seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
John 10:1 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.
7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
19 The Jews who heard these words were again divided. 20 Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?”
21 But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
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Here's the link to the commentary I read.
Most assuredly, I say to you: This follows — at least thematically — in John’s gospel after the great conflict with the religious leaders regarding the man born blind. The religious leaders had shown themselves to be so unhelpful and cruel to the man, his parents, and the common people in general that Jesus felt it necessary to talk about the contrast between His heart and work as a leader to God’s people and the heart and work of many of the religious leaders of His day.
He who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other say, the same is a thief and a robber: Political and spiritual leaders were often called shepherds in the ancient world (Isaiah 56:11, Jeremiah 3:15). Jesus explained that not everyone among the sheep is a true shepherd; some are like thieves and robbers. One mark of their being a thief and a robber is how they gain entry among the sheep.
He who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep: A true shepherd comes in the legitimate and designed way: through love, calling, care, and sacrificial service.
To him the doorkeeper opens: In the spiritual picture Jesus spoke of, the door for the sheep pen had a doorkeeper — one who watched who came in and who went out. The doorkeeper knows the true shepherd and appropriately grants him access.
In towns of that time, sheep from many flocks were kept for the night in a common sheepfold, overseen by one doorkeeper who regulated which shepherds brought and took which sheep.
He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out: The shepherd calls the sheep by name, showing that the shepherd has a personal connection with the sheep. The shepherd leads them, providing direction and leadership — without driving the sheep.
For they know his voice: In the common sheepfolds of ancient times, the shepherd merely gave his distinctive call and his sheep came out from the others, following him out of the sheepfold. Sheep are experts at discerning their shepherd’s voice.
I am the door of the sheep: Jesus used another picture from sheep farming in His time. Out in the pasturelands for sheep, pens were made with only one entrance. The door for those sheep pens was the shepherd himself. He laid his body across the entrance, to keep the sheep in and to keep out the wolves. The shepherd was in fact the door.
“Primarily uttered for the excommunicated man, these words conveyed the assurance that instead of being outcast by his attachment to Jesus he had gained admittance to the fellowship of God and all good men.” (Dods)
All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers: Thief implies deception and trickery; robber implies violence and destruction. These take away life but Jesus gives life and He gives it abundantly. These are the con men and muggers of the spiritual world.
Alford sees the all who have come before basically to be those religious leaders who were actually tools in Satan’s hand — as Jesus told some of these religious leaders that their father was actually the devil. “Because the Pharisees are blind leaders, they are also bogus shepherds, and come under the category of those designated in John 10:8 thieves and robbers.” (Tasker)
But the sheep did not hear them: Jesus seems to say that His sheep are evident because they will not hear (follow after) the voice of the thieves and robbers who come after the sheep.
I have come that they may have life, and they may have it more abundantly: Jesus said this to contrast His shepherd-like care with unfaithful and illegitimate leaders. They come to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. Jesus comes to bring life to His people.
I am the good shepherd: Jesus said it so plainly there could be no mistake what He meant. He fulfills the ideal of shepherd-like care for the people of God as illustrated in the Old Testament and in that culture.
The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep: The bad shepherd (a hireling) will not defend the sheep and thinks the flock exists for his benefit, but the good shepherd lives and dies for the good of the sheep.
Other sheep I have which are not of this fold: These other sheep are Gentile believers, not of the fold of Israel. Jesus said that He must bring these sheep also, who would also hear His voice.
There will be one flock: A fold of sheep is a part of the flock in its own structure or enclosure. A shepherd might separate the sheep into different groups to care for them better. There is one flock and one shepherd; but Jesus calls His sheep from more than one fold (group or structure of people).
Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings: Once again, Jesus is shown as the dividing line of humanity. Humanity divides between accepting or rejecting Jesus.
He has a demon and is mad: Jesus made such radical claims about Himself that people divided over Him. Some believe He was who He said He was. Others believed that anyone who claimed to be God as Jesus claimed must either have a demon or be mad.
These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind? Miraculous works like opening the eyes of the blind can be a valid testimony, but only in concert with faithfulness to the word of God. These people were right in looking at both the works and the words of Jesus.
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I almost skipped this part of John's Gospel. I opened up my Online Bible this morning and read "The Good Shepherd" and I thought "Blah, Blah, Blah".
Preachers have taught these verses to death. They've been longwinded and flowery. They've pounded the pew and talked about all kinds of unfriendly thoughts. "Blah, Blah, Blah". Judging by the length of the commentary, this posting is no better than any "Blah, Blah, Blah" I've heard. So, I might as well just get right to it.
The people were divided. We learned that in the last chapter. Some of the people were of the opinion that Jesus was a Bastard that was pretending to be the Messiah. Some were just as sure that Jesus is indeed the Messiah Himself.
The Pharisees and the Sadducees were even hinting that Jesus wasn't even a real Jew because no one knew who His Father was. His bloodline was incomplete. They were threatening to stone Mary to death for having premarital sex.
Jesus was explaining how His people could be "sure" they were backing the right guy.
The Israelites had been sheep herders forever. They knew sheep like we know our pet puppies or kittens.
Think about it. If your puppy was playing in a dog park with a bunch of other puppies, and you called your puppy's name, wouldn't it look up, find you, and come running?
Well, that's what Jesus was talking about when He says His Sheep [followers] are familiar with Him. Jesus calls, we perk up, and get ready to run to Him.
Then Jesus went on to say He would give His life for His Sheep [followers]. What would you do if you were at the dog park and a stranger snuck in and was about to hurt your puppy? Jesus said He will fight for us. Jesus said He would fight that stranger to the death for us.
Jesus is not a draft dodger. He will stand up for His people and He will do whatever it takes to make sure we are safe. He will not run when the wolves come to the gate. He'll fight the wolves bare fisted if necessary.
So, it's not a "Blah, Blah, Blah" set of verses. Jesus knows there are a lot of people, sculpted by God Himself, who will never notice that Jesus is calling. They were never going to be followers of Jesus. They could have received a hand engraved invitation to a dinner at God's Table and they would have turned it down for a burger at McDonalds.
The non-believers are like the "other guy's sheep". When Jesus calls, they'll hear Him but they will tune Him out. They are waiting for "their master" to call. They are waiting for the Anti-Christ [ the opposite of Jesus], the other guy. When the Anti-Christ [the opposite of Jesus] calls, they will follow him because his voice has become familiar.
Jesus isn't here for the humans who won't believe. He still calls them, hoping they will change their minds.
Jesus knows humans have "free will" and they can decide to come to Him at the last second on the last breath. He will accept them too.
This is not a "Blah, Blah, Blah" for the Believers.
It's a promise, not a "Blah, Blah, Blah"!
