For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.
10:1 “Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
- Calling the sheep "by name" (v.3) does not mean that shepherds had individual names for each sheep.
- Rather, each shepherd used a different call.
- When flocks were commingled, they were separated once as the sheep followed the call of their shepherd.
- Concerning hearing God's voice (v.4), how do I distinguish what I know through scripture from what I sense God may be trying to tell me through life situations?
- Do I believe he could be leading me through objective sensations?
- (For more on this, click here or here.)
- In regard to verse 6, "figure of speech" (paroimia) is translated parabolé in the LXX. The two are functionally equivalent.
- Since the crowd did not understand the illustration (v.6), Jesus tries a more explicit approach (v.7ff).
7 So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
- "All who came before me" (v.8) refers not to the legitimate O.T. prophets, or to John the Baptist, but to the mercenary priests of the present hierarchical system and the Pharisees (see Matthew 23:13; Luke 11:52).
- It would also have applied, at the time John was published, to false Messiahs within Judaism, pagan saviors or redeemer gods within the various Greco-Roman and oriental cults, and even heretical teachers who had left the church. Yet it most directly -- and obviously -- applies to the leaders (Pharisees) in John 9. Remember, there were no chapter numbers originally; these sections are connected.
- Jesus offers abundant life (v.10). This refers not to material prosperity (alone), but to spiritual well-being (which may or may not entail material advantages).
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep.
- When Jesus claims to be the Good Shepherd, he:
- Utilizes a common biblical metaphor. For example, Psalm 23 says, "The Lord is my Shepherd."
- Underscores the importance of his personal relationship with the sheep.
- Identifies himself with the divine Messiah and son of David of Ezekiel 34. For more on the Messianic prophecy of Ezekiel 34 alluded to in this chapter, click here. See also Zechariah 13:7-9; Isaiah 40:11; and Psalms 28 and 80.
- Compares himself with the Jewish leaders, whom he clearly considers mercenary in their approach to shepherding. In Ezekiel 34 God himself rebukes the selfish shepherds of Israel, who had neglected the sheep.
- Recall also the shepherd passages of the Synoptic Gospels, especially Luke 15:1-7 and Matthew 18:12-14.
- The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep (v.11).
- While it may be doubtful a shepherd would really risk his life for one sheep, it is certain that the Lord put himself at risk for each one of us.
- 1 John 3:16, though using similar language to that in verse 11, refers to putting others first, more than to literally dying for them.
16 I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”
- With respect to verse 16, see also 3:16; 6:51; 12:20,24,31-32. The Good Shepherd dies for all, not just for the Jews. The church was to include Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians, one flock.
- No one takes Jesus' life from him (v.18).
- He is not saying that he was not truly to be executed, but that this would not have happened apart from his will.
- It was all a matter of divine timing and the will of the Father.
19 Again the Jews were divided because of these words. 20 Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is out of his mind. Why listen to him?” 21 Others were saying, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
- Once again, the people are divided in their reactions to Jesus (vv.19-21).
- Some said he was insane. For even disagreeing with the party line, Jesus us insane by definition. This reminds me of the old Soviet Union. Dissidents would be sent off to the gulag. (Anyone crazy enough to reject the superior thinking of Lenin and Stalin must be insane, and thus must be committed into psychiatric care!)
- Some said he was possessed by a demon.
- Others pointed out the bad logic of such positions, citing the miraculous healing of chapter 9.
22 At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. 24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; 26 but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. 30 The Father and I are one.”
- The setting of the this passage is the Feast of Dedication, or Hanukkah (v.22).
- Its origins lie in the so-called Intertestamental Period (c.400 BC-AD 30).
- It is found in the O.T. Apocryphal book of 1 Maccabees 4:59. (For the full text of this book, click here.)
- Ironically, since the Jewish Bible no longer contains 1-2 Maccabees, the only scriptural mention of this important Jewish holiday is in John 10 -- in the New Testament!
- Unlike the Feast of Tabernacles, this one could be celebrated at home.
