after that to take it again. He would not only die for His peo« pie, but also rise again.
Guyse thinks the true meaning is, " I cheerfully lay down ray life for the expiation of my sheep's offences, in order that I may rise again for their justification."
Let it be noted here, that there is no part of Christ's work for His people that God the Father is said to regard with such special complacency as His dying for them. No wonder that ministers ought to make Christ crucified the principal subject of their teaching.
Gualter thinks these words were specially meant to prevent the offence of the ignominious death of Christ on the cross. That death, whatever the Jews might think, was part of Christ's plan and commission, and one reason why the Father loved Him.
Brentius thinks that there is here a reference to the story of Abraham offering Isaac, when the words were used, "Because thou hast done this thing, and not withheld thy son, therefore, blessing, I will bless thee." (Gen. xix.)
Hengstenberg remarks that the Father's love " was the very opposite of that wrath of God, of which the Jews regarded Christ's death as a proof and sign." They thought that God had forsaken Him, and given Him up to be crucified in displeasure, when in reality God was well pleased.
18. — [No man takcth...of myself.] In this sentence our Lord teaches that His own death was entirely voluntary. An earthly shepherd may die for his flock, but against his own will. The Great Shepherd of believers made His soul an offering for sin of His own free will. He was not obliged or compelled to do it by superior force. No one could have taken away His life had He not been willing to lay it down; but He laid it clown "of Himself," because He had covenanted to offer Himself as a pro- pitiation for our sins. His own love to sinners, and not the power of the Jews or Pontius Pilate's soldiers, was the cause of His death.
The word "I" is inserted emphatically in the Greek. "I myself" lay down my life " of myself."
Henry observes : " Christ could, when He pleased, slip the knot of union between body and soul, and without any act of violence done to Himself, could disengage them from each oth- er. Having voluntarily taken up a body, he could voluntarily lay it down again. This appeared when He cried with a loud voice, and ' gave up ' the ghost."
[7 have power... down... take it up.'} Our Lord here amplifies His last statemeut, and magnifies His own Divine nature, by declaring that He has full power to lay down His life when He pleases, and take it again when He pleases. This last point de«