I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep.

“(Tr. xlvi. 1) Our Lord has acquainted us with two things which were obscure before; first, that He is the Door; and now again, that He is the Shepherd: I am the good Shepherd. (c. xlvii. 1, 3). Above He said that the shepherd entered by the door. If He is the Door, how doth He enter by Himself? Just as He knows the Father by Himself, and we by Him; so He enters into the fold by Himself, and we by Him. We enter by the door, because we preach Christ; Christ preaches Himself. A light shews both other things, and itself too. (Tr. xlvi. 5). There is but one Shepherd. For though the rulers of the Church, those who are her sons, and not hirelings, are shepherds, they are all members of that one Shepherd. (Tr. xlvii. 3). His office of Shepherd He hath permitted His members to bear. Peter is a shepherd, and all the other Apostles: all good Bishops are shepherds. But none of us calleth himself the door. He could not have added good, if there were not bad shepherds as well. They are thieves and robbers; or at least mercenaries.”

“(Hom. xiv. in Evang.) And He adds what that goodness (forma bonitatis) is, for our imitation: The good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep. He did what He bade, He set the example of what He commanded: He laid down His life for the sheep, that He might convert His body and blood in our Sacrament, and feed with His flesh the sheep He had redeemed. A path is shewn us wherein to walk, despising death; a stamp is applied to us, and we must submit to the impression. Our first duty is to spend our outward possessions upon the sheep; our last, if it be necessary, is to sacrifice our life for the same sheep. Whoso doth not give his substance to the sheep, how can he lay down his life for them?”