- Jesus is walking under the cover of Solomon's Colonnade, which offered protection from the common winter rains (v.23). Of course this was not strictly speaking Solomon's colonnade (v.23), since the first Solomon's temple had been razed by the Babylonians in 587/586 BC.
- The crowd demands a direct answer from Jesus (v.24): Is he the Christ, or not? Jesus replies that the answer has already been given (v,25), but they didn't like the response (v.26).
- The reason: they lack faith; they aren't part of the flock.
- Unlike these false believers, true followers can rest assured in God's grace (v.28-29). See also the end of Romans 8.
- Jesus does not say that it is impossible to lose one's salvation, despite the common teaching of "Once saved, always saved." For more, click here.
- Jesus does not claim to be identical with the Father (v.30). They are one in action (the neuter hen), not one in person (which would have been the masculine heis). Recall that they differ in rank (order), not nature.
- Then Jesus adds that he and the father are one (v.30). That is, since he is one with the Father, and no one can thwart God's purposes, nobody can take disciples away from Jesus.
- This is a clear claim to divinity, as shown by the crowd's reaction in v.31ff. Jesus will also defend his divinity in v.34ff.
- In the Trinity, Jesus shares the same nature with the Father, but not the same rank, since the Father is greater than the Son (eternally).
31 The Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus replied, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone me?” 33 The Jews answered, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you, but for blasphemy, because you, though only a human being, are making yourself God.” 34 Jesus answered, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods’? 35 If those to whom the word of God came were called ‘gods’—and the scripture cannot be annulled— 36 can you say that the one whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world is blaspheming because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? 37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me. 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 39 Then they tried to arrest him again, but he escaped from their hands.
- In verses 34-36 Jesus refers to Psalm 82:6, where certain prominent Israelites are called "gods."
- Since Jesus comes directly from the Father and obeys his will, it is a fortiori even more appropriate for him to be recognized as God's Son.
- For more on this, click here.
- Note that Jesus refers to the Psalms as "Law" (v.34).
- Sometimes in the Bible the word Law refers to Torah (the first five O.T. books, or Pentateuch).
- Other times, like here, it refers to the entire O.T.
- Moreover, even if they were disinclined to believe him, honest minds should be led by the evidence to see the divine origin of Christ (v.38).
- Still the crowd is unable to catch him (v.39). He eludes them because it is not yet his time.
40 He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing earlier, and he remained there. 41 Many came to him, and they were saying, “John performed no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” 42 And many believed in him there.
- Jesus returns to the (former) territory of John the Baptist (v.40), where he initially directed his disciples to Jesus (1:28-34). We've come full circle.
- He is positively received by those acquainted with John's ministry.
- It is evident that John was truly preparing the way for the ministry of Christ. Jesus was in no way "sheep stealing" from the Baptist.
- In verse 41 John's former followers admit that he had never performed a miracle.
- And yet according to Luke 1:15, in some sense he was "Spirit-filled" from birth.
- Thus it follows that being filled with the Spirit does not necessarily involve miraculous abilities or experiences.
- Many come to faith in Christ (v.42).
In the next chapter (11) we'll read of one of Jesus' most dramatic signs: the raising of Lazarus from the dead -- also the seventh of the seven signs in John.
Things to think about
- In the last few chapters many have difficulties recognizing Jesus. This recognition may be analyzed:
- John 5-6 -- motivation -- people are improperly motivated.
- John 7-8 -- cognition -- people are unable to think.
- John 8-9 -- vision -- they are unable to see.
- John 10 -- audition -- they are unable to hear.
- Do I recognize the voice of our Shepherd? How well do I know his Word?
- Am I experiencing "life to the full" (the abundant life of verse 10)? Is anything missing?
- If I am a leader, why do I lead? If I am a church staff member, do I have the heart of a true shepherd, or is there anything of the mercenary in me?
- Do I appreciate the grace of God
- No external power can force me to leave God.
- Do I realize that I am the only one who can spoil the priceless gift of God in Christ?