The Sixteenth Lord’s Day

16 The Sixteenth Lord’s Day
John 10:17-18
Therefore the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it up again. None takes it from me; but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. This commandment I received from my Father.
Christ in these words expounds what he had said before about the duty, effect, and sign of a good Shepherd: that he lays down his life for his sheep. This he had applied to himself, John 10:15, where two things were propounded: 1. The Object to which laying down his life refers — or, which are those sheep of Christ? This is explained in John 10:15-16.
1 And 2. The manner of laying down his life. First, the death of Christ, or laying down his soul or life, is explicated from the efficient cause, which is Christ himself, I lay down my life. Secondly, from the manner of laying it down, Christ is a voluntary cause, doing it from counsel and deliberation, not coaction: None takes it from me, but I lay it down. Thirdly, from the adjunct of this efficiency; he did not do it from weakness, but from power: I have authority to lay it down. This is shown from another effect that follows from this: from his resuming it again — his resurrection — I have authority to take it up again. It is as if he said, he that so lays down his life, that he takes it up again with power, does not lay it down out of coaction and with weakness, but he does it voluntarily of his own accord: but I so lay down my life. This is illustrated here from the impulsive cause, the Father’s commandment: This commandment I received from my Father. And fourthly, from its end and effect, which is the Father’s love and delight, or his complacency2 in this: Therefore my Father loves me, because, etc.
Doctrine 1. Christ so far humbled himself for us, that he underwent death itself for us.
I lay down my life , etc. Now he underwent a double death for us: a spiritual and a bodily death. The spiritual is about Christ’s descent into Hell.3 This consisted in the separation of God’s favour from the soul of Christ for a time, not really, but as to sense and feeling, and that influence from which comfort is usually felt; and also as to impressions of divine wrath, which with horror struck all the faculties of his soul. So that for the time the soul was at so low an ebb and concussion from all its happiness, as any creature could be that was without sin, formally inherent in itself. The death of the body is that which consists in the separation of the soul from the body; the confirmation and continuance was in the burial of Christ. Now such was the separation of the soul from the body in Christ’s death, that the conjunction and union of both of them with the divine person, remained the same that it was before. It was as if one drawing a sword, held the scabbard in the one hand, and the sword in the other; there would be a separation between the scabbard and the sword, but neither of them would be separated from the man who so held them. So also
1 John 10:15-16 “As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
2 The modern connotation of complacency is indifference. But here it means God is satisfied with Himself.
3 This is taken from a late addition to the Apostles Creed. The phrase was not included in the Marcelli Ancyrani (a Greek version of the creed, A.D. 340), nor the Latin versions of the creed (cf. Romana, from the 3d or 4th century). It was not until later that this line and others appeared. Philip Schaff writes, “The translation ‘descended into hell’ is unfortunate and misleading. We do not know whether Christ was in hell; but we do know from his own lips that he was in paradise between his death and resurrection (Luke 23:43). The term Hades is much more comprehensive than Hell (Gehenna), which is confined to the state and place of the lost.”
in this mystery, there is a separation of the soul from the body, but neither of them was separated from the divine nature or person, but the person still sustained both in the unity of itself, as one person with him. The reason is because if there had been any such separation from the divine person, then the second person would have ceased to be God-man, and so he could not for that time have been our Priest or Mediator. Also, a new incarnation or assumption would have been made again in the resurrection of Christ. Therefore, what is in the mouths of many divines is most true, and used almost proverbially, That what the Son of God assumed, he never laid aside again.
Reason 1 . Because the perfection and consummation of humiliation is in undergoing death, Php_2:8.1 And this also was the first reason why he did not only undergo death, but the most vile, contemptible, and contumelious 2 death; that is, the death of the cross, as it is more especially set down in that passage.
Reason 2 . Because his charge of redeeming us required this: that he should pay that price to divine justice which we owed, and so be subject to the same punishment that we were liable to. And this was also the reason why he chose the death of the Cross, that he might show that he did not merely sustain death, but that cursed death that was due us, and did it in our place, or for us, Galatians 3:13.3
Reason 3. That by the most convenient way, he might procure the death of sin in us by assimilation, and by making us conform to himself, Romans 6:1-23, Romans 7:1-25, Romans 8:1-4
Use 1 . Of Information: for directing our faith, that while we seek remission of our sins, and reconciliation, and salvation in God, we so have our faith in Christ that we may be specially united to him in his sufferings, blood-shedding, and death, Romans 3:25.5
Use 2 . Of Consolation: to all those who have such true faith, because they are out of all risk of death or condemnation, according to the Apostle, Romans 8:34.6
Use 3. Of Direction: 1. In the study of Sanctification, that with Christ we may die to sin. 2. In the study of all obedience, love, and humility, according to the example of Christ, in whom all the perfections of these virtues shine marvelously to us in a most eminent and excellent way.