“Here the Lord proves his own exposition, and first he resumes what he intends to prove; second he brings forward the proof, at the place "and I know my sheep"; third he manifests it, at the place "therefore my Father loves me." He says therefore first: "I am the good shepherd." This was expounded above. Ezekiel 34:11: "I will seek my sheep in that day, as the shepherd visits his flock." Consequently, when he says "and I know my sheep," he proves what he has said. Now he says two things about himself: namely, that he is a shepherd, and that he is good. First, therefore, he proves that he is a shepherd; second, that he is a good shepherd. That he is a shepherd he proves by two signs set down above concerning the shepherd, of which the first is that he calls his own sheep by name. And as to this he says "and I know my sheep"; 2 Timothy 2:19: "The Lord knows who are his." "I know," I say, with a knowledge not only simple, but also of approval and of love; Apocalypse 1:5: "he loved us, and washed us from our sins." The second sign is that the sheep hear his voice and know him. And as to this he says "and mine know me" — mine, I say, by predestination, by calling, and by grace; as if he were to say: they themselves, loving me, obey me. Whence this is understood of the knowledge of love, of which it is said in Jeremiah 31:34: "all shall know me, from the least even to the greatest," and so on. He shows himself to be a good shepherd by showing that he has the office of a good shepherd, which is that he lay down his soul for his sheep; and first he sets down the cause of this; second he introduces it; third he adds the fruit of the sign. Now the cause of this sign — namely, that he lays down his soul for his sheep — is the knowledge which he has of the Father; and as to this he says "as the Father knows me, I also know the Father, and I lay down my soul for my sheep." And this saying can be expounded in two ways. In one way, so that "as" signifies a likeness; and in this way the knowledge of this can be communicated to some creature; 1 Corinthians 13:12: "I shall know even as I am known," that is, as I am known without a veil, so shall I know without a veil. In another way, so that "as" imports equality; and then to know the Father as he is known by him is proper to the Son alone, because the Son alone knows the Father by comprehending, just as the Father by comprehending knows the Son; Matthew 11:27: "no one knows the Son but the Father, neither does anyone know the Father but the Son" — a knowledge, namely, of comprehension. The Lord says this for the reason that in this very fact that he knows the Father, he knows his will, in which it was that the Son should die for the salvation of the human race — in which also he declares himself the mediator of God and man. For just as he stands to the sheep as one known and one knowing, so also does he stand to the Father: because as the Father knows him, so he himself knows the Father. Consequently, when he says "and I lay down my soul for my sheep," he sets down the sign itself; 1 John 3:16: "in this we have known the charity of God, because he laid down his soul for us," and so on. But since in Christ there are three substances, namely the substance of the Word, of the soul, and of the body, it is asked who speaks when he says "I lay down my soul." If you should say that the Word speaks here, this is not true: for the Word never laid down the soul, since it was never separated from the soul. But if you should say that the soul speaks, this too seems impossible, because nothing is separated from itself. But if you should say that Christ says this as regards the body, neither does this appear to hold, because the body does not have the power of taking up the soul again. It must therefore be said to this, that in the death of Christ, the soul was separated from the flesh; otherwise he would not have truly died; but the divinity was never separated in Christ from the soul itself and the flesh, but was united to the soul descending into hell and to the body existing in the tomb; and therefore the body, by the power of the divinity, laid down the soul, and again took it up. Consequently, when he says "and other sheep I have," etc., he sets down the fruit of the death of Christ, which is the salvation not only of the Jews, but also of the Gentiles. For because he had said "I lay down my soul for my sheep," the Jews, reckoning themselves the sheep of God, according to that saying of Psalm 78:13: "but we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture," might say that he laid down his soul for them only. But the Lord adds, saying that it was not only for them, but also for others; below, John 11:51: "this he said not of himself; but being the high priest of that year, he prophesied that Christ should die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but to gather together into one the children of God who were dispersed." Now in this fruit the Lord does three things. First he sets down the predestination of the Gentiles; second their calling through grace; third their justification. As to the first he says "other sheep I have" — namely, the Gentiles — "which are not of this fold" — namely, of the race of the flesh of Israel, which was as it were the fold; Micah 2:12: "I will gather Jacob, all of thee." For just as sheep are enclosed in a fold, so these were kept enclosed under the precepts of the Law, as is held in Galatians 3. These sheep, I say, namely the Gentiles, I have from the Father through eternal predestination; Psalm 2:8: "ask of me, and I will give thee the Gentiles for thy inheritance"; Isaiah 49:6: "it is a small thing that thou shouldst be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to convert the dregs of Israel: I have given thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation even to the farthest part of the earth." As to the second he says "and them also I must bring" — that is, it is fitting, according to the order of divine predestination, to call them to grace. But against this: Matthew 15:24, the Lord says: "I was not sent but to the sheep that are lost of the house of Israel." Response. It must be said that Jesus was sent to the sheep of the house of Israel only, that he might preach to them bodily, according to that saying of Romans 15:8: "now I say that Christ Jesus was minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers." But the Gentiles he brought through his apostles; Isaiah, last chapter, 19: "I will send of them that shall be saved, to the Gentiles." As to the third he says "and they shall hear my voice." Here three things are set down as necessary for the righteousness of the Christian religion. The first is obedience to the commandments of God. And as to this he says "and they shall hear my voice," that is, they shall keep my commandments; Matthew, last chapter, 20: "teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you"; Psalm 17:45: "a people which I have not known" — that is, which I have not approved — "hath obeyed me at the hearing of the ear." The second is the unity of charity; and as to this he says "and there shall be one fold" — that is, out of two peoples, the Jewish and the Gentile people, one Church of the faithful; Ephesians 4:5: "one faith"; and Ephesians 2:14: "he is our peace, who hath made both one." The third is the unity of faith; and as to this he says "and one shepherd"; Ezekiel 37:24: "and there shall be one shepherd of them" — namely, of the Jews and the Gentiles. Here the Lord manifests his proof, and first he manifests the cause of the sign; second the sign, or effect, at the place "no one takes it from me"; third he shows it to be fitting, at the place "this commandment I have received from my Father." Now the cause of his death the Lord says to be the knowledge which he has of the Father, saying: "as the Father knows me, and I know the Father, and I lay down my soul for my sheep." Whence expounding this he says "therefore the Father loves me" — from which it is clear that the Father knows him with a knowledge of approval — "therefore," I say, "because I lay down my soul, that I may take it up again." But is death, then, the cause of the Father's love? It seems that it is not, because the temporal is not the cause of the eternal; but the death of Christ is temporal, whereas the love of God toward Christ is eternal, and so on. I respond. It must be said that Christ here speaks of the love of the Father toward him insofar as he is man; and thus this text can be read in two ways. In one way, so that "because" is taken causally; in another way, so that it designates the term, or sign, of the love. If indeed it is taken causally, then the sense is: because I lay down my soul, that is, I undergo death, therefore the Father loves me — that is, he gives me the effect of his love, namely the glory and exaltation of my body; Philippians 2:8: "he became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross; for which cause God also hath exalted him, and hath given him a name which is above all names." But against this it seems to stand, that good works cannot be meritorious of the divine love. For since our works are meritorious only insofar as they are informed by charity, according to what is said in 1 Corinthians 13:3: "if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing," and God anticipates even us in loving: 1 John 4:10: "in this is charity: not as though we had loved God, but because he first loved us" — it is manifest that his love precedes all merit of ours. But to this it must be said that no one can merit the very love of God itself; but we can merit, through our good works, the effect of the divine love, which is the increase of grace and the bestowal of the good of glory, which God confers upon us out of his love. Whence we can say that God therefore loves this or that man — that is, bestows on him the effect of his love — because he keeps his commandments. And thus we can say of Christ the man, that therefore the Father loves him — that is, exalted him, and gave him the brightness of glory — because he laid down his soul unto death. But if "because" imports the term of the love, then the sense is: "therefore the Father loves me," that is, to this end the Father loved me, that I should lay down my soul. As if he were to say: the Father, by his love which he has toward me, ordained that through my passion I should redeem the human race; Romans 8:32: "he spared not even his own Son, but delivered him up for us all." But if "because" designates the sign of the love, then the sense is: "therefore the Father loves me, because I lay down my soul" — as if he were to say: this is a sign that the Father loves me, that I lay down my soul, that I may take it up again — that is, doing his commandments and his will, I undergo death. For it is a manifest sign of love that a man, out of charity, do the commandments of God. Here he expounds the effect of the sign — which sign indeed was that where he said "I lay down my soul for my sheep" — expounding how he lays it down; and first he excludes violence; second he adds thereto his power. He excludes indeed the violence which could be done to someone in taking away his life — which was not done to Christ. And as to this he says "no one takes it" — namely, my soul — by violence, "but I lay it down" by my own power, namely "of myself"; Isaiah 49:24: "shall the prey be taken from the strong?" But did not the Jews inflict violence upon Christ? They did indeed, as far as was in them, but in Christ there was not that violence, because, when he willed, he laid it down of his own accord. Whence above, John 8:30, it is said that the Jews, wishing to seize him, could not, "because his hour was not yet come" — his voluntary hour, namely, not one in which he was compelled to die, but one in which he deigned to be slain: as Augustine says. His power, moreover, he adds when he says "I have power to lay it down." Concerning which it must be known that, since the union of soul and body is natural, their separation is natural. And although the cause of this separation and death can be voluntary, nevertheless death in men is always natural. For in no mere man is nature subject to the will, since, just as the will, so also nature is from God; and therefore the death of any mere man must needs be natural. But in Christ, his own nature and the whole of the rest of nature is subject to his will, just as things made by art are subject to the will of the artisan. And therefore, according to the good pleasure of his will, he was able to lay down his soul when he willed, and to take it up again — which no mere man can do, although he can voluntarily bring upon himself the cause of death. And hence it is that the centurion, seeing him die not by natural necessity, but by his own will, when "crying out with a loud voice he gave up the ghost" (Matthew 27:50), recognized in him the divine power, saying: "truly this man was the Son of God." Whence also the Apostle, 1 Corinthians 1:18: "the word of the cross, to them indeed that perish, is foolishness; but to them that are saved" — that is, to us — "it is the power of God." That is, in the very death of Christ, the power of his might was manifested. Here he shows the aforesaid cause to be fitting: for the fulfillment of a commandment demonstrates love toward the one commanding. And therefore he says "this commandment I have received from my Father" — namely, of laying down his soul, and of taking it up again; below, John 14:23: "if any man love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him."”

