John 10:17 Meaning and Explanation
“Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →The Father loves the Son for the laying down of his life — a laying down with the taking up again already in view.
What Does John 10:17 Mean?
Jesus draws back the curtain on the cross as heaven sees it. What will look from the ground like defeat is, between Father and Son, a deed of obedience cherished and honored: "therefore doth my Father love me." And the sentence does not end at death; the life is laid down in order to be taken again.
The cross and the empty tomb are one act with two movements, embraced in love before either came to pass. Jesus does not stumble toward Calvary; he walks there with Easter already in his eye. For the believer this transforms every surrender: what is laid down into the Father's keeping is never simply lost. Dying and rising stand at the center of the love between Father and Son, and the sheep are folded into it.
Frequently Asked Questions About John 10:17
What does John 10:17 mean?
The Father loves the Son for the laying down of his life — a laying down with the taking up again already in view.