1 Php_2:8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
2 Arrogantly insolent – stubbornly opposed to God’s rule (Parable of the Evil Tenants, Matthew 21:33-41). 
3 Galatians 3:13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree “).
4 Romans 6:1-8 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of Hisresurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.
5 Romans 3:24-26 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed 6 Romans 8:34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
Doctrine 2. Christ ordained his own death, from certain wise deliberation and power, to dispose of it as he pleased.
I have power to lay down my life . From these words it appears first, that the death of Christ was voluntary. It was also violent, coming from external agents, and it was against Christ’s internal natural inclinations; and it was also in some way natural, as it was wrought by external causes that naturally produced such an effect. And yet it was voluntary, not only as to the willing disposition and choice of it whereby Christ set himself to suffer it; but also as he suspended his own power to hinder and avert death, and so he gave both the way and the power to the enemies inflicting it. In this respect, his death may also be called miraculous, or wonderful, because he that was dying ordered his own death, and willingly allowed it. So that by doing he suffered, and by suffering he acted, and he had his own action in it all. Without this, he could not have suffered by any creature whatsoever.
Reason 1 . Because it was fitting for the one who was God to die in this way. For since the human nature subsisted in the same person with the divine nature, nothing could befall the human nature either in doing or suffering, except as the divine willed and ordained it.
Reason 2 . Because otherwise in his death Christ would not have been together Priest, Sacrifice, and Altar. For though it is the part of a Sacrifice to be passive, and to be offered up to the Father, yet it is the part of the Priest — by being active about it, and ordering the whole — to offer up the Sacrifice.
Use 1 . Of Information: for arming our faith against temptations and scandals which used to arise from this, in that Christ, in whom we believe as our God, was subject to death. For Christ died not of weakness and coaction, but by certain resolve, and of his own proper will and power; so that the divine nature and power of Christ did not appear only in his resurrection, but if the thing is rightly considered, his death also had as great a hand and was as evident.
Use 2 . Of Direction: for our preparation to undergo death in whatever way God would have it come to pass. For from these two things that were in Christ — that he both willingly underwent death, and then also ordered it himself — the first of these lies upon us all out of duty, that we be ready to die at such time, and in such manner, as God is pleased we should. The other, though it cannot be performed by us because we do not have the power to lay down our lives and order our deaths, yet by faith and a holy desire for our comfort, we ought to seek this from God and look for it: that in Christ, who ordered his own death for us, he would order our death for our salvation, and for his own glory.
Doctrine 3. Christ underwent this death by his Father’s command.
It is in the Text, This command I received from my Father. And this command was not any part of the law of nature, nor of the moral, ceremonial, or judicial law. Rather, it was a unique condition of the mediatory office that was laid upon Christ by the Father, and of his own free consent. It was therefore a command to the Messiah alone, as he was our Mediator. 
Reason 1. Because as by the disobedience of the first Adam, sin and death entered into the world, so by the obedience of the second Adam, righteousness and salvation should be brought to us. And as the disobedience of Adam was the breach of the command given to him, so also the obedience of Christ was to be in the keeping of that command given to him with his office of mediatorship, or whereby the office itself was also imposed on him.
Reason 2. Because in Christ we were to have such an example of obedience as was most perfect in keeping the commandments of God.
Use 1 . Of Refutation: against the superstition and presumption of popish Monks, who have devised a kind of perfection in obedience of councils, beside and beyond that which stands in keeping the commandments of God. Yet Christ himself who has given us the whole portrait and pattern of perfect obedience, confesses that he went no further than to obey what the Father commanded him.
Use 2. Of Admonition: that we may set ourselves to follow Christ in this point, that even to death itself, we may cling fast to the commandments of God. 
Doctrine 4. God the Father loves Christ for this obedience.
This is in the Text, therefore the Father loves me; that is, he is delighted with this obedience, and so delighted that he commends it to be looked at by every Christian, and all those who are Christ’s.
Reason 1. Because by Christ’s death, God was most glorified by Christ, John 12:28, John 17:4.1
Reason 2 . Because by that death of Christ the counsel of God was fulfilled whereby he had from eternity appointed in himself to communicate his grace and glorious good will to men, Ephesians 1:5-7, Ephesians 1:9.2
Use 1 . Of Refutation: against those who usually conclude from such phrases by which God is said to love men for this, and not for that — that such men’s works were the first causes of God’s love. For Christ was the Son of God, beloved by him from all eternity; and yet the Father is said to have loved Christ also for his obedience.3
Use 2. Of Consolation: to all those who are in Christ by faith. For as the Father loves Christ, so will he also love those who are in Christ. 
Use 3. Of Exhortation: that with all cheerfulness we stir ourselves up to obey God, because God loves those who obey him. 
1 John 12:27-28 “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.” John 17:4 “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.
2 Ephesians 1:5-9 “having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace, which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself...
3 That is, God loved Christ before his works were ever performed; God likewise loves His own from eternity. And yet, as Use 3 implies, God loves those who obey him; but they obey him because he first loved them (1 John 4:19).