Resurrection in John: a Commentary on John 10:17

Introduction

The Gospel of John has been call the "Gospel of Life".  This is clear from the stated purpose of the Gospel itself: "But these things have been written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that [through] believing, you may have life in his name" (20:31).  By "life" (zoe) here John means eternal life.  "Eternal life" (aionios zoe) occurs 17 times in the Gospel (3:15, 16, 36; 4:14, 36; 5:24, 39; 6:27, 40, 47, 54, 68; 10:28; 12:25, 50; 17:2, 3).  However, even without the modifier "eternal", "life" for John means eternal life; zoe occurs 19 times in the Gospel (1:4 [x2]; 3:36; 5:24, 26 [x2], 29, 40; 6:33, 35, 48, 51, 53, 63; 8:12; 10:10; 11:25; 14:6; 20:31).  This can be proven by context and by John's use of "life = psyche" when discussing normal life (10:11, 15, 17; 12:25 [x2]; 13:37, 38; 15:13).

I want to argue the importance of the resurrection of Jesus for John by looking at one verse (10:17):

Therefore, the Father loves me because I lay down my life that again I may take it.

10:17 and Context

One of the key words in 10:17 is the word "that" (hina).  Jesus lays down his life in order to take it back again.  in other words, the reason Jesus dies is in order to resurrect.  I would think that this is a bold statement for most evangelicals.  It is interesting to see how 10:17b is translated:

• NIV: --only to take it up again
• King James: that I might take it again
• NAS: so that I may take it again
• NRSV: in order to take it up again

To my ears anyway, the NIV seems the weakest, eventhough it logically makes sense.  The word "only" logically makes "take it up again" a necessary condition for the "laying down of life".  However, the double dash seems to needlessly separate the two phrases and their logical connection.  Be that as it may, a good argument from context can be made for the more purposive reading.

 John goes on (10:18):

No one takes it from me but I lay it down of my own accord.  I have the authority to lay it down and I have the authority to receive it again.  This command I received from the Father.

Jesus' death and resurrection are both commanded by the Father.  God's commandment is related to his will and earlier we were told (6:38-40):

for I have come down from heaven not to do my will but the will of him who sent me.  And 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 on the last day.  This indeed is the will of my Father that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day.

What is missing here is the link between Jesus' resurrection and its necessity for the resurrection of Christians.  However, the Gospel make this clear (14:19b): because I live, you also will live.  See also 11:25 (I am the resurrection and the life) and 14:6 (I am the way, the truth and the life).  In 3:14-15 (one of three "lifted up" passages, along with 8:28 and 12:32-34) we read:

and as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so it is necessary for the Son of Man to be lifted up, that (hina) everyone believing in him may have eternal life.

The content of "lifted up" surely includes the cross because of a) the comparison with the serpent on the pole (Num. 21:9) and b) the kind of death Jesus was to die in one of the other "lifted up" passages (12:33).  However, the "lifting up" ought to also include the resurrection and ascension:

•  8:28 When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will have realized that I AM
• 12:32 When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men to myself.

The realities envisioned here would not likely have been the case at the crucifixion alone; see R. Brown (vol. 1, p. 146).

This brings us to one final point.  In 10:16 we are told of "other sheep" (Gentiles?).  In 12:20-23, there are hints that the Greeks will come only when Jesus is glorified (resurrection etc.) and that a grain of wheat if it dies will bear much fruit (12:24).  Clearly, Jesus' resurrection is to have "cash value".

Theological Upshot

The resurrection in John is huge.  It is perhaps not a coincidence that in all three of the main predictions of the death and resurrection of the Son of Man in the synoptic gospels we have lessons on discipleship.  Also in John, the saying about the grain of wheat dying is followed by a saying of discipleship (12:25):

Those who love their life will lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

The reason that this radical life is possible is because of the resurrection.  Jesus has conquered death!  Amen.