THE GOOD SHEPHERD
John 10: Jesus is telling the people that they must enter through the door (meaning Him), John 10:1, “I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber.” He who comes through the door becomes a member of God’s family. Just like the sheep that recognize their shepherd by his voice, so God’s people recognize Jesus. The people who follow Jesus do so because they believe in Him; “…his sheep follow him because they know his voice.” John 10:4. The crowd had difficulty understanding this analogy so Jesus explained the Door was Him, while others who try to sway the people are merely false teachers. He then said He would grant salvation to anyone who would believe in Him. He explained how He would lay down His life for His people, just as a good shepherd would do for his flock. Verse 14 is rather interesting when He says, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep (people) and my sheep know me---just as the Father knows me and I know the Father---and I lay down my life for the sheep.” Then He explains that He has other sheep (Gentiles), verse 16, and He would be offering salvation to them and they would become one family with one God. Jesus reiterates the love of His Father when He tells them that He has the power to lay down His life and raise it up again. The crowd’s reaction was mixed; some believed whiles others still refused.
Again as Jesus was walking in the Temple porch the Jews asked Him who He was. They asked Him to speak plainly. Jesus explained in verses 25-28: “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.”
They became so incensed at this statement that they tried to stone Him again, but couldn’t. He asked them what it was He did that caused them to want to stone Him? They accused Him of blasphemy, claiming to be God. Jesus reminded them of other representatives of God (Old Testament prophets referred to as gods), which was written in their law. And again Jesus pleads with them to believe what they see with their own eyes and again they refuse to believe and try to stone Him. He left there and went to where John was baptizing and many believed in Him there.
Meaning: In the first 18 verses we see that Jesus is the only way for salvation and there will be many false religions and teachers trying to deceive the people, and unfortunately those who do fall victim to false teaching will be lost forever. I believe that satan encourages the creation of the many false cults and religions we see today, as well as in those days. The Jewish nation, by and large, in those days was a prime example of people who thought they were worshipping the true God who were, in fact, not. Verses 17 and 18 foretell His crucifixion. Verses 22-27 are the result of a closed mind and hardened heart, i.e., they would never believe in Him. Verse 30 is a simple and plain statement that He and the Father are One; they are in perfect unity in their nature and actions. I just love it when Jesus uses their law to make the very point of what they are accusing Him.
What I intend to do about what I read in this chapter is to continue to believe and live in the comfort of knowing Jesus as my Savior, and to fully understand the nature and reason for false teachings and to be ready to tell the story of Jesus and His offer of salvation.
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