Jesus: The Great I AM - The Gate

As we have seen, Jesus said in John 8:58: “before Abraham was, I Am.”

So, in John 8:58 we have the foundation for the rest of the 7 “I AM” statements in the Gospel of John.

Actually, I found another “I Am” statement in John 4 — it ruins the “spiritual perfection” of seven

In the Bible, numbers have significance and are sometimes symbolic of something more

Bullinger, E. W. says (Ethelbert! I’d go by E.W. too!):

Seven is the great number of spiritual perfection. A number which, therefore, occupies so large a place in the [Bible with ], and especially in the Word of God as being inspired by the Holy Spirit.

He says: As a number the actual word and number “SEVEN” is used as no other number is. Seven and its compounds occur in multiples of seven in the Old Testament.

Seven occurs 287 times, or 7x41.

There is more, but my message tonight is not on numbers in the Bible.

Concerning the number 8, Bullinger tells us that…

it is a number of superabundance.

Whereas another writer on symbols and types in the scriptures, Kevin J. Conner, says 8 is the number of “new beginnings” being connected with the Jewish law of circumcision and naming

Luke 2:21 (LSB) And when eight days were fulfilled so that they could circumcise Him, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

In fact, Conner says that the numerical value of Jesus is 888.

But let me get back to the subject at hand:

The “I Ams” of the Gospel of John

Which is 9 if you count the original John 8:58 passage

The 9 “I AM” statements of John’s gospel are:

“I am” (8:58)

2. “I am the bread of life” (6:35).

3. “I am the light of the world” (8:12; 9:5).

4. “I am the gate” (10:7, 9).

5. “I am the good shepherd” (10:11).

6. “I am the resurrection and the life” (11:25).

7. “I am the way and the truth and the life” (14:6).

8. “I am the true vine” (15:1).

9. “I am the Messiah” (4:26 NLT)

Let’s look at the 4th “I am” from John’s Gospel.

John 10:1-10 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. 2 “But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. 3 “To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 “When he brings all his own out, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 “A stranger they will never follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them. 7 So 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 hear 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 comes only to steal and k…”

Jesus - the door or gate of the sheep.

In this passage Jesus begins His teaching on His relationship to those who will follow Him.

He uses the image of a Shepherd with His sheep.

But He uses 2 different images here in John 10.

In verse 1-10 Jesus talks about How He is the door or gate of the sheep.

In verses 11-18, Jesus explains His role as the Good Shepherd.

Let’s look at the first metaphor Jesus employs - Jesus is the door or gate.

When I go to the Greek word used in this passage, the only difference between door and gate involves context.

Since Jesus is using the image of a sheepfold, it is best to understand the image of Him being a “Gate.”

But I will use the 2 words interchangeably.

In verse 7 and again in verse 9 Jesus says: I am the door of the sheep. 9 I am the door.

In verse 1, Jesus had spoken of the door into the sheepfold.

He reveals Himself as the Shepherd with legitimate access to the fold.

In verse 7 and 9 He declares that He too is the door of the sheepfold.

He remains the Shepherd, and He is also the only door or means of entrance into the fold.

Acts 4:12—Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

We need to understand what Jesus is speaking of here.

He was painting a mental picture that all who heard would comprehend.

He is not speaking of a door like the ones with which we are familiar.

In that day, sheep were kept in an enclosure of stone or branches formed into a wall.

An opening was left for an entrance, but there was no literal door hung on hinges.

The shepherd became the door or gate of the sheepfold as he lay in the narrow passage way.

He was literally their gate, their defense, and stay.

It is evident that in this verse Jesus establishes,

not merely His relation to shepherds — including the posers,

but His relation to all men,

represented as the sheep of His sheepfold, and in this relation He compares himself not with the teachers who had been in times past in Israel, but with the teachers of His own time.

This is evident from the use of the present tense in verse 8: “All that came before me are thieves and robbers.”

Of course, the application of this statement must be made in conformity with the context.

John the Baptist was not a thief or a robber; neither were Nicodemus, Simeon, and many other holy men of Israel.

Wherefore, it is evident that Jesus designated in that statement the general body of the scribes and Pharisees.

The people had no real confidence in these scribes and Pharisees.

