John 10:17 (WEB)
Therefore the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again.
Catechism · 3
Jesus Died Crucified
“"The Father loves me, because I lay down my life", said the Lord, "(for) I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father."” — Catechism footnote: Jn 10:17; 14:31.
“At the same time it is the offering of the Son of God made man, who in freedom and love offered his life to his Father through the Holy Spirit in reparation for our disobedience.” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Jn 10:17-18; 15:13; Heb 9:14; 1 Jn 4:10.
On the Third Day He Rose from the Dead
“I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again."” — Catechism footnote: Jn 10:17-18.
Fathers and councils · 43
Gregory of Nyssa
“And so too He foretells that at the time of His Passion He would voluntarily detach His soul from His body, saying, “No man taketh” my soul “from Me, but I lay it down of Myself: I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.”” — editor's note: Cf. S. John x. 17, 18. Here again the word ψυχήν is rendered in the A.V. by “life.”
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Tertullian
“In a later passage He declares that He is known by the Father, and the Father by Him; adding that He was so wholly loved by the Father, that He was laying down His life, because He had received this commandment from the Father.” — editor's note: Vers. 15, 17, 18.
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Theodoret of Cyrus
“Eran.—Have you not heard the Lord saying “I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.…I lay it down of myself that I might take it again.”” — editor's note: John x. 18, 17
Read the whole comment“And the Lord Himself in the holy Gospels at one time says “I have power to lay down my life and I have power to take it again, no man taketh it from me but I lay it down of myself;” “That I may take it again.”” — editor's note: John x. 18, 17. Observe the inversion and inexactitude.
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Ambrose of Milan
“No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself.”” — editor's note: S. John x. 11, 17, 18.
Read the whole comment“This commandment have I received of My Father.”” — editor's note: S. John x. 17 ff.
Read the whole comment“No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself.”” — editor's note: S. John x. 17.
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Augustine of Hippo
“No man taketh it from Me; I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.”” — editor's note: John x. 17, 18.
Read the whole comment“For when the day was now sinking towards evening, the Lord upon the Cross “laid down His life to take it again,” did not lose it against His will.” — editor's note: John x. 17.
Read the whole comment“No man taketh it from me, but I lay down my life that I might take it again.”” — editor's note: John x. 17, 18
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John Chrysostom
“Ver.” — the author cites it
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Leo the Great
“…solemnities and observe a reasonable distinction in all the institutions of our fathers and rulers: for we cannot otherwise “be one flock and one shepherd,” except as the Apostle teaches us, “that we all speak the same thing: and that we be perfected in the same mind and in the same judgment.”” — editor's note: S. John x. 17.
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Athanasius of Alexandria
“And besides, the Saviour came to accomplish not His own death, but the death of men; whence He did not lay aside His body by a death of His own—for He was Life and had none—but received that death which came from men, in order perfectly to do away with this when it met Him in His own body.” — editor's note: Cf. Joh. x. 17, 18.
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Hilary of Poitiers
“This command have I received from the Father: and again, when asked to shew a sign concerning Himself, that they might believe in Him, He says of the Temple of His body, Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” — editor's note: St. John x. 17, 18.
Read the whole comment“This commandment received I from the Father.” — editor's note: Ib. x. 17, 18.
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Aphrahat
“And the whole flock shall be one, and one shepherd, and My Father because of this loveth Me; that I give Myself for the sake of the sheep.” — editor's note: John x. 16, 17.
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Hippolytus of Rome
“And he is disposed (to maintain), that He who was seen in the flesh and was crucified is Son, but that the Father it is who dwells in Him.” — editor's note: σταυρούμενον . The ms. reads κρατούμενον, which would mean seized or vanquished. The former yields no meaning, and the latter conveys an erroneous conception…
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Catena Aurea on John
- John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
Two evil persons have been mentioned, one that kills, and robs the sheep, another that doth not hinder: the one standing for those movers of seditions; the other for the rulers of the Jews, who did not take care of…
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on John
As if He said, I love My sheep, and they love and follow Me. For he who loves not the truth, is as yet very far from knowing it.