“I am the good shepherd,.... A shepherd of his Father's appointing, calling, and sending, to whom the care of all his sheep, or chosen ones, was committed; who was set up as a shepherd over them by him, and was entrusted with them; and who being called, undertook to feed them; and being promised, was sent unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel; and under the character of a shepherd, died for them, and rose again, and is accountable to his Father for everyone of them; the shepherd, the great and chief shepherd, the famous one, so often spoken and prophesied of, Gen 49:24. And discharging his office aright, he is the good shepherd; as appears in his providing good pasture, and a good fold for his sheep; in protecting them from their enemies; in healing all their diseases; in restoring their souls when strayed from him; in watching over them in the night seasons, lest any hurt them; in searching for them, when they have been driven, or scattered in the dark and cloudy day; in caring for them, so that he lose none of them; and in nothing more than in what follows, the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep: not only exposes it to danger, as David did his, for the sake of his father's flock, but gives it away freely and voluntarily, for the sake of the sheep; in their room and stead, as a ransom for them, that they may be delivered from death, and might have eternal life: the Ethiopic version renders it, "the good shepherd gives his life for the redemption of his sheep"; so Nonnus paraphrases it, the "ransom price of his own sheep": this belongs to Christ's priestly office, and with the Jews priests were sometimes shepherds hence we read (q) of , "shepherds that were priests". Philo the Jew speaks (r) of God as a shepherd and king; and of his setting his word, his firstborn Son, over the holy flock, to take care of it: and a good shepherd is thus described by the (s) Jews; "as , "a good shepherd", delivers the flock from the wolf, and from the lions, (see Joh 10:12) so he that leads Israel, if he is good, delivers them from the idolatrous nations, and from judgment below and above, and leads them to the life of the world to come, or eternal life; (see Joh 10:10).'' Which description agrees with Christ, the good shepherd; and so the Lord is said to be , "the good shepherd", and merciful, and there is none like him (t). (q) Misn. Becorot, c. 5. sect. 4. (r) De Agricultura, p. 195. & de nom. mutat. p. 1062. (s) Zohar in Exod. fol. 9. 3. (t) Aben Ezra in Psal. xxiii. 3. & Kimchi in Psal. xxiii. 2.”

“I am the good shepherd - Whose character is the very reverse of that which has already been described. In Joh 10:7, Joh 10:9, our Lord had called himself the door of the sheep, as being the sole way to glory, and entrance into eternal life; here he changes the thought, and calls himself the shepherd, because of what he was to do for them that believe in him, in order to prepare them for eternal glory. Giveth his life for the sheep - That is, gives up his soul as a sacrifice to save them from eternal death. Some will have the phrase here only to mean hazarding his life in order to protect others; but the 15th, 17th, and 18th verses, as well as the whole tenor of the new covenant, sufficiently prove that the first sense is that in which our Lord's words should be understood.”

“How happy are we in having such a shepherd, so great, so good, so loving, so careful of our true welfare! O he is the true shepherd indeed, that came down from heaven to seek the poor sheep that was lost; and when he found it, took it upon his own shoulders to carry it home with joy to his heavenly fold. How dearly have his sheep cost him, for truly has he made good in himself this sentence, that the good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep. Let us then ever follow and obey, love and embrace this true shepherd of our souls. (Meditations for every Day, vol. ii. p. 417.) The good pastor gives his life for his sheep; he exposes himself to every danger to save them, no inclemency of the weather, no frost or cold, no rains or tempests, can drive him from looking over his sheep, to defend them from the attacks of wolves, &c. and like Jacob he might say, day and night was I parched with heat, and with cold, and sleep departed from my eyes. (Genesis xl.[xxxi. 40.?]) Or, like David speaking to Saul: “Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion or a bear, and took a ram out of the midst of the flock; and I pursued after them, and struck them, and delivered it out of their mouths; and they arose up against me, and I caught them by the throat, and I strangled them, and killed them.” (1 Kings xvii.) This is a model of a true pastor. But Jesus Christ has done more than this for us. He has exposed his life and his repose, he has spilled his blood, he delivered himself to the fury of his enemies, and has offered himself as a victim on the cross to his eternal Father, to free us, his lost sheep, from the most cruel wolf, the devil. And ever since his death he has always protected his Church, assisted and consoled his distressed flock under all their sufferings, pouring into their hearts the consolations of the holy Spirit, and sending to them holy teachers, to govern and lead them in the holy path of salvation. Such were the apostles and their successors, the bishops and priests of the holy Catholic Church, whom he has sent, and will continue to send, to govern his flock to the end of time. (Calmet.)”

“I am the good shepherd--emphatically, and, in the sense intended, exclusively so (Isa 40:11; Eze 34:23; Eze 37:24; Zac 13:7). the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep--Though this may be said of literal shepherds, who, even for their brute flock, have, like David, encountered "the lion and the bear" at the risk of their own lives, and still more of faithful pastors who, like the early bishops of Rome, have been the foremost to brave the fury of their enemies against the flock committed to their care; yet here, beyond doubt, it points to the struggle which was to issue in the willing surrender of the Redeemer's own life, to save His sheep from destruction.”