Homilies on the Gospel of John — Homily 60

St. John Chrysostom

1. Chapter 1
2. Chapter 2
3. Chapter 3
4. Chapter 4
5. Chapter 5
6. Chapter 6

A great matter, beloved, a great matter it is to preside over a Church: a matter needing wisdom and courage as great as that of which Christ speaks, that a man should lay down his life for the sheep, and never leave them deserted or naked; that he should stand against the wolf nobly. For in this the shepherd differs from the hireling; the one always looks to his own safety, caring not for the sheep; the other always seeks that of the sheep, neglecting his own. Having therefore mentioned the marks of a shepherd, Christ has put two kinds of spoilers; one, the thief who kills and steals; the other, one who does not these things, but who when they are done does not give heed nor hinder them. By the first, pointing to Theudas and those like him; by the second, exposing the teachers of the Jews, who neither cared for nor thought about the sheep entrusted to them. On which account Ezekiel of old rebuked them, and said, Woe, ye shepherds of Israel! Do the shepherds feed themselves? Do not the shepherds feed the sheep? [[Ezekiel 34.2]], Septuagint But they did the contrary, which is the worst kind of wickedness, and the cause of all the rest. Wherefore It says, They have not turned back the strayed, nor sought the lost, nor bound up the broken, nor healed the sick, because they fed themselves and not the sheep. [[Ezekiel 34.4]] As Paul also has declared in another passage, saying, For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ 's [[Philippians 2.21]]; and again, Let no man seek his own, but every man his neighbor's. [[1 Corinthians 10.24]] From both Christ distinguishes Himself; from those who came to spoil, by saying, I have come that they might have life, and that they might have more abundantly [[John 10.10]]; and from those who cared not for the sheep being carried away by wolves, by never deserting them, but even laying down His life for them, that the sheep might not perish. For when they desired to kill Him, He neither altered His teaching, nor betrayed those who believed on Him, but stood firm, and chose to die. Wherefore He continually said, I am the good Shepherd. Then because His words appeared to be unsupported by testimony, (for though the, I lay down My life, was not long after proved, yet the, that they might have life, and that they might have more abundantly, was to come to pass after their departure hence in the life to come,) what does He? He proves one from the other; by giving His mortal life (He proves) that He gives life immortal. As Paul also says, If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more being reconciled we shall be saved. [[Romans 5.10]] And again in another place, He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? [[Romans 8.32]]

But wherefore do they not now bring against Him the charge which they did before, when they said, You bear witness of yourself, your witness is not true? [[John 8.13]] Beca