John 10:1-18 - The Shepherd
“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. But he who enters by the door is a
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. When he puts
forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they
know his voice. A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him,
because they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure of speech Jesus
spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had
been saying to them.
So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”
The Door
Many often assume that the door is actually quite wide, and would never be locked. Many assume that anyone can walk through this door, being who they are, without any need to change. But alas, this is not only quite far from the Truth which Christ spoke, but also ignores many logical facts.
Further in John, Christ states "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me" (14:6). Thus, this is a very specific example. In Matthew 19, when the rich young ruler came to Him, Christ was quite clear in the narrowness of this Door.
And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” Then he *said to Him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER; YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY; YOU SHALL NOT STEAL; YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS; HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER; and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property. - Matthew 19:16-22.
Both of these not only clarify that Christ is the only door to Salvation, but that He is a very narrow door. This also defeats the idea that there are multiple ways to Him. Christ has only ever mentioned the one way to Him, and that is to follow Him. And this is not done in full by keeping the laws, nor is it by the daily works of "good". This young man was clearly a "good guy" by the world's standards. He kept the laws, and was now wondering how to get eternal life (obviously there was doubt here in him). Though, once Christ challenged him to give away everything he had and follow Him, the man went away weeping. He didn't even give it a chance. As soon as he realized that it would cost him his belongings (of which he had many (vs. 22)), he wasn't willing to go forward with it. In fact, he never denied that this was the way to eternal life. Yet, he was willing to give up eternal life for the sake of his possessions. Thus, there is only one way to eternal life, and few are willing to give up what they have to go through this gate.
The Good Shepherd
The bad shepherd (of the "hired hand") characterizes so many people these days. Many will claim that they are Christian, yet as soon as any sort of trouble arises from this claim, they run off. They have no care for the Truth, much less anyone else who believes in it.
The good Shepherd, on the other hand, is willing to die for His sheep. Nowhere do we find that the sheep ever care about Him, but rather, He was concerned for us. So many people take an arrogant stance on this. They think that these sheep are worth dying for. That they deserved it. That, in a sense, God needed a friend, and we were His friend, until that mean Satan came and tricked us, so He had to come and save us. What a stupid idea, to put it bluntly. Yet, this is how so many look at things, one way or another. Whether or not it will admit this, the modern "church" is saying this in all of its lies. But alas, thankfully this is not the case at all. Christ came to die for the ungodly (Rom. 5:6), not the good. We were not His friends, but His enemies (Rom. 5:8).
Now, as soon as it says that He knew His sheep, people get scared. This is why people twist these passages as they do. Because, if they take it at face value, they are forced to the anti-humanistic reality of the Sovereignty of God. They will do anything to avoid the reality that God has in fact predetermined all His own before the world was made. Many people hop, skip and jump over passages like Romans 8:30. "This cannot possibly mean that God chose those who would believe in Him!" they say. Yet, this passage goes perfectly with what Christ is saying here in John. His sheep don't know Him because they just somehow do. They know Him because He not only knew us, but chose us. He chose whom He would save before the earth was made. Along with Romans 8:30, people also skip over Ephesians 1:4. After all, neither of these could mean what they say. But alas, they do. And they are perfectly in line with what Christ is saying here. He chose those who are His. But when anything comes between man and his "free will", suddenly, the Bible is wrong. Thus is the modern church.
So, does this then imply that all are His sheep? Of course not. Read verses 25 through 38. They make it quite clear that not all His sheep. Yet, so many skip over those as well, claiming that "God so loved the world", which means everyone is saved. But my, how they must ignore so much of the Bible. Read the rest of John 3:16. Not only does it make it quite clear that only those who believe in Him are saved, but that those who don't believe in Him already have their judgement set. This is yet another one of those pesky predetermination texts that people must look over. Not only does God choose who will be His, but also those who won't be His. In fact, they already have their judgement set and ready for them. "But what cruelty would this be?" But alas, what mercy it is. As I have said before, it's not "How could a loving God condemn people", but rather, "How could a loving God not condemn the whole world to eternal hell?" What is it that we have done? Who sinned against Him? Who blasphemed His name? Mocked Him? Hated Him? Nailed Christ to the cross? So, when the question pops up, "How could a loving God _________ <- insert stupid idea here", the first thing that comes to mind is "On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God?" (Yes, I do love using Rom. 9:20 whenever I can).
