Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 10:18
No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
18. No man taketh it from me ] Better, No one taketh it from Me; not even God. See on Joh 10:28. Two points are insisted on; (1) that the Death is entirely voluntary; (2) that both Death and Resurrection are in accordance with a commission received from the Father. Comp. ‘Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit’ (Luk 23:46). The precise words used by the two Apostles of Christ’s death bring this out very clearly; ‘yielded up (literally ‘let go’) the ghost’ (Mat 27:50); ‘gave up the ghost’ (Joh 19:30; see note there). The word used by S. Mark and S. Luke (‘breathed His last,’ or ‘expired’) is less strong. Here there is an emphasis on the pronoun; ‘but I lay it down of Myself.’
I have power ] i.e. right, authority, liberty: same word as in Joh 1:12, Joh 5:27, Joh 17:2, Joh 19:10. This authority is the commandment of the Father: and hence this passage in no way contradicts the usual N.T. doctrine that Christ was raised to life again by the Father. Act 2:24.
This commandment have I received ] Better, This commandment received I, viz., at the Incarnation: the commandment to die and rise again. Comp. Joh 4:34, Joh 5:30, Joh 6:38.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
No man taketh it from me – That is, no one could take it by force, or unless I was willing to yield myself into his hands. He had power to preserve his life, as he showed by so often escaping from the Pharisees; he voluntarily went up to Jerusalem, knowing that he would die; he knew the approach of Judas to betray him; and he expressly told Pilate at his bar that he could have no power at all against him except it were given him by his Father, Joh 19:11. Jesus had a right to lay down his life for the good of people. The patriot dies for his country on the field of battle; the merchant exposes his life for gain; and the Son of God had a right to put himself in the way of danger and of death, when a dying world needed such an atoning sacrifice. This shows the special love of Jesus. His death was voluntary. His coming was voluntary – the fruit of love. His death was the fruit of love. He was permitted to choose the time and mode of his death. He did. He chose the most painful, lingering, ignominious manner of death then known to man, and thus showed his love.
I have power – This word often means authority. It includes all necessary power in the case, and the commission or authority of his Father to do it.
Power to take it again – This shows that he was divine. A dead man has no power to raise himself from the grave. And as Jesus had this power after he was deceased, it proves that there was some other nature than that which had expired, to which the term I might be still applied. None but God can raise the dead; and as Jesus had this power over his own body it proves that he was divine.
This commandment – My Father has appointed this, and commissioned me to do it.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 18. I have power] Or, authority, . Our Lord speaks of himself here as man, or the Messiah, as being God’s messenger, and sent upon earth to fulfil the Divine will, in dying and rising again for the salvation of men.
This commandment have I received] That is, I act according to the Divine commandment in executing these things, and giving you this information.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
No man taketh it from me by force, without my willing it and consenting to it; the Jews and Pilate will take it from me, but not without my free and voluntary surrender of it: and this is that which we read, Act 4:27,28, For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Plate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. By which he asserts his Divine power, and so comforteth his disciples against the disturbances they were like to have from the sight of his passion, at this time not many months off. And this, saith he, is the will of my Father, that which my Father hath given me commission to do, and for which he hath sent me into the world: and thus he declareth his death to be a fulfilling of his Fathers purpose, and an act of obedience to his Fathers will; and indeed, in his obedience in the thing lay much of the virtue of his death.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
18. No man taketh it from me, but Ilay it down myself: I have power to lay it down, and I have power totake it againIt is impossible for language more plainly andemphatically to express the absolute voluntariness of Christ’sdeath, such a voluntariness as it would be manifest presumption inany mere creature to affirm of his own death. It is beyond alldoubt the language of One who was conscious that His life was Hisown (which no creature’s is), and therefore His to surrender orretain at will. Here lay the glory of His sacrifice, that itwas purely voluntary. The claim of “power to take itagain” is no less important, as showing that His resurrection,though ascribed to the Father, in the sense we shall presently see,was nevertheless His own assertion of His own right to life assoon as the purposes of His voluntary death were accomplished.
