27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; 28 and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.
29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
B. EXPLANATION
Introduction
This Gospel passage forms part of a section where the Jews are in their fifth dispute with Jesus. “The Jews gathered round him and said to him, ‘How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ [Messiah], tell us plainly’” (Jn. 10: 24). Their purpose in challenging him in this manner is to hear him say something which will lead to his arrest. He does not fall into their trap. He tells them that they do not believe because they are not his sheep. Today’s Gospel passage continues from this point.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; 28 and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.
“My sheep hear my voice” — To “hear” [audire] and to “obey” [ob–audire] are two Latin words from the same root. To obey means to hear and put into practice what is heard. Jesus is saying that his sheep obey him when he speaks. This is because of their faith in what he tells them about himself.
“and I know them” — He repeats what he already said: “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep” (Jn. 10: 14–15).
To “know” is a technical term in John’s Gospel meaning that one person has a special relationship with someone else, usually because of some mutual experience. Jesus has a special relationship with his sheep: they hear his voice and they follow him who loves them so much that he will die for them.
“and they follow me” — They imitate Jesus, doing what he does or has done.
“and I give them eternal life” — The sheep follow him to the pasture which is eternal life. He feeds them with his divine life. They follow him when they believe in him, that is, when they accept him and commit themselves to following him. “Whoever believes in him will have eternal life” (Jn. 3: 15).
John 17: 2–3 explains: Jesus “looked up to heaven and said, ‘Father, … you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent’”. As stated above to “know” means to have a special relationship with another person. We, the sheep, have a special relationship with God our Father when we accept that there is no other God in our lives but him and when we acknowledge that the Father sent Jesus for our salvation.
“and they shall never perish” — The sheep are secure because they have eternal life which cannot be taken from them by the devil or others. Of course they can discard it by themselves.
“and no one shall snatch them out of my hand” — He has already stated that “this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up at the last day” (Jn 6: 39). He will elaborate in the following verse that no one will snatch his sheep out of his hand because “no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand”.
29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
“My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all” — The Father is more powerful than all other forces even should they join together.
“and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” — Because the Father is the almighty, all–powerful God.
“I and the Father are one.” — Jesus repeats a theme from John’s Gospel (Jn. 1: 1, 14; 5: 19–38; 8: 16; 10: 17).
He does not say ‘I am the Father’ nor ‘I and the Father are one Person’. He makes it clear that they are distinct, that is two Persons, Father and Son in the flesh (Jn. 1: 1, 14). As they are “one” they cannot be diverse. This means that they are one in substance as far as their essence and nature is concerned.
One in substance is called “consubstantial”, which is the word used in the Nicene Creed at Mass each week, “consubstantial with the Father”. The creed explains this by saying that the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages, is God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God — which means that there is absolutely no diversity between the Father and the Son. They are the same substance, essence and nature.
Because they are one nature they are co–equal and one in power (and honour, love, life, operation, etc.). The previous verse stated that no one can snatch his sheep from the hand of the Father. Because Jesus has the power of the Father no one can snatch his sheep out of his hand either. They are also one in purpose, to give eternal life to everyone.
Jesus has now given the Jews the answer to their question, ‘Are you the Messiah?’ he says, ‘Yes, I am because of my relationship with my Father’.
The Jews understood what he meant and they showed their animosity in the following verses.
C, APPLICATION
“I and the Father are one” — The great scripture scholar, Fr. Raymond Brown, sums up the relationship in John’s Gospel between Father and Son. His list is as follows:
The Son comes from the Father (Jn. 8: 42);
Yet the Father who sent him is with him (Jn. 8: 29);
The Father loves the Son (Jn 3: 35);
The Son knows the Father intimately (Jn 8: 55; 10: 15);
In his mission on earth the Son can do only what he has seen the Father do (Jn )5: 19;
The Son can judge and speak only what he hears from the Father (Jn 5: 30);
The Son was taught by the Father (Jn 8: 28);
The Son has received from the Father powers such as that of judgement (Jn 5: 22);
Also the powers of giving and possessing life (Jn 5: 21; 6: 57);
The Son does the will of the Father (Jn 4: 34; 6: 38);
The Son has received a command from the Father that concerns his death and resurrection (Jn. 10: 18).
It is the will of the Son who prays to the Father “that they [people] may be one, even as we are one” (Jn 17: 11). This is God’s desire, that we be one with God and with one another.
