People's New Testament Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 10:1 The Good Shepherd
SUMMARY OF JOHN 10: The Sheepfold. The Shepherd of the Sheep. The Hireling. The Feast of Dedication. The Jews Seek to Stone Jesus. He Teaches Beyond Jordan. He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold. The sheepfold is a figure of the church, the door into which is Christ. The sheepfolds of the East are large enclosures, open to the sky, but walled around with reeds or stones or brick in order to afford a protection against robbers, wolves, and other beasts of prey. There is a large door in which the shepherd enters with the sheep. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 10:2 He that entereth by the door. The one who comes in by the door is the shepherd. The figure is very plain to those familiar with Eastern sheepfolds. The door is for the shepherd and the sheep, while those who get in otherwise are robbers who seek to prey upon the sheep.
To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 10:3 To him the porter openeth. The gatekeeper whose business is to guard the entrance. This servant was furnished with arms to fight off intruders, but the shepherd he would let in. It is not certain that Christ intended to make the porter a figure of any spiritual thing, but if so, he would represent God, who has decided who shall enter through the door.
And the sheep hear his voice. This is true to the letter. The sheep in the East are so tame and so trained that they follow their keeper with the utmost docility. He leads them forth from the fold just where he pleases. The Eastern shepherds lead their sheep, while in our country we drive them. He calleth his own sheep by name. This corresponds exactly with the facts of Eastern shepherd life. They give names to sheep as we do to horses, cows, and dogs. Passing by a flock of sheep, says Mr. Hartley, I asked the shepherd to call one of his sheep. He instantly did so, and it left its pasturage and its companions, and ran to the shepherd with a promptitude and signs of pleasure that I never witnessed before. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 10:4,5 The sheep follow him: for they know his voice. Also literally true in the East as all travelers testify, but a
stranger they will not follow, because his voice is strange. So true is it that when a traveler has changed dress with the shepherd for an experiment, they still have followed the disguised shepherd's voice and refused to listen to the voice of a stranger in the garb of their own shepherd. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. 10:4,5 The sheep follow him: for they know his voice. Also literally true in the East as all travelers testify, but a
stranger they will not follow, because his voice is strange. So true is it that when a traveler has changed dress with the shepherd for an experiment, they still have followed the disguised shepherd's voice and refused to listen to the voice of a stranger in the garb of their own shepherd. This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. 10:6 This parable spoke Jesus to them. The Greek word paroimia rendered here parable is not so rendered elsewhere. It is rather a simile.
Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 10:7 I am the door of the sheep. Joh 10:1-5 speak of shepherds in general. These shepherds enter into the fold and go out by the same door as the sheep. Christ is that door; the door of the sheep, the one door for all, both sheep and shepherds. There is no other way in, for there is no other name, under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved (Ac 4:12).
All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 10:8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers. Abbott holds that the idea is All who came, not entering through the door, but claiming to be before me, having the precedence, independent of me, are thieves and robbers. This seems to harmonize with the context, and is probably the Savior's meaning. He included the Jewish rabbis, the Greek philosophers, the pretended prophets, and the Infallible Pope. These all refuse to bow to his authority.
But the sheep did not hear them. The true sheep. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10:9 By me if any man enter in, he shall be saved. Christ is at once the door, the shepherd and the pasture. His pasture is the bread of life (Joh 6:35,48) and the water of life (Joh 4:14).
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 10:10 The thief cometh not, but to steal. All those who enter otherwise than by the door wish to prey upon the flock.
I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 10:11 I am the good shepherd. This title, applied to Jehovah in Ps 23:1-6 Eze 34:12, Christ here applies to himself. The mark of the good shepherd is that he giveth his life for his sheep. In that unsettled country the shepherd had often to defend his flock.
But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 10:12 But he that is an hireling... leaveth the sheep, and fleeth. It is not the bare fact of a man receiving pay that makes him a hireling. The laborer is worthy of his hire (Lu 10:7). He is a hireling who would not work were it not for this hire, and who works where the hire is highest rather than were he can do the most good.
The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
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. 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold. Not Jews, of whom his followers then were, but Gentiles who would soon be called to him. These would hear his voice, enter through the door, into the same fold as the Jewish Christians, so that there would be one fold and one shepherd. There is only one Church and one door into it, and one Shepherd over it.
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. 10:18 I lay it down of myself. His life. He gave himself for man of his free will. He laid it down on the cross; he took it up when he rose from the dead. Abbott says of the lesson in Joh 10:1-18, I understand this lesson to be a parable with a double application. First, Christ compares the Pharisees to shepherds, himself to the door, and declares that those only are true shepherds who enter through the door; that is, through Christ and his authority. All others are thieves and robbers. Then he changes the application and declares himself the good shepherd whose praises David and Isaiah sung, and indicates the nature of the service that he will render unto his sheep by giving for them his life.
There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.
And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?
Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?
And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. 10:22 It was... the feast of dedication. Two months after the last incidents, which occurred at and shortly after the Feast of Tabernacles. The Feast of Dedication occurred in December, was not divinely appointed, but was instituted by Judas Maccabaeus in 164 B.C. to commemorate the purification of the temple after it had been defiled by the Syrians. Jesus took the occasion to teach the people that came together. There is no proof that he observed it.
And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. 10:23 Walked... in Solomon's porch. A long covered colonnade that was a part of the temple.
Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. 10:24 The Jews... said. The ruling class. They came, not for information, but to secure ground for accusation.
Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. 10:25 I told you, and ye believed not. See Joh 5:19 8:36,56,58 9:36.
But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. 10:26 Ye believe not, because ye are not my sheep. Not from lack of proof, but from a lack within themselves. If, as his sheep, they would follow (hear and obey), they would recognize him.
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 10:28 I give unto them eternal life. To his sheep. Eternal life means not eternal existence, but eternal bliss. God hath made the soul deathless, but it may exist in banishment from heaven.
My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 10:29 No man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. The sheep who hear his voice and follow him (Joh 10:27). This is the condition of their safety. If they comply with it God's grace will save them from the adversary.
I and my Father are one. 10:30,31 I and my Father are one. Are so united that the Father is pledged to keep the sheep of the Son. These words the Jews held to be blasphemy, and sought to stone him. Compare 8:52.
Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 10:30,31 I and my Father are one. Are so united that the Father is pledged to keep the sheep of the Son. These words the Jews held to be blasphemy, and sought to stone him. Compare 8:52.
Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 10:30,31 I and my Father are one. Are so united that the Father is pledged to keep the sheep of the Son. These words the Jews held to be blasphemy, and sought to stone him. Compare 8:52.
The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. 10:33 For blasphemy. Because he said he and the Father were one (Joh 10:30).
Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? 10:34 Is it not written in your law. In Ps 82:6.
I said, Ye are gods? It was there addressed to judges. Christ's argument is: If your law calls judges gods, why should I be held guilty of blasphemy for saying that I am the Son of God? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? 10:36 Whom the Father hath sanctified. Set apart.
If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.
But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand, 10:39 Therefore they sought again to take him. A few moments before they would have stoned him by mob violence (Joh 10:31), but when they had cooled somewhat they sought to arrest him.
And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode. 10:40 And went away again beyond Jordan. He had been nearly three months in Jerusalem, a very stormy ministry. Twice efforts were made to mob him (Joh 8:59 10:31); twice, to arrest him (Joh 7:32,45 10:39). His time would not come yet for three months, till the next passover, and he retired from the storm for a season. In the other gospels there are recorded a number of the incidents of his ministry beyond the Jordan.
And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true.
And many believed on him there. The People's New Testament by B.W. Johnson [1891] Bible Hub |
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