10 Jesus said: “Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
7 So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and bandits, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father” John 10:1-18.
I don’t know about you, but I can hear the heartbeats of the Pharisees in the background of this teaching of Jesus about the Good Shepherd. These guys are very self-interested, and so John is insisting on Jesus as the sole shepherd. First John speaks of the “gatekeeper who opens the gate for the shepherd of the sheep” (see verses 1-3 above). The gatekeeper must be awake to recognize the true shepherd and master of the sheep, who is Jesus Christ. The sheep know His voice and spontaneously follow His voice. At night the shepherds who live in tribal tents in fields surrounded by low stone walls, left the sheep in these enclosures and in them morning they return to open the gates to let the sheep head out to pastures.
Jesus then explains that He is the gate by which the shepherd goes to the sheep (see verses 7-9 above). Therefore, only authentic shepherds are are admitted by Jesus. The Pharisees, since they do not come through Jesus, are thieves of hired hands looking out for themselves. Jesus is the gate through which the sheep go out to the pasture and return to the fold. Those who enter through the gate will have life.
Jesus is the good Shepherd (see verses 11-18 above), the only model shepherd, who is willing to lay down his life for his sheep. He takes care of his sheep and knows his sheep. This kind of loyalty comes from his love for his sheep which goes out to all other sheep, not just his own. And the Good Shepherd is willing to die for His sheep.
So today, read the text above and ask yourself what God is saying to you about His love for you and for all others.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
From the Bible:
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows” Psalm 23:1-6.
“He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young”
Isaiah 40:11.
“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” Matthew 9:36.
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