief (trust, faith).