Shepherd and Sheep — Four terms are used to describe the special relationship between Shepherd and Sheep, between Jesus and his followers. They “hear” his voice and “follow” him. He “knows” them and “gives them eternal life”. It follows from this that they shall “never perish” nor will any power on earth or above the earth be capable of snatching them out of his hand.
To “hear” in this context means more than being aware that his voice is in the background. It means attentive hearing which is based on the trust the sheep have in the shepherd. He is their leader, their authority who loves them, cares for them, protects them and provides for them.
It is because they recognise his voice that the sheep “follow” him (Jn. 10: 4). Simon Peter put this very well when at the end of the discourse on the Blessed Eucharist Jesus asked his disciples if they wished to leave him because of what he had taught. Peter replied, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God” (Jn. 6: 68–69).
Peter declares the disciples’ special relationship with Jesus whom he knows to be “the Holy One of God”. Whatever Jesus says or teaches must be true because of whom he is.
Because of this also they will never perish nor be separated from Jesus. Even though they did not stand by Jesus in his passion and death, nothing bad happened to the disciples; Jesus protected them. He remained the shepherd of the scattered sheep. When they were in danger of being arrested he told his captors, “‘Let these men go’.This was to fulfil the word that he had spoken, ‘I did not lose a single one of those whom you gave me’” (Jn. 18: 8–9). We may on occasions be tempted to be condemnatory of them but not Jesus who understood them and their weaknesses. It was Jesus who made them his. They were important in his eyes, a lesson that also applies to us, thank God.
Jesus “knows” us. What a relationship he has with us — he created the world for us; he redeemed us when our first parents sinned by coming into the world for our salvation. He has made us one with him and has prayed that we continue to be one with him (Jn. 17: 22). He has ascended to heaven to prepare a place for us. He has given us “eternal life” both now and in its fullness in heaven in the future. He searches for us when we need him and when we stray and he does not give up until he finds us. He allows us be in constant contact with him through prayer, the sacraments, the liturgy, the sacred scriptures, the poor and marginalised, our families and many and much more. We may not be aware of his voice speaking but he does speak to us through the people and events we encounter in daily life. We have to improve our listening. What all of this teaches is that Jesus has a special and personal relationship with us. What a pity if we think that our relationship is merely a matter of obeying rules and regulations.
We are accustomed to seeing sheep with the marks of their owners clearly manifest. This Gospel passage tells us that Jesus’ mark of ownership on us his sheep is our “hearing” and “obeying”.
Commentary on 4th Sunday of Easter 21.04.2013
JOHN 10: 27–30
Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year C
A. TEXT
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; 28 and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.
29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
B. EXPLANATION
Introduction
This Gospel passage forms part of a section where the Jews are in their fifth dispute with Jesus. “The Jews gathered round him and said to him, ‘How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ [Messiah], tell us plainly’” (Jn. 10: 24). Their purpose in challenging him in this manner is to hear him say something which will lead to his arrest. He does not fall into their trap. He tells them that they do not believe because they are not his sheep. Today’s Gospel passage continues from this point.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; 28 and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.
“My sheep hear my voice” — To “hear” [audire] and to “obey” [ob–audire] are two Latin words from the same root. To obey means to hear and put into practice what is heard. Jesus is saying that his sheep obey him when he speaks. This is because of their faith in what he tells them about himself.
“and I know them” — He repeats what he already said: “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep” (Jn. 10: 14–15).
To “know” is a technical term in John’s Gospel meaning that one person has a special relationship with someone else, usually because of some mutual experience. Jesus has a special relationship with his sheep: they hear his voice and they follow him who loves them so much that he will die for them.
“and they follow me” — They imitate Jesus, doing what he does or has done.
“and I give them eternal life” — The sheep follow him to the pasture which is eternal life. He feeds them with his divine life. They follow him when they believe in him, that is, when they accept him and commit themselves to following him. “Whoever believes in him will have eternal life” (Jn. 3: 15).
John 17: 2–3 explains: Jesus “looked up to heaven and said, ‘Father, … you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent’”. As stated above to “know” means to have a special relationship with another person. We, the sheep, have a special relationship with God our Father when we accept that there is no other God in our lives but him and when we acknowledge that the Father sent Jesus for our salvation.
“and they shall never perish” — The sheep are secure because they have eternal life which cannot be taken from them by the devil or others. Of course they can discard it by themselves.
