John 10:11

10:11 “I am the good ¹  shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life ²  for the sheep.

John 10:17-18

10:17 This is why the Father loves me ³  – because I lay down my life, ⁴  so that I may take it back again. 10:18 No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down ⁵  of my own free will. ⁶  I have the authority ⁷  to lay it down, and I have the authority ⁸  to take it back again. This commandment ⁹  I received from my Father.”

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¹ tn Or “model” (see R. E. Brown, John [AB], 1:386, who argues that “model” is a more exact translation of καλός [kalos] here).

² tn Or “The good shepherd dies willingly.”

sn Jesus speaks openly of his vicarious death twice in this section (John 10:11, 15). Note the contrast: The thief takes the life of the sheep (10:10), the good shepherd lays down his own life for the sheep. Jesus is not speaking generally here, but specifically: He has his own substitutionary death on the cross in view. For a literal shepherd with a literal flock, the shepherd’s death would have spelled disaster for the sheep; in this instance it spells life for them (Compare the worthless shepherd of Zech 11:17, by contrast).

³ tn Grk “Because of this the Father loves me.”

⁴ tn Or “die willingly.”

⁵ tn Or “give it up.”

⁶ tn Or “of my own accord.” “Of my own free will” is given by BDAG 321 s.v. ἐμαυτοῦ c.

⁷ tn Or “I have the right.”

⁸ tn Or “I have the right.”

⁹ tn Or “order.”