So, the Bible makes it quite clear that God has chosen whom He will save, and whom He will condemn.
The Shepherd Lays Down His Life?
Christ makes it quite clear that only the true Shepherd has given His life. Many might claim that this is Christ doing this, not God. Yet, Christ is God. Look over at verse 30. "I and the Father are one." In fact, once again, verses 25 through 30 make this very clear as well. Christ is God, thus, the Shepherd has in fact given His life. Yet, how can God die? Thus is His point in verse 18. And once again, what other "god" can do this? Nay, what other "god" has done this? What other "god" loves those who hated it? Many have to kill those who deny their little "gods". What other "god" has given its life for those who hated it? The "gods" of this world need men to give their lives. And what other "god" has beaten death itself? What other "god" has faced death itself and conquered it. Only God can lay down His life, and only God can take it back up. What else can compare? What else can even come close to comparison?
So, not only can God give up His life for His sheep, but He did do it. And only He can take His life back up again. And if our lives rest in His hands, what can we fear? Death? Christ has beaten death. Thus, as soon as we die, we are with Him.
The Reality
So, who would we rather have control over us? Ourselves? This is what those who claim to have "free will" are faced with. In their world, it's up to us to save ourselves. God has provided the way, but now it's up to us to complete the work. But then, when death is being faced, what can they run to? What hope have they? If our salvation rests in our faltering hands, what hope have we?
Yet, the true God of the Bible is the One whom death has lost to. Who the devil fears. Who is the only One that can save us, the wondering sheep, from sin.
Yet, so many people think that all you have to do to be saved is to believe that God is real. To do a few good things now and then, such as reading your Bible every day, helping someone else now and then and the like. Yet, this is a work-based religion. And those are always failures, because we are failures, in and of ourselves. Yet, Christ has completed the work. Thus, we are truly saved when we believe in Him, and when we truly do believe in Him, we follow the Truth. We are forced to do good works, or pray, or read the Bible, but rather, we get to. It is a privilege for us to get to do these things, not a chore. Thus we say to Him, "Here's my heart, O take it seal it, seal it for Thy courts above."
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written,
“FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG;
WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.”
But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.- Romans 8:28-39
So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”
The Door
Many often assume that the door is actually quite wide, and would never be locked. Many assume that anyone can walk through this door, being who they are, without any need to change. But alas, this is not only quite far from the Truth which Christ spoke, but also ignores many logical facts.
Further in John, Christ states "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me" (14:6). Thus, this is a very specific example. In Matthew 19, when the rich young ruler came to Him, Christ was quite clear in the narrowness of this Door.
And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” Then he *said to Him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER; YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY; YOU SHALL NOT STEAL; YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS; HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER; and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property. - Matthew 19:16-22.
Both of these not only clarify that Christ is the only door to Salvation, but that He is a very narrow door. This also defeats the idea that there are multiple ways to Him. Christ has only ever mentioned the one way to Him, and that is to follow Him. And this is not done in full by keeping the laws, nor is it by the daily works of "good". This young man was clearly a "good guy" by the world's standards. He kept the laws, and was now wondering how to get eternal life (obviously there was doubt here in him). Though, once Christ challenged him to give away everything he had and follow Him, the man went away weeping. He didn't even give it a chance. As soon as he realized that it would cost him his belongings (of which he had many (vs. 22)), he wasn't willing to go forward with it. In fact, he never denied that this was the way to eternal life. Yet, he was willing to give up eternal life for the sake of his possessions. Thus, there is only one way to eternal life, and few are willing to give up what they have to go through this gate.
The Good Shepherd
The bad shepherd (of the "hired hand") characterizes so many people these days. Many will claim that they are Christian, yet as soon as any sort of trouble arises from this claim, they run off. They have no care for the Truth, much less anyone else who believes in it.
The good Shepherd, on the other hand, is willing to die for His sheep. Nowhere do we find that the sheep ever care about Him, but rather, He was concerned for us. So many people take an arrogant stance on this. They think that these sheep are worth dying for. That they deserved it. That, in a sense, God needed a friend, and we were His friend, until that mean Satan came and tricked us, so He had to come and save us. What a stupid idea, to put it bluntly. Yet, this is how so many look at things, one way or another. Whether or not it will admit this, the modern "church" is saying this in all of its lies. But alas, thankfully this is not the case at all. Christ came to die for the ungodly (Rom. 5:6), not the good. We were not His friends, but His enemies (Rom. 5:8).
