Correspondence: John 10:1-2

Narrator: Chris Genthree
John 10:1‑2  •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 4
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Answer: It is the door into the sheepfold for the Messiah. He came, fulfilling all that the Word of God foretold about Him. He was the woman’s seed (Gen. 3:1515And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15)); the virgin’s Son (Isa. 7:14, 9:6); born in Bethlehem (Mic. 5:22But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. (Micah 5:2)). The scribes, rulers, and some who pretended to be the Messiah, were the thieves and robbers, who took upon themselves authority that did not belong to them. They cast the healed man out. (chapter 9:34). Jesus was Israel’s true and good Shepherd.
Verse 3. The Porter is God working in spite of man’s wickedness (Acts 2:2323Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: (Acts 2:23)), so that through His death and resurrection He could lead His sheep out of the fold, that is, from under the law and ordinances. He calls His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. No Jew could get out from under the law until Christ died and rose again. He goeth before them,
In verse 7, He says, “I am the door of the sheep.” He is their authority for leaving all that belongs to Judaism. He bore the curse of the law. (Gal. 3:1313Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: (Galatians 3:13)). The law put Him to death, and the converted Jew, like Paul, can say, I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ. The law has nothing to say to a dead man. But now Paul lives: “Nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” (Gal. 2:19-2019For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. 20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:19‑20)). So now believers are outside this fold, which is Judaism.
Verse 9 is Christianity; not the fold at all. “I am the door: by Me, if any man (Jew or Gentile) enter in, he shall be saved,” (this is salvation, and it was not known in the fold of Judaism), “and shall go in and out” (this is liberty to “go in” to the presence of God to worship and be strengthened, and to “go out” to serve and follow Him), “and find pasture.” (No pasture grew in the sheepfold). Christ is our food. He leads us in green pastures and by the still waters. His fruit is sweet to our taste.
Verse 16. “Other sheep I have which are not of this fold” (they were Gentiles before their conversion, and were not put under the law by God), “them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice; and there shall be one flock, and one Shepherd.” The word is “flock” in the original in this last instance; a fold is an enclosure, a flock is a company. So now God has a flock, but no fold. (Acts 20:28-2928Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 29For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. (Acts 20:28‑29); 1 Peter 5:2-32Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. (1 Peter 5:2‑3)).