JOHN 10:1-181Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 4And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 5And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. 6This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. 7Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 12But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16And 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. 17Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. (John 10:1‑18).
Verses 1-6. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him, for they know not the voice of strangers. This parable [similitude] spake Jesus unto them, but they understood not what things they were which He spake unto them.”
THAT which apparently gave occasion for this parable of the Lord Jesus was the decision of the Jews that if any man did confess that Jesus was the "Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue" (chap. 9:22).
The Lord shows that these professed shepherds of Israel were exercising an authority which they had usurped, and which had not been given them of God, in casting out of the Jewish fold one of Christ's sheep, who up to his present light had confessed Christ, and who was brought into the clear apprehension of His Divine glory as the Son of God (chap. 9:34-38). Israel, nationally, were the sheep of God's pasture and the flock of His hand, parted off from other nations by the law of commandments contained in ordinances, a separate and distinct people, and this separation was of old designed by God for all-wise purposes.
But they were not all Israel which were of Israel. All were not able to adopt the language of Psalm 23. in the faith and assurance of the psalmist who wrote it.
Jehovah was the great Shepherd, and the sheep of His pasture were those who, through faith in His promise of a coming Messiah, were enabled to confide in Him. And they were partakers of His Spirit, having been anointed with that oil (Ps. 23:5).
In due time the Son of God, Jehovah's Shepherd, came in the way of God's appointment, sent by Him, sealed, anointed, and acknowledged of God. And when He came to Calvary Jehovah of Hosts could say of Him: "Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, and against the Man that is My fellow; smite the Shepherd" (Zech. 13:77Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones. (Zechariah 13:7)), and whom He brought again from the dead through the blood of the everlasting covenant, as the great Shepherd of the sheep (Heb. 13:2020Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, (Hebrews 13:20)).
He came into the Jewish fold—for He was made under the law—to redeem them that were under the law. But He brought His sheep out from under the yoke of legal bondage into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. He had other sheep, even from among the Gentiles, who were not originally of this Jewish fold (verse 16). These also He brought and united into one flock, under one Shepherd, having broken down the middle wall of partition, and He Himself went before them and led them out.
Verses 7-18. "Then said Jesus unto them again: ' Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the Door of the sheep. All that ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the Door; by Me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out and find pasture. The thief cometh not but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the Good Shepherd; the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth; and the wolf catcheth them and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the Good Shepherd and know My sheep, and am known of Mine. As the Father knoweth Me, even so know I the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 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 [flock] and one Shepherd. Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My life that I might take it again. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power [authority] to lay it down, and I have power [authority] to take it again. This commandment have I received of My Father.”
In this second parable the Lord Jesus, having entered through the door into the sheep-fold, represents Himself as the Door by which the sheep enter in and are saved, with liberty to find pasture within the Jewish fold or without.
Having laid down His life for the sheep, and having redeemed them by His blood, He gives them life abundantly, even eternal life, and everlasting security, they being kept in His own hand, and in His Father's hand, from whence none can pluck them.
When the present dispensation closes by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together unto Him, Israel will again come under the shepherd-care of Jehovah, their covenant-keeping God.
Then a hundred and forty-four thousand will pass under the rod, sealed for especial protection, and in the cloudy and dark day the eye of the Divine Shepherd will be over His persecuted and scattered flock.
And when the millennial morning dawns the sheep of Jehovah's pasture and the flock of His hand, brought back from all places whither they have been scattered during the cloudy and dark day, will again feed upon the mountains of Israel under one Shepherd-King, the Root and the Offspring of David.
And when the heavenly fold will enclose within its ample circuit the spirits of just men made perfect, the Church of the first-born written in heaven, and the redeemed out of every nation, kindred, people, and tongue, the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them [feed them as a shepherd], and lead them unto living fountains of waters, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Thus we see the shepherd character of Jehovah and of Christ brought out in a five-fold aspect:—
1. Israel, nationally, the sheep of Jehovah's pasture.
2. The Church in this present dispensation, composed of Jew and Gentile, elected of God, redeemed by the blood of Christ, quickened and sealed by the Spirit of God, formed into one flock under one Shepherd.
3. The elect of Israel and saved from among the Gentiles, during the times of the man of sin and the great tribulation, the objects of Jehovah's shepherd-care.
4. During the millennial period then the Root and Offspring of David will be the one Shepherd of the whole earth.
5. In the eternal state, when the Lamb of God shall be the Shepherd, leading the redeemed into pastures of unfailing verdure and beside waters of unruffled rest within the heavenly fold.
“Blessed fold, no foe can enter,
And no friend departeth thence;
Jesus is their sun, their center,
And their shield omnipotence.