The Door and Good Shepherd
Notes
Transcript
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.
Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.
I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.
The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.
I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.
As the Father knows Me, even so I know 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 will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
“Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.
No one takes 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 command I have received from My Father.”
Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings.
And many of them said, “He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?”
Others said, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
Intro:
Intro:
AG: shepherds and Sheep
In the Bible the picture of the shepherd with his sheep is frequently used to refer to the king and his people.
N. T. Wright
TS: In John 10, Jesus uses that metaphor to illustrate His relationship with disciples.
The metaphor (10:1–6)
The metaphor (10:1–6)
MacArthur Study Bible NASB Commentary
The sheep were kept in a pen, which had a gate through which the sheep entered and left. The shepherd engaged a “doorkeeper” (v. 3) or “hired hand” (v. 12) as an undershepherd to guard the gate. The shepherd entered through that gate. He whose interest was stealing or wounding the sheep would choose another way to attempt entrance.
Jesus illustrates his mission on earth by describing two different ways to enter a sheepfold.
1. The wrong way, climbing over a wall (10:1):
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
This is the method of thieves and robbers.
There are many who attempt to find another way to eternal life
They make it up for themselves
They add to Faith things of their own imagination.
sometimes it has a scriptural reference (often out of context)
sometimes it is completely made up
Marriage as a sacrament, Last rites, etc.
Ultimately, they don’;t have good intentions
2. The right way, entering through the gate (10:2–6):
But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.
This is the method of a true shepherd.
Unlike Western shepherds who drive the sheep, often using a sheep dog, the shepherds of the Near East, both now and in Jesus’ day, lead their flocks, their voice calling them on.
D. A. Carson
The Eastern shepherd often has an individual call for each of his sheep, and it is this that is in mind here. The sheep know their shepherd and recognize15 the call he gives his own.
Leon Morris
He guards the entrance
from outside threats
He keeps out what shouldn’t be there
In this illustration, that would be the unsaved
From wandering sheep
Keeps us from drifting out
Sadly, v6 says they didn’t understand Him
AP: We are the sheep
He saves us
He protects us
He leads us
In 7-18 He explains the meaning
The meaning (10:7–18)
The meaning (10:7–18)
He explains his illustration by giving the characteristics of three kinds of individuals.
1. Characteristics of the Good Shepherd (10:7, 9, 10b–11, 14–18):
Here he describes himself.
a. His relationship with the sheep (10:7, 9, 10b–11, 14–18)
(1) He is the entrance to their salvation (10:7).
Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
Jesus is the only legitimate way to salvation
If you came to visit me, you have 2 legitimate paths to enter my home. (Front door and back door). The front door is rarely used, so my friends, come to the back door!
If you try crawling through a window, there is something very off!
For Heaven and eternal life, there is but 1 door, JESUS
Scripture is consistently clear on this point.
Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,
(2) He allows them to go in and out, and find green pasture (10:9).
I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
We receive eternal life from Him
He leads us
In another very well known reference to His shepherding us:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
He provides all we need.
(3) He gives them life in all its fullness (10:10b).
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
Jesus
Gives abundant life
Life to the fullest it can be lived
IN Jesus, we find meaning and purpose
Bringing him glory.
(4) He lays down his own life for them (10:11).
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
(5) He knows his sheep and they know him (10:14).
I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.
b. His relationship with the Father (10:15–18)
(1) He knows his Father, and the Father knows him (10:15–16).
As the Father knows Me, even so I know 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 will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
(2) He is loved by His Father (10:17).
“Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.
(3) He is given power by the Father to lay down his life and take it up again (10:18).
No one takes 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 command I have received from My Father.”
Jesus again discusses His death and resurrection
Lay down His life for the sheep
all who will be saved
Take it again
resurrection- Himself and His sheep
2. Characteristics of thieves and robbers (10:8, 10a):
All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.
As His followers, we reject false teachers
Calls for discernment on our part
Be like the Bereans.
When we hear new things, listen, and then search the Scriptures.
If it aligns with God’s Word, learn something
It not, then reject it.
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
Their purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy!
The sheep don’t recognize them and will scatter and descend into chaos.
3. Characteristics of a hired hand (10:12–13)
a. He forsakes the sheep in time of danger (10:12).
But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.
Often the night guard at the fold was hired help
b. He cares nothing for the sheep (10:13).
The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.
they didn’t value the sheep and wouldn’t stand to defend them.
They place their own safety above the sheep
Spiritual thieves
false teachers
In if for the fame and fortune
Don’t care for their flock, they feed off the flock.
The mixed views (10:19–21)
The mixed views (10:19–21)
There is much confusion concerning Jesus after he speaks these words.
1. Some say he is insane (10:19, 20b).
Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings.
And many of them said, “He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?”
They question His sanity
2. Some say he is demon-possessed (10:20a).
And many of them said, “He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?”
Claiming all He has done and says is demonic
3. Some question whether he would be able to heal if he were in fact demon-possessed (10:21).
Others said, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
They are seeing the signs He performs and assume He must be good.
Perhaps they were saved (we aren’t told the conlcusion here)
Conclusion
Conclusion
Jesus taught us about Himself through these contrasts
Entering by door vs. attempting to sneak in
Shepherd vs. Hireling
He:
I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.