Gospel of John- Chap. 10, Pt.1

Gospel according to John, Chapter 10:  Read &/or listen from the Bible.

1/ Jesus the TRUE Shepherd                – Jn 10:1-6
2/ Jesus the GOOD Shepherd             – Jn 10:7-21
3/  The Shepherd Knows His Sheep  – Jn 10:22-29
4/ Renew Efforts to Stone Jesus         – Jn 10:30-39
5/ The Believers Beyond the Jordan- Jn 10:40-42

1/ Jesus the TRUE Shepherd   – Jn 10:1-6

“Truly, truly I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, is a thief and a robber. ² But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. ³ To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name, and he leads them out. ⁴ When he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them. And the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. ⁵ Yet they will never follow a stranger, but will run away from him. For they do not know the voice of strangers.” ⁶ Jesus told them this parable, but they did not understand what He was telling them.

Jesus is describing a sheepfold, a place where the sheep are protected while the shepherd rests or is away. In ancient times most of the sheepfolds where public, some still exist today. And at night all the shepherds who lived in that town, would bring their sheep into the fold, to spend the night there. They would hand over the sheep to the gatekeeper (representing the Holy Spirit) in the fold, who took care of them, and then they went home for the night. The next morning, the shepherds identified themselves to the gatekeeper, who allowed them to enter the door to call their sheep.  The sheepfold here represents the nation of Israel. Jesus was presenting His credential as their Messiah, the true shepherd who came according with their law (Gal.4:4) & the prophecies of the Old Testament (Mi. 5:2, Lk.1:32, etc). Jesus also told them in Vs. 25 “The works that I do in My Father’s name bear witness of Me.”

Jesus is the True Shepherd, His sheep know His voice, His teachings, His Word & believe Him. Who is the stranger or the thief ? Satan & all the false teachers that work for him. Jesus followers should run away from them, vs.5.

¹³ For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. ¹⁵ Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. 2 Cor. 11:13-15

2/ Jesus the GOOD Shepherd  – Jn 10:7-21

Then Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. ⁸ All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. ⁹ I am the door. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief does not come, except to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. ¹² But he who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and runs away. So the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. ¹³ The hired hand runs away because he is a hired hand and does not care about the sheep.

¹⁴ “I am the good shepherd. I know My sheep and am known by My own. ¹⁵ Even as the Father knows Me, so I know the Father. And I lay down My life for the sheep. ¹⁶ I have other sheep who are not of this fold. I must also bring them, and they will hear My voice. There will be one flock and one shepherd. ¹⁷ Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I received this command from My Father.”

¹⁹ Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings. ²⁰ Many of them said, “He has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to Him?” ²¹ Others said, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

Jesus is the Good Shepherd that laid down His life for the sheep, feeds them with His Word & watches over them. Jesus was talking in this passage to the Jews, & the other sheep He mentioned was referring to the gentiles that would also hear His voice.

3/  The Shepherd Knows His Sheep  – Jn 10:22-29

²² The Feast of the Dedication was at Jerusalem, and it was winter. ²³ Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s Porch. ²⁴ Then the Jews surrounded Him, saying, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

²⁵ Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you did not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name bear witness of Me. ²⁶ But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. ²⁷ My sheep hear (G191: to give ear to a teaching or a teacher) My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life. They shall never perish, nor shall anyone snatch them from My hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them from My Father’s hand. ”

This is very important to understand, we are His sheep when we believe His words & as a consequence we follow Him, on the other side the inability to hear/believe Him shows that they are not of His sheep & they will follow strangers.

Please read more about God’s Voice, & about the Good Shepherd, in the study of Psalm 23.