![]() (1 John 3:2)) and in that which is most properly described as the “Lord's prayer,” the Son declared “O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee” ( John 17:25 25O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. (John 1:10), 1 John 3:2 2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is. Of the world the Holy Ghost says, that it “knew Him not” ( John 1:10 10He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. And it is upon this particular manifestation of divine life in the soul that John is inspired to dwell in an especial manner. It is perhaps a matter of little surprise to learn that the Lord knoweth them that are His: but it is a matter of great wonder and of greater thankfulness that the sheep should know the Shepherd. “I know mine own and mine own know me, even as the Father knoweth me and I know the Father.” So the Revised Version reads, showing the true connection between verses 14 and 15, which is not so apparent in the A. The sheep were His own He loved them and laid down His life for them. (Jeremiah 23:1).) But the Good Shepherd had now come. Of such rulers, Jehovah said “Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” ( Jer. 23:1 1Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord. Under king Zedekiah the people of Judah were removed from their own land to serve seventy years in Babylon. Hoshea filled up the measure of iniquity until Ephraim was carried captive by the Assyrian to the uttermost parts of the earth. On account of Solomon's sin, the kingdom was rent in twain in the days of his son Rehoboam. ![]() Even David through his folly caused 70,000 of Israel to fall of a pestilence (1 Chron. Indeed this was the general character of those of old who were set up to feed God's sheep. ![]() Their care was only for themselves and not at all for their charge. Such pastors as they were bargained for wages not for wolves. Their slender interest in the flock vanished at the first roar of the lion or growl of the bear. In yielding up His life for the sheep, the Lord showed Himself the very reverse of the menial shepherds before or since. We cannot afford to neglect either the one or the other aspect of this blessed truth. But John leads us into the holy place, and there, before the veil, effulgent with the Shechinah from the throne beyond, we worship with reverent joy as we learn that such an, One died for us. Paul often discourses from the brazen altar, and we weep with shame at ourselves as we consider that He died for such as we. The Holy Ghost by Paul sums up what we were in a few pregnant words but the main theme of John's Gospel throughout is the glory of the Only-Begotten of the Father Who laid down His life for us. He enforces his words by the consideration of Who He is and not so much of what man is. But the apostle of divine love dilates upon the Person of the One Who thus died. ![]() He thus displays the beauty of God's grace upon the dark background of human guilt. He points out that it was when we were “ungodly,” “sinners,” “enemies,” that Christ died for us. The apostle of divine righteousness emphasizes the sin and guilt of man. “God commendeth his (own) love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”īut while Paul and John use the same unparalleled fact to demonstrate that truth which would otherwise be beyond human conception, the difference in their standpoint is plainly observable. The same transcendent act is also given in Rom. 5:8 8But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (John 15:1)¬ John 3:16 16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 10:17)ġI am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. (John 10:15)ġ7Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. (John 10:11)ġ5As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. ![]() This phrase, “laying down the life,” as an expression of love, is characteristic of John, being found in the Epistle as well as repeated in the Gospel (see John 10:11, 15, 17 15:1 11I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. ![]()
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