The mercenary, dishonest spirit of the Pharisees was evident to all.

But they were the party in power, and they coerced the people into obedience.

The condition of the people is well explained by Matthew, 9:36: “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were distressed and scattered, as sheep not having a shepherd.”

There was nothing in the relations of the people to the Pharisees that corresponded to the relation of the sheep to the shepherd.

The Pharisees exercised a fierce tyranny over the people; and the people moved only in command, nothing in love.

Therefore Jesus declared that the sheep had not heard the thieves and robbers who usurped the place of shepherds.

The Resistance (vs.8)—All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

Others had come prior to Christ promising acceptance to God, but they were only thieves and robbers.

They sought to instill principles that required sums of money given, works performed, or rituals upheld.

These never bring reconciliation to God and only robbed people of their time, money, and peace.

Man has always sought another way to please God rather than through Christ.

They resist the notion that He is the ONLY way of forgiveness and eternal life.

Many people were and are deceived by the scribes and Pharisees (they still exist!),

but those who sought the Lord and were sensitive to His guidance did not fall victim to such false doctrine.

They embraced the truths of God's Word and recognized Jesus as the Christ.

We too are surrounded by many who claim a different way, but we have received truth in Christ.

The sheep of His fold will not heed the voice of strangers.

The sheep flee from a stranger, and follow their shepherd’s voice and that brute instinct is the proof of the true shepherd.

The sheep know who feeds them and protects them.

Thus in Christ’s Church there is a mystic bond between the faithful and the Good Shepherd, and their souls know his love of them.

The Gate Saves, Secures and Satisfies

This metaphor represents the life of Christian people under the care and providence of Christ.

Christ is the door, because through Him alone people enter into the supernatural world.

Those who enter the supernatural world by faith in Christ, will find the green pastures of grace, mercy, and life everlasting.

In perfect security they say with David:

Psalm 23:1-2 “Yahweh is my shepherd, I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.”

Jesus, the gate of the sheep, reveals the great abundance we enjoy through Him. Consider:

▶ Our Salvation—(Verse 9) by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved.

All who come to Him shall be saved.

He doesn't reveal a chance of salvation, but a certainty of salvation.

John 6:37 “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will never cast out.”

▶ Our Security—by me if anybody enters in, he or she will be saved, and shall go in and out.

We also have the glorious privilege of going in and out.

Implied is freedom to choose.

When we choose Jesus we choose state of salvation, and nothing can prevent this salvation unless that person voluntarily leaves that fold and enters no more through the Gate.

People cannot lose eternal life except by a perverse use of their will.

So, don't misunderstand the text.

Jesus is not referring to multiple salvation experiences.

The saved are eternally secure in Him.

This is referring to the liberty and assurance we have in Christ our Lord.

We no longer have to fear death or the storms of this life.

We have confidence we are going to make it through Christ.

2 Tim.1:12—“12 For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.”

This protection is absolute to the man or woman who trusts in the Lord.

It does not save from temporal sufferings, nor from persecution and temporal death; because these are agencies by which the saints are refined and prepared for Heaven.

But the Shepherd of Israel keeps his sheep safe from all real evil; and it is only when we stray away from the door of the sheepfold that the real evil can come upon us.

No external force can snatch them away from Jesus; but they can by the wrong election of the will choose death instead of life.

▶ Finally, the Gate leads to Our Satisfaction—

Vs. 9 "and find pasture.”

This is a concept that many in Jesus' day were familiar with.

The shepherd led the sheep to abundant pastures.

It has the idea of "plenty, not wanting or lacking the necessities of life."

It is good to be led of the Great Shepherd to His pastures green.

I have never found Him to be lacking in His care for me and I have never wanted while feasting upon His abundant supply.

The world has nothing to compare with the pastures of the Lord. I have nothing to look back or turn back for.

If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved

So, the summarize:

Life Application Commentary: [Jesus declares]“I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.”

Because Jesus was the genuine Messiah, the sheep could enter through Him to find…

salvation,

freedom (implicit in the statement will come in and go out ),

eternal life (14:6)

Security

Satisfaction

The sheep “find pasture” not as a result of their diligent searching, but through the gracious provision of the Shepherd.