This commandmentto”lay down Hislife, that He might take it again.”
have I received of myFatherSo that Christ died at once by “command” ofHis Father, and by such a voluntary obedience to that command as hasmade Him (so to speak) infinitely dear to the Father. The necessityof Christ’s death, in the light of these profound sayings, must bemanifest to all but the superficial student.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
No man taketh it from me,…. It was indeed taken away at the instigation of the Jews, and by the order of Pilate, and by means of the Roman soldiers, who crucified him; and the former of these are often charged with slaying him, and killing him, the Prince of life; and it is expressly said, “his life is taken from the earth”, Ac 8:33; and yet no man could, nor did take it away, without his Father’s will, and determinate counsel and knowledge, by which he was delivered up into the hands of the above persons, and by which they did to him what they did, or otherwise they could have had no power over him; nor could any man, nor did any man, take away his life from him, without his own consent; he voluntarily surrendered himself, or he could never have been taken; he went freely to the cross, or he could never have been led there; he suffered himself to be nailed to the accursed tree, and when he hung on it, he could easily have disengaged himself, and come down; and when they had him there, they could not have taken away his life, had he not of himself given up the ghost, and breathed out his life and soul:
but I lay it down of myself; of my own will, or of my own accord, as the Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions render it; which was done with the greatest patience and meekness, resolution, courage and magnanimity; and with a full will, and with the greatest cheerfulness and alacrity; and that as a ransom for his people, and that they might live through him:
I have power to lay it down; this was not his life as God, but as man; and was so his own, as it was not his Father’s, and was entirely at his own dispose; for it was the life of that individual human nature, which was united to his divine person; and so in a sense his, as it was not either the Father’s or the Spirit’s; and was so his own, as ours are not, which are from God, and dependent on him, and entirely to be disposed of by him, and not by ourselves: but Christ, the Prince of life, had a power of laying down his life of his own accord, as a ransom price for his sheep:
and I have power to take it again; as he was the Son of God, and truly God, and as the surety of his people; having satisfied law and justice, by his obedience, sufferings, and death, and for the ends mentioned in note, [See comments on Joh 10:17]:
this commandment have I received of my Father; which may respect both branches of his power, but is not the foundation of it, but the reason of is exercising it; because it was so agreeable to his Father’s will, which is the same with his own, as he is the Son of God, and one with his Father, and equal to him; and what he delights in as Mediator, in which capacity he is considered as a servant; and in which he cheerfully became obedient, even unto death, to his Father’s command, or in compliance with his will: the Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions read, “because this commandment have I received of my Father”: this is a reason why he so readily exerted his power, both in laying down his life, and taking it again, because it was his Father’s command and will, and which he received from him, with the utmost pleasure; his and his Father’s love, good will, gracious ends and views towards the elect, herein being the same.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
No one taketh it away from me ( ‘ ). But Aleph B read (first aorist active indicative of , to take away), probably correct (Westcott and Hort). “John is representing Jesus as speaking sub specie aeternitatis” (Bernard). He speaks of his death as already past and the resurrection as already accomplished. Cf. Joh 3:16.
Of myself (‘ ). The voluntariness of the death of Jesus repeated and sharpened. D omits it, probably because of superficial and apparent conflict with 5:19. But there is no inconsistency as is shown by John 3:16; Rom 5:8. The Father “gave” the Son who was glad to be given and to give himself.
I have power to lay it down ( ). is not an easy word to translate (right, authority, power, privilege). See 1:12. Restatement of the voluntariness of his death for the sheep.
And I have power to take it again ( ). Note second aorist active infinitive in both cases ( from and from ), single acts. Recall 2:19 where Jesus said: “And in three days I will raise it up.” He did not mean that he will raise himself from the dead independently of the Father as the active agent (Ro 8:11).
I received from my Father ( ). Second aorist active indicative of . He always follows the Father’s command () in all things (John 12:49; John 14:31). So now he is doing the Father’s will about his death and resurrection.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Taketh away [] . Some texts read hren, took away. According to this reading the word would point back to the work of Jesus as conceived and accomplished in the eternal counsel of God, where His sacrifice of Himself was not exacted, but was His own spontaneous offering in harmony with the Father ‘s will.
I lay it down of myself. Wyc., I put it from myself.
Power [] . Rev., in margin, right. See on 1 12.
Commandment [] . See on Jas 2:8.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “No man taketh it from me,” (oudies heren auten ap’ emou) “No one took it from me.” To the end He had power to choose another time of exit from life as He asserted, Mat 26:53.
2) “But I lay it down of myself.” (all’ ego tithemi auten ap’ emautou) “But I lay it down from myself,” from my own choice, for the redemption of the whole world and the purchase of the church with His own blood, Heb 2:9; Act 20:28; Eph 5:25.
3) “I have power to lay it down,” (eksousian echo theinai auten) “I hold the authority to lay it down,” or to retain it, a thing men do not have, Joh 3:35; Joh 12:32.
4) “And I have power to take it again.” (kai eksousian echo palin labein auten) “And I have, hold, or own authority to take it again,” to reserve it, Joh 2:19; Joh 14:1-3.
5) “This commandment have I received of my Father.” (tauten ten entolen elabon para tou patros mou “This commandment I received directly from my Father,” to dispose of His life and begin or resume it again, Joh 6:38; Rom 8:11. In doing this He was fulfilling the will and purpose of His Father.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
18. No man taketh it from me. This is another consolation, by which the disciples may take courage as to the death of Christ, that he does not die by constraint, but offers himself willingly for the salvation of his flock. Not only does he affirm that men have no power to put him to death, except so far as he permits them, but he declares that he is free from every violence of necessity. It is otherwise with us, for we are laid under a necessity of dying on account of our sins. True, Christ himself was born a mortal man; but this was a voluntary submission, and not a bondage laid upon him by another. Christ intended, therefore, to fortify his disciples, that, when they saw him shortly afterwards dragged to death, they might not be dismayed, as if he had been oppressed by enemies, but might acknowledge that it was done by the wonderful Providence of God, that he should die for the redemption of his flock. And this doctrine is of perpetual advantage, that the death of Christ is an expiation for our sins, because it was a voluntary sacrifice, according to the saying of Paul,
By the obedience of one many were made righteous, (Rom 5:19.)
But I lay it down of myself. These words may be explained in two ways; either that Christ divests himself of life, but still remains what he was, just as a person would lay aside a garment from his body, or, that he dies by his own choice.
This commandment have I received from my Father. He recalls our attention to the eternal purpose of the Father, in order to inform us that He had such care about our salvation, that he dedicated to us his only-begotten Son great and excellent as he is; (296) and Christ himself, who came into the world to be in all respects obedient to the Father, confirms the statement, that he has no other object in view than to promote our benefit.
(296) “ Aussi grand et excellent qu’il peut estre.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(18) No man taketh it from me.It is better to leave the words in the greater width of the Greek, No one taketh it from Me, for it may be, indeed, that even the Father is included in the thought. The laying down of the life is absolutely self-determined, and therefore it is the reason of the Fathers love. Up to the very last moments of life He lays stress on the perfectly voluntary nature of His death. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit; and having said thus, He gave up the ghost. (See Note on Luk. 23:46.)
I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.The words apply also to the human nature of our Lord, and the power spoken of is the authority derived from the Father. It is of His own will that He lays down His life and takes it again; but this, as the whole of the life of the Son, is in moral subordination to the Father. (Comp. Notes on Joh. 5:19; Joh. 19:10.) Hence it is that He speaks of taking His life again, while the general language of the New Testament speaks of His being raised by the Father. The taking again was under the Fathers authority, and was therefore itself the Fathers gift. (Comp. Note on 1Pe. 3:19.)
This commandment have I received of my Father.Better, did I receive; pointing, probably, to the commission at the time of the Incarnation. He has asserted in fullest terms the entirely voluntary nature of His one sacrifice. He repeats in fullest terms the voluntary subordination of Son to Father, which is based upon equality of nature. Not only was the authority by which He would die and rise again derived from the Father, but both these acts were included in the decree which gave to Him the Messianic work. We should be on our guard against the mistake which is often made of understanding this commandment of the laying down the life only; it clearly extends also to the taking it again.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
18. No man taketh it from me And yet, perhaps, his very murderers stood before him! Nevertheless not even the thorns, the nails, the cross, or the spear could have taken his life had he not consented to surrender his life to death. Not only as sinless was he rightfully deathless; but, as Lord of life and death, he surrendered life and accepted death of his own most perfect free will. And this most earnest will of Christ thereto solves the cavil of rationalists, that there was a cruelty and wrong to Jesus in requiring his death. All beings have a right, even the innocent, to prefer sufferings for others, whether as patriot, martyr, or ransom.
Commandment Father The free volition of the Son was in profound concurrence and harmony with the primitive purpose of the Father’s will. And the whole process was bathed in infinite love.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it again. This commandment I received of my Father.”
Now Jesus again makes clear that what was to happen was not finally in men’s hands but was in His own hands. ‘No one takes it from me, but I lay it down by my own decision and choice.’ And this was possible because He had the power and authority to do it.
Indeed ‘I have the power to lay it down, and I have the power to take it again.’ ‘Exousia’, translated ‘power’, has in fact a wider sense, for it includes the idea of freedom to do so, as well as the ability and power. It was totally under His control. He would lay His own life down, voluntarily and willingly. Then He would take it again. This was because He was Lord of life and death.
This brings out that through all that was to happen Jesus would retain full control. The Judaisers may have thought that they were in control. They may have plotted and schemed as they would. But He was not in their hands. Everything was in His own hands. He had the power to live or die as He chose, and if He died He had the power to raise Himself again.
‘This commandment I received of my Father.’ In all this He would be acting according to His Father’s will. It would not be easy, and at times He would long that He could withdraw (‘not my will, but yours be done’ (Mar 14:36)), but He would obey His Father by His own choice. And by His own power He would rise from the dead. Elsewhere we are told that God raised Him from the dead (Act 2:24; 1Co 15:15; Eph 2:6) but here we learn it was by His own power. Of course there is no contradiction. When He raised Himself it was God Who was raising Him. The Godhead act as one.
We must not diminish this into signifying that Jesus could simply do these things because He was really obeying the One Who would bring about these things. A careful reading of the passage emphasises Jesus’ absolute confidence that the power and authority lay within Himself. Nevertheless He also wants it to be clear that in so acting on His own initiative He is in perfect conformity with the will of the Father.
Compare with this claim to lay down His life of Himself the statement that it was by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God (Act 2:23). He and His Father were in fact so acting in union that His personal will was aligned with the determinate counsel of God, and the implication is that had He so willed it (Which, because of Who He was, was impossible) He could have refused to follow that determinate counsel. However, because they were One in all things (Joh 10:30) He would never do so. God always acts as One.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
Ver. 18. I lay it down of myself ] A necessity there was of our Saviour’s death, but it was a necessity of immutability (because God had decreed it, Act 2:23 ), not of coaction. He died willingly. Therefore, when he gave up the ghost, he cried with a loud voice, which shows that his life was not then spent; he might have retained it longer if he would; and thereupon the centurion concludes him to be the Son of God.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
18. ] The truth of this voluntary rendering up was shewn by His whole sufferings, from the falling of His enemies to the ground in the garden (ch. Joh 18:6 ) to His last words, . , Luk 23:46 (see note there). His resurrection also was eminently His own work, by virtue of the Spirit of the Father dwelling in and filling Him: the in both these cases being the , appointment, ordinance of the Father, from the counsel of whose will the whole mediatorial office of Christ sprung: see ch. Joh 12:49 .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Joh 10:18 . . He did not succumb to the machinations of His foes. To the last He was free to choose another exit from life; Mat 26:53 . He gave His life freely, perceiving that this was the Father’s will: . Others have only power to choose the time or method of their death, and not always that: Jesus had power absolutely to lay down His life or to retain it. Others have no power at all to resume their life after they had laid it down. He has. This freedom, as Weiss remarks, does not clash with the instrumentality of the Jews in taking His life, nor with the power of God in raising Him again. . “This commandment” thus to dispose of His life and to resume it He has received from the Father. In this as in all else He is fulfilling the will and purpose of God.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
No man = No one. Greek. oudeis, i.e. no being, man or devil. Until 1660 the Authorized Version read “none”.
of = from. Greek apo. App-104.
power = authority. App-172.
