John 10:1-21 NOW I See It!

It’s pretty easy to see how the people became confused by Jesus’ words here.  For us, this very Middle-Eastern imagery is even tougher to fathom, but my commentary really fleshed it out.

First, it said to keep in mind that “this sermon grew out of our Lord’s confrontation with the Jewish leaders, following the excommunication of the beggar.”  The man born blind who was healed on the Sabbath was kicked out of Judaism.

The sheepfold was usually a large rock-walled enclosure where one or more flocks of sheep were kept during the night.  A porter slept in the gateway to keep the sheep in.  In the morning, the shepherd would come and call out to his flock and only his sheep would come at the sound of his voice and follow him out to pasture. 

It continued:  “Jesus made it clear that the fold is the nation of Israel (v. 16).  The Gentiles are the other sheep not of the fold of Israel.”

Jesus describes Himself as the Door.  “He is the Door of the sheepfold and makes it possible for the sheep to leave the fold (the religion of Judaism) and to enter His flock.  The Pharisees threw the beggar out of the synagogue, but Jesus led him out of Judaism and into the flock of God!  But the Shepherd does not stop with leading the sheep out; He also leads them in.  They become a part of the ‘one flock’ (not ‘fold’), which is His church.”

Jesus then contrasted Himself as the Good Shepherd with the hireling shepherd (the Pharisees) who was only concerned about himself and not his sheep.  As the Good Shepherd, He died for the sheep, He knows His sheep, He brings other sheep into the flock, and He takes up His life again (resurrection) after giving His life for His sheep.

This explanation certainly helped me to understand His words at the first of this chapter.

Father, thank You for caring enough for Your sheep to not simply lead us, but also to help us know You and Your Son better.  In these verses, Jesus says, “And My sheep know Me, as I know the Father.”  That’s what I continue to want to do, Father – to know You more.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford