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I. THE APPROPRIATENESS OF THE SIMILE.

1. To Israelites. From the beginning they had been shepherds; hence all along God had been calling Himself their Shepherd.

2. To Christians. The gathered force of all that psalmists sang and prophets spoke has come down to the "little flock."

II. THE ANALOGIES SUGGESTED BY THE SIMILE.

1. The shepherd is the rightful owner of the fold, and treats his fleck in an honest way. He enters by the door, is recognized as the master, and has no semblance of the thief, etc.

2. The shepherd is the true pastor of the sheep. He admits responsibility for the care he has assumed. A hireling would flee, a robber steal and kill, but the good shepherd has thoughtful and affectionate care for the whole flock.

3. Between the pastor and the flock there is the relation of individual acquaintance.

III. THE APPLICATION OF THE SIMILE.

1. Christ as a Saviour sustains an individual relationship to every soul He saves, Each needs the atonement and the work of the Spirit precisely as each needs the entire sunshine and atmosphere in order to see and breathe.

2. Christ as a leader is acquainted with every Christian personally. He knows if he is absent from the communion table, and looks at him when he imagines himself out of sight as to love or duty.

3. Christ as a model expects each believer to be wholly conformed to His likeness. It is not to be supposed that one Christian is to exhibit gentleness and another force, etc.

4. Christ as a master is specially direct in laying His commands on every individual He chooses. He knows the one He wants and calls him by name — Samuel, Zacchaeus, Mary, Simon, Saul.

5. Christ as a comforter deals with each believer as His personal friend (Isaiah 43:1-2).

6. Christ as a judge will close His last account with each individually and alone (Matthew 25).

(C. S. Robinson, D. D.)

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KJV: 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.

WEB: "Most certainly, I tell you, one who doesn't enter by the door into the sheep fold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.