of = from. Greek para. App-104.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
18.] The truth of this voluntary rendering up was shewn by His whole sufferings, from the falling of His enemies to the ground in the garden (ch. Joh 18:6) to His last words, . , Luk 23:46 (see note there). His resurrection also was eminently His own work, by virtue of the Spirit of the Father dwelling in and filling Him: the in both these cases being the , appointment, ordinance of the Father, from the counsel of whose will the whole mediatorial office of Christ sprung: see ch. Joh 12:49.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Joh 10:18. , no man) Comp. Joh 10:29, No man is able to pluck-out of My Fathers hand.-, taketh away) by His own power and will.- , from Myself) Jesus of His own accord gave Himself up to His enemies to be taken; and on the cross itself, not from any feebleness, but with a loud cry, He gave up the ghost.-, and) A most close connection subsists between the two things [laying down His life, and taking it up again] (Comp. the that, Joh 10:17, I lay [it] down, that I might take it again), over which He possesses a twofold power.- , I have power) So , that they might have [life], is repeated, Joh 10:10. Add ch. Joh 19:10 [Pilate], I have power to crucify Thee, and have power to release Thee.- , from My Father) He ascribes His highest power to the Father.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 10:18
Joh 10:18
No one taketh it away from me, but I lay it down of myself.-While the Father desired that Jesus should give his life for the world, no necessity was laid on him to do it against his own will. Indeed he was chosen of the Father to make this sacrifice because he designed to give his life for the world.
I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment received I from my Father.-While wicked men took his life by violence, he could have called twelve legions of angels to his deliverance had he desired. While he drew back from the bitter cup of death offered him, it was only momentarily so, for he came for this end, and pursued it to the bitter end. While it was his will, yet in doing it, he acted according to the commandment of God. [He laid down his life at the cross and took it again at the resurrection.]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
man: Joh 18:5, Joh 18:6, Joh 19:11, Mat 26:53-56
but: Joh 2:19-21, Isa 53:10-12, Act 2:24, Act 2:32, Act 3:15, Phi 2:6-8, Tit 2:14, Heb 2:9, Heb 2:14, Heb 2:15
This: Joh 6:38, Joh 14:31, Joh 15:10, Psa 40:6-8, Heb 5:6-9, Heb 10:6-10
Reciprocal: Gen 22:9 – bound Lev 7:30 – own hands Num 19:2 – upon which Mar 9:31 – The Son Joh 5:19 – for Joh 18:4 – knowing Joh 19:30 – and he Act 26:23 – the first 2Co 13:4 – he was Gal 1:4 – gave Eph 1:20 – when Phi 2:8 – the death Phi 3:10 – and the power
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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Yes, man was the instrument through which Jesus died. But had it not been the will of the Son to die, no man would have been able to slay him. (See Mat 26:53.) Because of his willingness to carry out this part of his Father’s will, he was given the power (EXOUSIA, authority) to lay his life down and then take it up again. This commandment refers to the will of God that his Son should come into the world and die as a sacrifice for sin. When Jesus came it was for the purpose of doing that very thing. Paul wrote about this in Heb 10:5-7 in connection with the new covenant.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Joh 10:18. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. He lays down His life of Himself. He has the right to do this, and the right to take the life again.
This commandment I received of my Father. By His Fathers express commission He has this right of free decision. For the first time Jesus here speaks of the commandment which He has received, and the use of this term is in full harmony with the position He has assumed throughout the parable, the Shepherd of Gods flock, the Servant of Jehovah. On the word love (Joh 10:17) see note on chap. Joh 5:20 : the word found in that verse is not used here, for the reason there explained. A question is often asked in relation to the words of these verses: if the teaching of Scripture is that the Father raised the Son from the dead, how can Jesus speak as He here does about His resumption of life? But, if the words this commandment be interpreted as above, to refer ,to the Fathers will that the death and resurrection should rest on the free choice of Jesus, the answer is plain: Jesus took His life again in voluntarily accepting the exercise of His Fathers power. If we understand the commandment to relatenot to the possession of right or power, butto the actual death and resurrection, the answer is different, but not less easy: Jesus in rising from the dead freely obeys the Fathers will,the Fathers will is still the ultimate source of the action of the Son.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 18
This commandment; this power.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Superficially observers could have concluded that Jesus died because the Jews conspired against Him. However, Jesus revealed that behind that instrumental cause was the efficient cause of God’s purpose (cf. Act 4:27-28). God had given Jesus the authority to offer Himself as a sacrifice for humankind’s sins and to rise from the dead. Nevertheless the Son remained submissive to the Father in the triune hierarchy. Jesus willingly offered Himself; no human took His life from Him. However, He offered Himself in obedience to the Father’s will. Anyone can lay his or her life down in death sacrificially, but only Jesus could lay it down and then take it again in resurrection.