Jn. 10:17. Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again.
Since He was called alien to the Father, a deceiver and a destroyer, and not a Savior of souls, with these present words He declares: "I am not your destroyer, but am ready to endure everything for you, if for no other reason, then because God has loved you so much that He loves Me too for the fact that I am dying for you. How then would I deceive you, when I know that God loves you? On the contrary, would it not be better for Me to resolve to die for you, if for no other reason, then so that My Father would love Me even more for this?"
He says this so humbly out of condescension, because the listeners did not accept it when He spoke of Himself in lofty terms. To assign another meaning to this saying would be absurd. For surely the Father did not fail to love Him before and only began to love Him now, with the cause of this being His death for us? No; rather, as I have already said, He expressed Himself in this manner out of condescension.
Another may say the following as well. The love of God the Father toward us was known. And God the Father saw that His Son also showed the same goodness toward us, for He willed even to die for us and preserves exactly the qualities of the Father's goodness. Therefore the Father justly loved the Son — He loved Him not as a gift to the Son or as a kind of reward for His death for us, but because He saw in the Son a kinship of Essence with Himself, and so was moved to love the Son as if by an irresistible law of nature. For did not the Son show a deed of great love toward us when He accepted a shameful death for us, and not only death, but also received life again, so as to put death to death and through His Resurrection make us immortal? So when He says that the Father loves Me because I die for you, He expresses by this that the Father, as it were, delights and rejoices that the Son is like Him and has toward mankind the same love as He does.
Jn. 10:18. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself.
"No one takes My life from Me." He says this for those who intended to kill Him. "You," He says, "thirst for My blood; but know firmly that without My will no one can shed it."
Jn. 10:18. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.
Lest anyone think that He dies as a slave and servant, by the command of another and due to subjection to him, He says: "I Myself have authority over My death, as the Master of death. I have power to lay down My life." Although each of you has the power to lay down your life, for anyone who wishes can put himself to death, the Lord is not speaking of this manner of death, but rather that without His will no one could have done this. With people it is not so. For even without our will others can put us to death. But Christ without His own will would never have suffered. Therefore, submitting to death only by His own free choice, He has the even greater right — "to take it up again."
Jn. 10:18. This commandment I received from My Father.
"This commandment 'to die for the world' I received from the Father." "I," He says, "am not an adversary of God, and moreover to such a degree that this very death was commanded Me by the Father." Earlier He said something lofty about Himself: "I have power to take up My life," which shows Him to be the Master of death and the Author of life. Now He adds something humble: "This commandment I received from My Father." So wonderfully does He unite both, so that He would not be considered less than the Father and His slave, and so that He would be considered not an adversary of God, but equal to Him in power and one with Him in will.
Jn. 10:19. Because of these words there was again a division among the Jews.
Such speech of His indeed served for the benefit of many of the listeners. A division arose among them.
Jn. 10:20. Many of them said: He is possessed by a demon and is mad; why do you listen to Him?
Some, to whom these words of His seemed enigmatic, thought that He was out of His mind.
Why then did Christ not answer those who said He was possessed by a demon? Because neither their opponents nor His defenders could silence them or be more credible to them. Since they were divided and had risen against one another, what need was there for Him also to contradict the blasphemers, when moreover He would have no credibility from them whatsoever?
Jn. 10:21. Others said: these are not the words of a demoniac; can a demon open the eyes of the blind?
Others, understanding somewhat, said: "These are not the words of one possessed by a demon." Since the Lord could not shut their mouths with words (for even the reasonable ones neither fully understood His words themselves, nor would they have convinced their opponents), they attempt to defend Christ by deeds and say that these are not the words of one possessed by a demon.
Where then is this evident from? From the deeds. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind? And if this deed is divine, then the words are surely likewise.
Jn. 10:22. Then came the feast of dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter.
What was the dedication in Jerusalem? Some say that the dedication was celebrated on the day on which the temple of Solomon was built. But others say not so, but that the Evangelist means here the dedication of the temple built after the return from captivity. This feast was splendid and well-attended. Since the city, after a prolonged captivity, received in the temple what was, as it were, its own adornment, the day of the dedication of the temple was considered a day of joy.
It was winter, and after this winter, in the first month of spring, the Lord suffered. Therefore the evangelist also noted this time, with the purpose of showing that the time of suffering was near, and for this reason the Lord came to Jerusalem.
Jn. 10:23. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon's porch.
Jesus also came to this feast. Now He already often walked in Judea, because the sufferings were at the door (near).
As long as winter lasts, that is, the present life, which always has disturbances from the spirits of evil, strive also to celebrate the renewal of your spiritual temple, constantly renewing yourself and setting "ascents in your heart" (Ps. 83:6). Then Jesus will come to you and help accomplish the feast of this renewal, in Solomon's porch, protecting you with His shelter and granting you peace from the passions. For He Himself will be Solomon, which means "peaceful." So whoever, in the words of the prophet, "dwells in the shelter" (Ps. 90:1) of Christ, the Peaceful One, with him Christ Himself celebrates the renewal of his soul, as long as winter lasts, that is, the present life. For the age to come is like spring; then all things will come alive and receive a new existence; then no one can renew the soul; all such works will end with the present age.
Jn. 10:24. Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him: How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.