The Good Shepherd Lays Down His Life

August 14th, 2025
by Lance Waldie

John 10:16-21 “I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. 18 No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.” 19 A division occurred again among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to Him?” 21 Others were saying, “These are not the sayings of one demon-possessed. A demon cannot open the eyes of the blind, can he?”

The sheep of the fold that Jesus had been speaking of in John 10:1-15 were the Jews—Israel. He had denounced their shepherds (Pharisees, et al.) as false teachers who were akin to thieves and robbers leading God’s sheep (Jews/Israel) astray. Now in v. 16 Jesus speaks of other sheep that are not “of this fold.” The sheep Jesus spoke of are clearly Gentiles, non-Jews who were not given Israel’s covenants and were at that time “separated… alienated… and strangers… having no hope and without God in the world” (Eph. 2:11-22). In Jesus’ early ministry He concentrated on the “lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt. 10:5-6; 15:24-27), but once the early Church was established, they went outside of Jerusalem and brought Gentiles into the “fold.” In Acts 2, at Pentecost, Jews and Jewish proselytes (Acts 2:5, 14) were baptized by the Holy Spirit. Later, the Apostle Peter witnessed the Spirit come upon the Samaritans (Acts 8) and then the Gentiles (Acts 10-11). The Apostle Paul later took the gospel of Jesus Christ to the far reaches of the Roman Empire (Acts 13-28; cf. Rom. 15:24) and witnessed the Spirit’s baptism on Gentiles.

Jesus said that the Gentiles, like true Israel, would listen to His voice and follow Him like a sheep hears the voice of its shepherd and follows him. This continues through evangelism in the modern-day because Jesus continues to save people as the Gospel is preached—both Jews and Gentiles. Both, though racially distinct, are one spiritual flock when they receive Jesus, the Good Shepherd (Rom. 2:28), for Jesus said there would be “one flock with one shepherd.”

Jesus predicts His death in v. 17, doing so in the context of a shepherd laying down his life for his sheep. The amazing thing is that Jesus performed this act voluntarily, showing both the Shepherd’s love for the sheep and the Son’s loving relationship with the Father. This is why God the Father loved the Son. But Jesus also knew that His death was not the end, for He predicted His resurrection twice in vv. 17-18. In addition, Jesus showed His own sovereign authority over His ultimate earthly destiny. He was not predicting that He would die as a result of His teachings but because He had planned to die of His own volition. He said, “no one takes it” (His life) “from Me.” This proves that Jesus was not a feeble sheep among wolves. When He did die, He had the battle cry of victory on his lips: “It is finished!” (John 19:30)—paid in full.

Naturally, Jesus’ words divided those listening to His discourse that day (vv. 19-20). But any preacher of truth will divide people. Jesus was accused of being demon-possessed by some while others reasoned that no demon-possessed person could open the eyes of the blind (cf. John 9). So it was in the life of Jesus, and so it is in the life of those who faithfully preach His words.

Food For Thought
All of us who know Christ were once alienated and separated from God, living without hope. But since Christ brought us near to Himself through His death, we have eternal life by believing in Him. He called to us, and we heard and followed. Those who have heard and heeded Christ’s call naturally go out and call others to do the same. This is called evangelism. It’s about calling others to repentance and to trust in the Good Shepherd who gives life abundantly.