John 10 - The Joy of Jesus' Presence!
The Good Shepherd and His Sheep
10 “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.
A shepherd was a key figure in Jesus' culture. Like fishermen, they were hardworking and took their jobs very seriously. Everyone would have known the difference between a good shepherd and a bad shepherd. Jesus will use this metaphor to distinguish shepherds of the flock and those who watch over God's flock, Israel's shepherds. In this case, the Pharisees were the shepherds over God's flock. Their job was to protect God's flock, by teaching them to obey the laws of Moses. God had promised if they obeyed his commandments they would always prosper. If they didn't all bets were off.
Importantly the sheep will recognize the voice of the good shepherd. The good shepherd goes out ahead of the sheep and they follow him. They are loyal and never stray or are fooled by an imposter.
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.[a] 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.
Jesus now reveals that he is the gate for the sheep. Whoever enters the sheep pen through him will be saved and protected from the wolves in sheep's clothing. These sheep will not only be saved from the thief, but they will also enjoy their life in the green pastures by the still waters. (see Psalm 23)
The false shepherds, who we now realize are the Pharisees, didn't really care about the sheep. They only cared for themselves. By abdicating their leadership, they in effect were stealing, killing and destroying the sheep. The good shepherd, came to give them life and life abundantly. He gave them the life they always wanted.
John 10:10b is a life verse for me. Why? Because a lot of people think following Jesus will take away their life. To some extent I believed that, but fortunately for me God led me back to the truth that Jesus is the good shepherd. Jesus knew me better than I knew myself, and he knew what I truly needed. As went back to following Jesus, he opened up opportunities for me to experience the life I had always wanted, and the life God wanted for me. This included calling me to be a shepherd for his sheep.
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.
Jesus then describes why he is the good shepherd. Most importantly a good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. He is willing to sacrifice his life to save theirs. It would not be too long after Jesus said this that he would go to the cross and literally lay down his life for the sheep.
The hired hand is just in it for the money. He is just in it for himself. Unfortunately there are some leaders in the church like this. They are more interested in putting forth an agenda for their own interest to gain power. The false shepherds have done a lot of damage to God's flock, the Church, over the years. But you know a good shepherd when you see one. Most importantly is his sacrificial love 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?”
Once again Jesus calls himself the good shepherd. We might think this is prideful but Jesus now had a limited amount of time before he would go to the cross. All of Jesus' "I am" statements in the gospel of John show that he is truly man and truly God. Jesus also says he has, "other sheep that do not belong to this sheep pen". He is referring to the Gentiles here, as the Israelites were those in the sheep pen.
Jesus "lays down his life" for his sheep. He does it willingly. Jesus proved his love for us when he died on the cross. There is no greater love than a man lay down his life for his friends, especially when that man is the Son of God.
As usual, some believed in what he was saying and some did. Like he said, "The true sheep will recognize his voice." Some thought he was a lunati,c because he called himself the "good shepherd". Others just saw the miracle of the blind man being healed by Jesus. Why would a lunatic do that? It sounds like something a good shepherd would do.
Further Conflict Over Jesus’ Claims
22 Then came the Festival of Dedication[b] at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all[c]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.” 31 Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” 33 “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”
This feast was also called Hannukah, which was a remembrance of the cleansing of the temple in the middle of the 2nd century B.C. after it had been desecrated by the king of Syria. (Guzik) Jesus was in the temple, but it was not clear or not whether he was teaching. The crowds ask Jesus if he is the Messiah.
Jesus tells them plainly that he is and the works He does testify to the fact He is God's Son. The reason they don't believe him is because they are not his sheep. If they were they would have listened to his voice and wouldn't have asked this question.
Jesus then says that no one can take his sheep out of his hand. This is an argument that one can't "lose their salvation". Once we are Jesus', we are his forever. Jesus will be our good shepherd in this life, and we will dwell in his house forever.
As Psalm 16:11, "You have shown me the path of righteousness and in your presence is the fullness of joy."
Then Jesus says something very radical. He says, "I and the Father are one!". He has already made several statements stating that He is not only human but God as well, but this is a direct claim to divinity. If anyone were to say that Jesus never said he wasn't God, they obviously have not read this verse. We know he claimed this because immediately the Jews (mostly like led by the Pharisees and other Jewish leaders) picked up stones to stone him for blasphemy according to the Law of Moses.
34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”’[d]? 35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? 37 Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” 39 Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp. 40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, 41 and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true.” 42 And in that place many believed in Jesus.
Jesus pointed out that even in the Mosaic law talked about how the Father would send his anointed one to the earth. How could they accuse him of blasphemy if indeed he was the Messiah, God sent into the world to save it from sin. Jesus said in effect if you don't believe in me at least believe in the works I have done which show I am from the Father.
Jesus had done all he could do to draw them to him, but at this point he knew it was time I was time to leave. Jesus went back across the Jordan and many believed in him there.
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