Homilies on the Gospel of John

“I am the Good Shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine. As the Father knows Me, even so know I the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.”

1. A great matter, beloved, a great matter it is to preside over a Church: a matter needing wisdom and courage as great as that of which Christ speaks, that a man should lay down his life for the sheep, and never leave them deserted or naked; that he should stand against the wolf nobly. For in this the shepherd differs from the hireling; the one always looks to his own safety, caring not for the sheep; the other always seeks that of the sheep, neglecting his own. Having therefore mentioned the marks of a shepherd, Christ has put two kinds of spoilers; one, the thief who kills and steals; the other, one who does not these things, but who when they are done does not give heed nor hinder them. By the first, pointing to Theudas and those like him; by the second, exposing the teachers of the Jews, who neither cared for nor thought about the sheep entrusted to them. On which account Ezekiel of old rebuked them, and said, “Woe, ye shepherds of Israel! Do the shepherds feed themselves? Do not the shepherds feed the sheep?” But they did the contrary, which is the worst kind of wickedness, and the cause of all the rest. Wherefore It says, “They have not turned back the strayed, nor sought the lost, nor bound up the broken, nor healed the sick, because they fed themselves and not the sheep.” As Paul also has declared in another passage, saying, “For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's”; and again, “Let no man seek his own, but every man his neighbor's.” From both Christ distinguishes Himself; from those who came to spoil, by saying, “I have come that they might have life, and that they might have more abundantly”; and from those who cared not for the sheep being carried away by wolves, by never deserting them, but even laying down His life for them, that the sheep might not perish. For when they desired to kill Him, He neither altered His teaching, nor betrayed those who believed on Him, but stood firm, and chose to die. Wherefore He continually said, “I am the good Shepherd.” Then because His words appeared to be unsupported by testimony, (for though the, “I lay down My life,” was not long after proved, yet the, “that they might have life, and that they might have more abundantly,” was to come to pass after their departure hence in the life to come,) what does He? He proves one from the other; by giving His mortal life (He proves) that He gives life immortal. As Paul also says, “If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more being reconciled we shall be saved.” And again in another place, “He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”

But wherefore do they not now bring against Him the charge which they did before, when they said, “You bear witness of yourself, your witness is not true?” Because He had often stopped their mouths, and because His boldness towards them had been increased by His miracles. Then because He said above “And the sheep hear his voice, and follow him,” lest any should say, “What then is this to those who believe not?” hear what He adds, “And I know My sheep, and am known of Mine.” As Paul declared when he said, “God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew”; and Moses, “The Lord knew those that were His”; “those,” He says, “I mean, whom He foreknew.” Then that you may not deem the measure of knowledge to be equal, hear how He sets the matter right by adding, “I know My sheep, and am known of Mine.” But the knowledge is not equal. “Where is it equal?” In the case of the Father and Me, for there, “As the Father knows Me, even so know I the Father.” Had He not wished to prove this, why should He have added that expression? Because He often ranked Himself among the many, therefore, lest any one should deem that He knew as a man knows, He added, “As the Father knows Me, even so know I the Father.” “I know Him as exactly as He knows Me.” Wherefore He said, “No man knows the Son save the Father, nor the Father save the Son”, speaking of a distinct kind of knowledge, and such as no other can possess.

2. “I lay down My life.” This He says continually, to show that He is no deceiver. So also the Apostle, when he desired to show that he was a genuine teacher, and was arguing against the false apostles, established his authority by his dangers and deaths, saying, “In stripes above measure, in deaths oft.” For to say, “I am light,” and “I am life,” seemed to the foolish to be a matter of pride; but to say, “I am willing to die,” admitted not any malice or envy. Wherefore they do not say to Him, “You bear witness of yourself, your witness is not true,” for the speech manifested very tender care for them, if indeed He was willing to give Himself for those who would have stoned Him. On this account also He seasonably introduces mention of the Gentiles;