The Power of a Commandment

“As the Father knoweth Me, even so know I 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 shall hear My voice and there shall be one fold, and one Shepherd. Therefore doth my Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of My Father.” John 10:15-18 KJV

As I have been reading through the book of John recently, particularly chapter 10, I have come across some things that have stopped me in my tracks and have caused me to ponder just what it is that was being said. As I read the above passage, one of those moments happened. Let’s look…

In John 10, Jesus explains the differences between being a true and good Shepherd that cares for the sheep to the point of laying down His own life for them vs a hireling who ultimately abandons the sheep when trouble comes because he is only there for a paycheck. He further explains that He has come with an assignment from His Father and He essentially highlights the game plan.

What was of particular interest to me was the last two sentences that Jesus spoke concerning laying down His life: “I have the power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of My Father.” As I thought about that, it occurred to me that the power Jesus had to lay down His life and to raise it up again was in the commandment He had received. To further explain this, let’s look at the Greek meanings of some of these words:

“I have the power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.” – The word “power” here is the Greek word exousía and it means, “permission, authority, right, liberty, power to do something”. It is an Executive power, if you will. This is different from dúnamis, which refers to a strength and power, where we get the word “dynamite” from. Dúnamis is the power given by the Holy Spirit to do the work, where exousía is the authority to complete it. [CWSB]

“This commandment have I received of My Father.” – The word “commandment” here is the Greek word entolé and it means, “to charge, to commission”. [CWSB]

I believe what we see here is Jesus clearly stating that He had the authority to lay His life down and to raise it back up because He had received the commandment from His Father to do so. His Father was the Final Authority.

I think those of us that live in the Western world have a hard time understanding what it means to live in a Kingdom, where everything begins and ends with the King. Those that serve the King and are commissioned to complete a task in that King’s name are sent with the authority of that King to complete the task. There is no vote and no election. The King has total authority over His entire domain, including those who dwell there. When He gives an order, it must be carried out. Here, we see the same thing with Jesus. GOD, His Father, gave Him a specific assignment to complete, a command to reconcile the lost sheep back into the Kingdom fold. It could only be achieved by Him sacrificing His own life in place of ours. GOD gave Him the assignment and because of that, the authority to do so was given to Him. The authority was in the command.

In John 5, Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do: for what things soever He doth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth Him all things that Himself doth: and He will show Him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom He will. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgement unto the Son: That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not that Father which hath sent Him. Verily, Verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of GOD: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself; And hath given Him authority to execute judgement also, because He is the Son of man. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. I can of Mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and My judgement is just; because I seek not Mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent Me.”

After Jesus died and was resurrected as He said He would be, He met again with His disciples and said: “All power is given unto Me in Heaven and in Earth. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Matthew 28:16-20 KJV

Here again, we see that same Greek word for “power”, exousía. Something shifted here though. Jesus had finished the work the Father had sent Him to do. As a result, He had been given total authority in Heaven and on Earth. Now, He was issuing a command to His disciples to go and continue the work, in His name and with delegated authority He was giving to them, just as He had received from the Father.

Now, for our part… 2000 someodd years later… When GOD gives us a command to complete a task, within that command is also the authority to carry it out. We don’t have to wonder “if” or “how” – we just listen and do. Just as Jesus received direction and instruction from the Father, so likewise, are we to. The same Holy Ghost that led Jesus, leads us. The Bible says concerning the Holy Ghost, “He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come.” John 16:13 KJV.

We’ve been charged. Let’s get it done!

Image courtesy of Pisit Heng / Unsplash