The Good Shepherd, Part 2

For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth...Eph 5:9

The Good Shepherd, Part 2

The Door, v.7-10

In verse 7 of John 10, Jesus boldly declares, “I am the door of the sheep.” Here, Jesus demonstrates His relationship to the sheep in a very brief, yet descriptive manner. A door is used as a way of either permitting or prohibiting access. In the case of the sheepfold, one must go through the door, that being Jesus, in order to gain access to the flock. In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” On that great day of judgment, when the sheep are separated from the goats (Matt. 25:31-33), only those who have gone to the Father through faith and the authority of Jesus, on His terms, will find access to the sheepfold (Rom. 5:2).

Additionally, those who would try to access the fold on terms other than those given by Jesus will be prohibited from entering by the door. In Matthew 7:7, Jesus said, “Knock and it shall be opened unto you.” However those who refuse to knock, and try to enter “some other way,” will find the door shut to them. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees in Matthew 23:13, because they had shut up the kingdom of Heaven against men by not going in the door nor allowing others to go through the door.

Again, Jesus makes a contrast between Himself and the thieves and robbers (v. 8, 10). Here, the difference is demonstrated by their intentions. Jesus shows that the intentions of the Pharisees, as being the thieves and robbers, is to steal, kill, and destroy. These, all selfishly motivated acts, were committed by the Pharisees. Even the godless Roman governor, Pilate, understood that is was through envy that the Jews had delivered Jesus to be crucified (Matt 27:18). Even now, there are those sheep stealers, who through their false doctrines and for their selfish desires, deceive and subvert the hearts of people (2 Peter 2:1-3).

The Dedication, v.11-13

In this third point from John 10, Jesus points out the incapacity of the Pharisees to lead the sheep because of their lack of devotion. Their presentation was by unauthorized means, their intention was self serving, and therefore they lack any devotion or commitment to the sheep. Jesus likens them to an hireling who does not care for the sheep because they are not his own.

Paul spoke of certain individuals in the church who had become hirelings like these Pharisees. In Philippians 1:15 he says, “Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will.” The Judaizing teachers in Galatia were much like the hireling in that they compromised the Faith in order to appease angry Jews through circumcision (Galatians 6:12-13).

Jesus, however, is not a hireling, He is the good shepherd. He does not abandon the sheep when the wolf comes, but is always faithful. Hebrews 13:5 states, “...for He hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.”

The Desegregation, v. 14-18

In this section, Jesus first reemphasizes His relation as the Good Shepherd to His sheep. He states in verses 14 and 15 that He knows his sheep and His sheep know Him. Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 2:19, “ Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his.” This relationship is dependent upon the sheep knowing and following Jesus. Jesus, who knows the hearts of men, knows who is really trying and those who are really lying.

In this section, Jesus talks about “other sheep”. He says in verse 16, “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” Some appeal to this verse as authority for denominationalism. However, the context must be kept in mind to fully understand what Jesus is saying in this passage.

“This fold” refers to the nation of Israel living under the law of Moses as God’s chosen people. The sheep that Jesus referred to were the Jews who were part of that chosen nation. When Jesus said that He had “other sheep” “not of this fold”, He was referring to the Gentiles. There were many Gentiles who, though they were not governed by the law of Moses, still lived lives as sheep of God under the Patriarchal Law. Cornelius (Acts 10) and the people of Ninevah (Jonah) were examples of such.When

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