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on John
Hence the difference of the hireling and the Shepherd. The hireling does not know his sheep, because he sees them so little. The Shepherd knows His sheep, because He is so attractive to them.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
Then that thou mayest not attribute to the Shepherd and the sheep the same measure of knowledge, He adds, As the Father knoweth Me, even so know I the Father: i. e. I know Him as certainly as He knoweth Me. This then…
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on John
And I lay down My life for My sheep. As if to say, This is why I know My Father, and am known by the Father, because I lay down My life for My sheep; i. e. by My love for My sheep, I shew how much I love My Father.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
He gives it too as a proof of His authority. In the same way the Apostle maintains his own commission in opposition to the false Apostles, by enumerating his dangers and sufferings.
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on John
For the deceivers did not expose their lives for the sheep, but, like hirelings, deserted their followers. Our Lord, on the other hand, protected His disciples: Let these go their way. (infr. 18:8)
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on John
But as He came to redeem not only the Jews, but the Gentiles, He adds, And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
The sheep hitherto spoken of are those of the stock of Israel according to the flesh. But there were others of the stock of Israel, according to faith, Gentiles, who were as yet out of the fold; predestinated, but…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
What wonder that these should hear My voice, and follow Me, when others are waiting to do the same. Both these flocks are dispersed, and without shepherds; for it follows, And they shall hear My voice. And then He…
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on John
Of two flocks He maketh one fold, uniting the Jews and Gentiles in His faith.
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on John
For there is one sign of baptism for all, and one Shepherd, even the Word of God. Let the Manichean mark; there is but one fold and one Shepherd set forth both in the Old and New Testaments.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
What does He mean then when He says, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel? Only, that whereas He manifested Himself personally to the Jews, He did not go Himself to the Gentiles, but sent others.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
The word must here (I must bring) does not signify necessity, but only that the thing would take place. Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again. They had called Him an…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
i. e. Because I die, to rise again. There is great force in, I lay down. Let not the Jews, He says, boast; rage they may, but if I should not choose to lay down My life, what will they do by raging?
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on John
The Father does not bestow His love on the Son as a reward for the death He suffered in our behalf; but He loves Him, as beholding in the Begotten His own essence, whence proceeded such love for mankind.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
Or He says, in condescension to our weakness, Though there were nothing else which made Me love you, this would, that ye are so loved by My Father, that, by dying for you, I shall win His love. Not that He was not…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
Wherein He shewed that His natural death was not the consequence of sin in Him, but of His own simple will, which was the why, the when, and the how: I have power to lay it down.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
As they had often plotted to kill Him, He tells them their efforts will be useless, unless He is willing. I have such power over My own life, that no one can take it from Me, against My will. This is not true of men.…
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on John
He only means His perfect agreement with His Father.
Read the whole comment - Alcuin of YorkCatena Aurea on John
For the Word doth not receive a command by word, but containeth in Himself all the Father’s commandments. When the Son is said to receive what He possesseth of Himself, His power is not lessened, but only His…
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on John
After declaring Himself the Master of His own life and death, which was a lofty assumption, He makes a more humble confession; thus wonderfully uniting both characters; shewing that He was neither inferior to or a…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
How doth our Lord lay down His own life? Christ is the Word, and man, i. e. in soul and body. Doth the Word lay down His life, and take it again; or doth the human soul, or doth the flesh? If it was the Word of God…
Read the whole comment - Alcuin of YorkCatena Aurea on John
But the light shined in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a division among the Jews for these sayings. And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
Because He spoke as one greater than man, they said He had a devil. But that He had not a devil, others proved from His works: Others said, These are not the words of Him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes…
Read the whole comment - Alcuin of YorkCatena Aurea on John
We have heard of the patience of God, and of salvation preached amid revilings. They obstinately preferred tempting Him to obeying Him.
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Cross-references · 17
Cross-reference given by the World English Bible's translators.
Cited together in Catechism §606.
Cited together in Catechism §614.
Cited together in John Chrysostom on John 10:14–21 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Catechism §614.
Cited together in Catechism §606.
Cited together in Catechism §606.
Cited together in Catechism §606.
Cited together in Catechism §606.
Cited together in Catechism §606.
Cited together in Catechism §606 and 1 other place.
Cited together in Catechism §606.
Cited together in Catechism §614.
Cited together in On the Incarnation of the Word §21.
Cited together in John Chrysostom on John 10:14–21 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Catechism §606.
Cited together in Catechism §606.