“and no one shall snatch them out of my hand” — He has already stated that “this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up at the last day” (Jn 6: 39). He will elaborate in the following verse that no one will snatch his sheep out of his hand because “no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand”.
29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
“My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all” — The Father is more powerful than all other forces even should they join together.
“and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” — Because the Father is the almighty, all–powerful God.
“I and the Father are one.” — Jesus repeats a theme from John’s Gospel (Jn. 1: 1, 14; 5: 19–38; 8: 16; 10: 17).
He does not say ‘I am the Father’ nor ‘I and the Father are one Person’. He makes it clear that they are distinct, that is two Persons, Father and Son in the flesh (Jn. 1: 1, 14). As they are “one” they cannot be diverse. This means that they are one in substance as far as their essence and nature is concerned.
One in substance is called “consubstantial”, which is the word used in the Nicene Creed at Mass each week, “consubstantial with the Father”. The creed explains this by saying that the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages, is God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God — which means that there is absolutely no diversity between the Father and the Son. They are the same substance, essence and nature.
Because they are one nature they are co–equal and one in power (and honour, love, life, operation, etc.). The previous verse stated that no one can snatch his sheep from the hand of the Father. Because Jesus has the power of the Father no one can snatch his sheep out of his hand either. They are also one in purpose, to give eternal life to everyone.
Jesus has now given the Jews the answer to their question, ‘Are you the Messiah?’ he says, ‘Yes, I am because of my relationship with my Father’.
The Jews understood what he meant and they showed their animosity in the following verses.
C, APPLICATION
“I and the Father are one” — The great scripture scholar, Fr. Raymond Brown, sums up the relationship in John’s Gospel between Father and Son. His list is as follows:
It is the will of the Son who prays to the Father “that they [people] may be one, even as we are one” (Jn 17: 11). This is God’s desire, that we be one with God and with one another.
Shepherd and Sheep — Four terms are used to describe the special relationship between Shepherd and Sheep, between Jesus and his followers. They “hear” his voice and “follow” him. He “knows” them and “gives them eternal life”. It follows from this that they shall “never perish” nor will any power on earth or above the earth be capable of snatching them out of his hand.
To “hear” in this context means more than being aware that his voice is in the background. It means attentive hearing which is based on the trust the sheep have in the shepherd. He is their leader, their authority who loves them, cares for them, protects them and provides for them.
It is because they recognise his voice that the sheep “follow” him (Jn. 10: 4). Simon Peter put this very well when at the end of the discourse on the Blessed Eucharist Jesus asked his disciples if they wished to leave him because of what he had taught. Peter replied, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God” (Jn. 6: 68–69).
Peter declares the disciples’ special relationship with Jesus whom he knows to be “the Holy One of God”. Whatever Jesus says or teaches must be true because of whom he is.
Because of this also they will never perish nor be separated from Jesus. Even though they did not stand by Jesus in his passion and death, nothing bad happened to the disciples; Jesus protected them. He remained the shepherd of the scattered sheep. When they were in danger of being arrested he told his captors, “‘Let these men go’. This was to fulfil the word that he had spoken, ‘I did not lose a single one of those whom you gave me’” (Jn. 18: 8–9). We may on occasions be tempted to be condemnatory of them but not Jesus who understood them and their weaknesses. It was Jesus who made them his. They were important in his eyes, a lesson that also applies to us, thank God.
Jesus “knows” us. What a relationship he has with us — he created the world for us; he redeemed us when our first parents sinned by coming into the world for our salvation. He has made us one with him and has prayed that we continue to be one with him (Jn. 17: 22). He has ascended to heaven to prepare a place for us. He has given us “eternal life” both now and in its fullness in heaven in the future. He searches for us when we need him and when we stray and he does not give up until he finds us. He allows us be in constant contact with him through prayer, the sacraments, the liturgy, the sacred scriptures, the poor and marginalised, our families and many and much more. We may not be aware of his voice speaking but he does speak to us through the people and events we encounter in daily life. We have to improve our listening. What all of this teaches is that Jesus has a special and personal relationship with us. What a pity if we think that our relationship is merely a matter of obeying rules and regulations.
We are accustomed to seeing sheep with the marks of their owners clearly manifest. This Gospel passage tells us that Jesus’ mark of ownership on us his sheep is our “hearing” and “obeying”.