The Good Shepherd

John 10:1-18

I. Interesting Observations about “The Fold”

A. Usually a courtyard surrounded by a stone wall. If it had a gate, there was a gatekeeper guarding the gate (v.3) who would know which shepherds had legitimate business there. Several families might use the same sheep pen.

B. Jesus gives a contrast between how to determine a shepherd from a “thief and robber.”

A thief and a robber enter by climbing up and a shepherd enters by the door. (v. 2-3).

A thief comes by deception. A robber comes by violence.

A shepherd comes by entering through the door.

C. There are three things we see about the Shepherd in the pen:

a. Sheep know his voice

b. Shepherds call them by name: There are other sheep in the pen, but Shepherds can identify their sheep

c. Sheep follow their shepherds: the reason sheep know their shepherd's voice is because there are other sheep and other shepherds and if you don’t know the right voice, you will end up following the wrong Shepherd

II. Interesting observations about “The Door.” (v. 7)

A. “The door” is a reference to the “doorkeeper.” This individual was called the “under-shepherd.”

B. The job of the doorkeeper was to keep out thieves, robbers, and predators looking for prey.

C. The doorkeeper could not fall asleep on the job. He had to be alert at all times, he had to be ready to lay down his life for the sheep because everybody who came to steal sheep didn’t come asking nicely.

D. Jesus uses this imagery to suggest the seriousness that he has about his sheep.

The reference to thieves and robbers is a characterization of the leaders of Israel who had been leading the Jews astray.

Ezekiel 34:1-10 tells Ezekial to prophesy against the shepherds of Israel who had been feeding themselves and not feeding the sheep of God.

He calls these false shepherds thieves and robbers and says that they only come to steal, kill, and destroy (v. 10).

III. Interesting Observation about “The Shepherd.”

A. The text says that in contrast to the thieves and robbers, “I came that they may have life, and have it more abundantly.” (v. 10).

B. Ezekiel 34:25-31 makes the concept of abundant life more clear.

The text says that he will eliminate harmful beasts from the land so that they can live in peace

The text says that he will make their dwelling place a blessing and shower down blessings

The text says that the field will yield its fruit and the earth will increase.

The text says that they will no longer be enslaved by their captors

The text says that they will no longer be prey to the nations

The text says that they will no longer be victims of famine

The text says that they will know that I am the Lord their God

“I am the good Shepherd...”

I lay down my life (v. 11)

The father knows me (authority; v. 15)

I have other sheep that I’ll bring into the fold; one flock- one shepherd (Isaiah 56:8 “The Lord God, who gathers the dispersed of Israel, declares, “Yet others I will gather to them, to those already gathered.” )