John 10:22-4222And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. 23And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. 24Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. 25Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. 26But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. 27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 30I and my Father are one. 31Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 33The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. 34Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? 35If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; 36Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? 37If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. 38But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him. 39Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand, 40And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode. 41And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true. 42And many believed on him there. (John 10:22‑42)
And it was at Jerusalem, the feast of dedication, and it was winter, and Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch.”
That porch was very large; it was at an entrance, or “gate”, where the people went in and out of the building, and where many people could he, and talk together. It was on this porch that the Lord Jesus answered the men who asked Him to tell them if He were the Christ: He had told them many times before, and had clone the great deeds no other could do. He had just spoken those wonderful Words that He was the Good Shepherd to give His life.
The time and place of His talk seems to have been written that all since who read it would know His words were meant for all people; they were said in a public and proper place for so important a matter. Those leaders did not believe Him because they wanted to keep on in sins, yet He explained carefully, and in that way the people about him heard, and many believed Him, and many since have been blessed by His words.
Jesus spoke of sheep so all could understand His meaning, even children of every land know what sheep are; He said,
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.”
To “hear” His voice, is to believe His words, and by His words know He is the Shepherd. He knows His “sheep”, each one who believes Him, and He gives them eternal life that cannot end.
One or all the sheep of a flock might be snatched from a shepherd by robber or wild animals, or they might perish or die, in a storm, but that cannot be true of “the sheep” of the Lord Jesus He said,
“They shall never perish, neither, shall any pluck (or snatch) them out of My hand.”
The “eternal life” He said He gives would not be eternal if it could stop or end; that life is a part of His own life, so it cannot be lost.
The Lord’s “sheep” often go astray, on earth, and then are not in His path here, for “He leadeth me in paths of righteousness” (right ways). But David, who wrote that, also knew the Lord as Shepherd, “restoreth my soul.” David also knew he could not perish he wrote, “I shall dwell in the House of the Lord forever”, be in the presence, of the Lord, His Shepherd, forever.
While the Lord Jesus was on earth He spoke of God the Father as greater and here, of His “sheep”, He said, “No man, (meaning ourselves, men or Satan) is able to pluck them out of the Father’s hand.” Then He said, “I and My Father are one.” Teaching us that His own, those who believe Him, and kept by both the Father and the Son of God.
ML 10/27/1946