Now, as soon as it says that He knew His sheep, people get scared. This is why people twist these passages as they do. Because, if they take it at face value, they are forced to the anti-humanistic reality of the Sovereignty of God. They will do anything to avoid the reality that God has in fact predetermined all His own before the world was made. Many people hop, skip and jump over passages like Romans 8:30. "This cannot possibly mean that God chose those who would believe in Him!" they say. Yet, this passage goes perfectly with what Christ is saying here in John. His sheep don't know Him because they just somehow do. They know Him because He not only knew us, but chose us. He chose whom He would save before the earth was made. Along with Romans 8:30, people also skip over Ephesians 1:4. After all, neither of these could mean what they say. But alas, they do. And they are perfectly in line with what Christ is saying here. He chose those who are His. But when anything comes between man and his "free will", suddenly, the Bible is wrong. Thus is the modern church.
So, does this then imply that all are His sheep? Of course not. Read verses 25 through 38. They make it quite clear that not all His sheep. Yet, so many skip over those as well, claiming that "God so loved the world", which means everyone is saved. But my, how they must ignore so much of the Bible. Read the rest of John 3:16. Not only does it make it quite clear that only those who believe in Him are saved, but that those who don't believe in Him already have their judgement set. This is yet another one of those pesky predetermination texts that people must look over. Not only does God choose who will be His, but also those who won't be His. In fact, they already have their judgement set and ready for them. "But what cruelty would this be?" But alas, what mercy it is. As I have said before, it's not "How could a loving God condemn people", but rather, "How could a loving God not condemn the whole world to eternal hell?" What is it that we have done? Who sinned against Him? Who blasphemed His name? Mocked Him? Hated Him? Nailed Christ to the cross? So, when the question pops up, "How could a loving God _________ <- insert stupid idea here", the first thing that comes to mind is "On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God?" (Yes, I do love using Rom. 9:20 whenever I can).
So, the Bible makes it quite clear that God has chosen whom He will save, and whom He will condemn.
The Shepherd Lays Down His Life?
Christ makes it quite clear that only the true Shepherd has given His life. Many might claim that this is Christ doing this, not God. Yet, Christ is God. Look over at verse 30. "I and the Father are one." In fact, once again, verses 25 through 30 make this very clear as well. Christ is God, thus, the Shepherd has in fact given His life. Yet, how can God die? Thus is His point in verse 18. And once again, what other "god" can do this? Nay, what other "god" has done this? What other "god" loves those who hated it? Many have to kill those who deny their little "gods". What other "god" has given its life for those who hated it? The "gods" of this world need men to give their lives. And what other "god" has beaten death itself? What other "god" has faced death itself and conquered it. Only God can lay down His life, and only God can take it back up. What else can compare? What else can even come close to comparison?
So, not only can God give up His life for His sheep, but He did do it. And only He can take His life back up again. And if our lives rest in His hands, what can we fear? Death? Christ has beaten death. Thus, as soon as we die, we are with Him.
The Reality
So, who would we rather have control over us? Ourselves? This is what those who claim to have "free will" are faced with. In their world, it's up to us to save ourselves. God has provided the way, but now it's up to us to complete the work. But then, when death is being faced, what can they run to? What hope have they? If our salvation rests in our faltering hands, what hope have we?
Yet, the true God of the Bible is the One whom death has lost to. Who the devil fears. Who is the only One that can save us, the wondering sheep, from sin.
Yet, so many people think that all you have to do to be saved is to believe that God is real. To do a few good things now and then, such as reading your Bible every day, helping someone else now and then and the like. Yet, this is a work-based religion. And those are always failures, because we are failures, in and of ourselves. Yet, Christ has completed the work. Thus, we are truly saved when we believe in Him, and when we truly do believe in Him, we follow the Truth. We are forced to do good works, or pray, or read the Bible, but rather, we get to. It is a privilege for us to get to do these things, not a chore. Thus we say to Him, "Here's my heart, O take it seal it, seal it for Thy courts above."
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written,
“FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG;
WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.”
But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.- Romans 8:28-39
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