KJV: As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
YLT: according as the Father doth know me, and I know the Father, and my life I lay down for the sheep,
Darby: as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.
ASV: even as the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.
γινώσκει | knows |
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: γινώσκω Sense: to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel. |
|
με | Me |
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 1st Person Singular Root: ἐγώ Sense: I, me, my. |
|
Πατὴρ | Father |
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular Root: προπάτωρ Sense: generator or male ancestor. |
|
κἀγὼ | I also |
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Nominative 1st Person Singular Root: κἀγώ Sense: and I. |
|
γινώσκω | know |
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular Root: γινώσκω Sense: to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel. |
|
Πατέρα | Father |
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular Root: προπάτωρ Sense: generator or male ancestor. |
|
ψυχήν | life |
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular Root: ψυχή Sense: breath. |
|
μου | of Me |
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Singular Root: ἐγώ Sense: I, me, my. |
|
τίθημι | I lay down |
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular Root: τίθημι Sense: to set, put, place. |
|
προβάτων | sheep |
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Plural Root: προβάτιον Sense: any four footed, tame animal accustomed to graze, small cattle (opp. to large cattle, horses, etc.), most commonly a sheep or a goat. |
Greek Commentary for John 10:15
Hence he is qualified to reveal the Father (John 1:18). The comparison of the mutually reciprocal knowledge between the Father and the Son illustrates what he has just said, though it stands above all else (Matthew 11:27; Luke 10:22; John 17:21-26). We cannot claim such perfect knowledge of the Good Shepherd as exists between the Father and the Son and yet the real sheep do know the Shepherd‘s voice and do love to follow his leadership here and now in spite of thieves, robbers, wolves, hirelings. And I lay down my life for the sheep This he had said in John 10:11, but he repeats it now for clearness. This he does not just as an example for the sheep and for under-shepherds, but primarily to save the sheep from the wolves, the thieves and robbers. [source]
Connect these words with the previous sentence: mine own know me, even as the Father knoweth me, etc. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 10:15
Points to the following οτι hoti clause. The Father‘s love for the Son is drawn out (John 3:16) by the voluntary offering of the Son for the sin of the world (Romans 5:8). Hence the greater exaltation (Philemon 2:9). Jesus does for us what any good shepherd does (John 10:11) as he has already said (John 10:15). The value of the atoning death of Christ lies in the fact that he is the Son of God, the Son of Man, free of sin, and that he makes the offering voluntarily (Hebrews 9:14). That I may take it again Purpose clause with ινα hina and second aorist active subjunctive of λαμβανω lambanō He looked beyond his death on the Cross to the resurrection. “The purpose of the Passion was not merely to exhibit his unselfish love; it was in order that He might resume His life, now enriched with quickening power as never before” (Bernard). The Father raised Jesus from the dead (Acts 2:32). There is spontaneity in the surrender to death and in the taking life back again (Dods). [source]
Jesus has often spoken of the Father‘s sending him using both αποστελλω apostellō and πεμπω pempō Here he employs both words in practically the same sense. Jesus still bears the Commission of the Father (perfect active indicative). For this balanced contention (as so) see John 6:57; John 10:15. This is the first of the three commissions given by the Risen Christ (another on the mountain in Galilee (Matthew 28:16-20; 1 Corinthians 15:6), another on the Mount of Olives (Luke 24:44-51; Acts 1:3-11). [source]
To know God is to know him as the one, true God as distinguished from false gods; to know his will, his holiness, his hatred of sin, and his saving intent toward mankind. Two words are used of such knowledge, εἰδέναι and γινώσκειν . Both are applied to the heathen and to Christians, and both are used of the Jews' knowledge of God. Ἑιδέναι , of heathen, Galatians 4:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:5; 2 Thessalonians 1:8. Γινώσκειν of heathen, Romans 1:21; 1 Corinthians 1:21. Ἑιδέναι , of Christ and Christians, John 7:29, John 8:19, John 8:55; John 14:7. Γινώσκειν of Christ and Christians, Galatians 4:9; 1 John 2:13, 1 John 2:14; 1 John 4:6, 1 John 4:7, 1 John 4:8; John 10:15; John 17:3. In John, γινώσκειν of Jews who do not know the Father, John 16:3; John 8:55: εἰδέναι , John 7:28; John 8:19; John 15:21. The two are combined, John 1:26; John 7:27; John 8:55; 2 Corinthians 5:16. A distinction is asserted between γινώσκειν as knowledge grounded in personal experience, apprehension of external impressions - and εἰδέμαι purely mental perception in contrast with conjecture or knowledge derived from others. There are doubtless passages which bear out this distinction (see on John 2:24), but it is impossible to carry it rigidly through the N.T. In the two classes, - those who know not God and those who obey not the gospel, - it is not probable that Paul has in mind a distinction between Jews and Gentiles. The Jews were not ignorant of God, yet they are described by John as not knowing him. The Gentiles are described by Paul as knowing God, but as refusing to glorify him as God (Romans 1:21). Paul rather describes here the subjects of God's judgment as one class, but under different aspects. [source]
“The thing called love” (D. Smith).He for us (εκεινος υπερ ημων ekeinos huper hēmōn). Εκεινος Ekeinos as in 1 John 2:6; 1 John 3:3, 1 John 3:5, υπερ huper here alone in this Epistle, though common in John‘s Gospel (John 10:11, John 10:15; John 11:50, etc.) and in 3 John 1:7.Laid down his life First aorist active indicative of τιτημι tithēmi the very idiom used by Jesus of himself in John 10:11, John 10:17.We ought (ημεις οπειλομεν hēmeis opheilomen). Emphatic ημεις hēmeis again. For οπειλω opheilō see 1 John 2:6. Of course our laying down our lives for the brethren has no atoning value in our cases as in that of Christ, but is a supreme proof of one‘s love (John 13:37.; John 15:13), as often happens. [source]
Εκεινος Ekeinos as in 1 John 2:6; 1 John 3:3, 1 John 3:5, υπερ huper here alone in this Epistle, though common in John‘s Gospel (John 10:11, John 10:15; John 11:50, etc.) and in 3 John 1:7. [source]
See on Mark 12:30; see on Luke 1:46. The soul ( ψυχή ) is the principle of individuality, the seat of personal impressions. It has a side in contact with both the material and the spiritual element of humanity, and is thus the mediating organ between body and spirit. Its meaning, therefore, constantly rises above life or the living individual, and takes color from its relation to either the emotional or the spiritual side of life, from the fact of its being the seat of the feelings, desires, affections, aversions, and the bearer and manifester of the divine life-principle ( πνεῦμα ). Consequently ψυχή is often used in our sense of heart (Luke 1:46; Luke 2:35; John 10:24; Acts 14:2); and the meanings of ψυχή souland πνεῦμα spiritoccasionally approach each other very closely. Compare John 12:27, and John 11:33; Matthew 11:29, and 1 Corinthians 16:18. Also both words in Luke 1:47. In this passage ψυχή soulexpresses the soul regarded as moral being designed for everlasting life. See Hebrews 6:19; Hebrews 10:39; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 2:11; 1 Peter 4:19. John commonly uses the word to denote the principle of the natural life. See John 10:11, John 10:15; John 13:37; John 15:13; 1 John 3:16; Revelation 8:9; Revelation 12:11; Revelation 16:3. [source]