Anchor My Faith

A Reason for the Father’s Love

Scripture: John 10:17

In the previous lesson we looked at the relationship between Jesus and his sheep and learned that it was to be like the relationship between Jesus and his Father. We also learned that there were other sheep to be brought into the flock from among the Gentiles, resulting in one flock under one shepherd. In this lesson we will learn why the Father loves Jesus so much.

^{Jn 10:17} “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.”

The meaning of “For this reason the Father loves me” is not clear but may relate to the relationship between the Father and the human nature of Jesus. Jesus said in John 5:17: “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” This work that Jesus was doing was to explain the gospel to the Jews and allow them to nail him to the cross to suffer and die to purchase our salvation. We see this in Philippians 2:8 – 9 ESV: ⁸ “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ⁹ Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name.”

Therefore, “the reason of the Father’s love is based upon the self-devotion of the Son. He who so loved the world that he gave His only-begotten Son to die for it, loves the Son who of His own will gives Himself to die. It is, if we might presume so to speak, as though the salvation of mankind had called forth a new relation of love between the Father and the Son.” (Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers – Biblehub Commentaries)

The loved expressed above was in part based on the willing obedience of Jesus to lay down his life for the benefit of our salvation. The sacrifice was to suffer and die for us, but after three days, Jesus came back to life. Would this not take away from the value of the sacrifice? Doesn’t it seem strange that the foundation of the Father’s love is the fact that Jesus will lay down his life in order to take it again?

The willingness of Jesus to take on a human body was a sacrifice. To die and then to rise and again take on a human body is a further sacrifice but is necessary for Jesus to complete his work as the great shepherd. “The scattered sheep during the whole of the world’s existence are to be gathered in by Him whose continued union with human nature makes Him at once the Shepherd who gives His life for the sheep, and the Door by whom we ever have access to the Father.” (Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers – Biblehub Commentaries)

There is more to say about Jesus laying down his life so that he could take it up again, but we will have to wait until the next lesson.

Conclusion

What a tremendous sacrifice Jesus made for us! Why are we not willing to surrender our selves in loving obedience to him? Think of those who live under persecution and suffer and die for their faith. Would we be willing to do likewise?