1Verily, 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.
John Chrysostom says about the good shepherd, “A great matter, beloved a great matter it is to preside over a Church: a matter needing wisdom and courage as great as that of which Christ speaketh, that a man should lay down his life for the sheep, and never leave them deserted or naked; that he should stand against the wolf nobly.” (TNAPNF, First Series, Vol. XIV, St. Chrysostom, p. 216).
This idea is against true belief; that is, anything that denies true belief is someone who entered a different way. This reminds me of Rome; that is, she tells her people to enter through the Virgin Mary as a pathway to Jesus Christ. There is no Scripture that says we should do this as part of the scope of spiritual redemption. The thinking is that if God went to her first before Christ to conceive Him, we must take God’s example and do the same; however, such is not in the same sense of order of spiritual redemption; that is, spiritual salvation is through and in Jesus Christ our Lord and Redeemer. We never hear God saying “This is my well-beloved Mother; listen to her.” We hear the Father saying, “This is my well-Beloved Son; hear ye him.” J.C Ryle says, “We have, for one thing, in these verses, a vivid picture of a false teacher of religion. Our Lord says that he is one who "enters not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way." I am concerned about Roman Catholic people who go to Mary as a pathway to Jesus Christ. We ought to never bring in religious philosophy to establish a unbiblical idea. We will find out that the door of the sheep is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. May God forgive the Roman leadership for teaching this dogma of her faith to bring many to Himself! For John Piper says, “Faith is sustained by looking at Christ, crucified and risen, not by turning from Christ to analyze your faith… Paradoxically, if we would experience the joy of faith, we must not focus much on it. We must focus on the greatness of our Savior.” George Muller says, “We should not shrink from opportunities where our faith may be tried. The more I am in a position to be tried in faith, the more I will have the opportunity of seeing God’s help and deliverance. Every fresh instance in which He helps and delivers me will increase my faith. The believer should not shrink from situations, positions, or circumstances in which his faith may be tried, but he should cheerfully embrace them as opportunities to see the hand of God stretched out in help and deliverance. Thus his faith will be strengthened.”
2But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd; that is, we will find out that He is the door of His sheep. It is a beautiful figurative language set down by the apostle John. The Shepherd controls the sheep; that is, He uses His rod and staff to control them. Scott Hafemann says, “Faith is trusting God to do what he has promised because we are convinced by his provisions that God is both willing and able to keep his word.” “Jesus claimed that He was destined to lead His sheep out into new pastures, which implied ability to impart a deepening special revelation. Pasture, according to Psalm 23, meant sustenance and refreshment of the soul of men. “He restoreth my soul” (Ps. 23:2). (Tenney, The Gospel of Belief, p. 164).
3To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
His people hear His voice and they know Him. He calls them by name and He leads them out. He controls and motivates the sheep. The Shepherd of the sheep and the sheep themselves have a harmonious relationship; that is, the Good Shepherd is the leader and the sheep are His people and leads them where they should go.
4And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
The sheep know and follow the Good Shepherd; that is, they believe Him and know Him. They follow Him because they know and in turn follow Him.
5And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
The sheep follow no one but the Good Shepherd, but if someone else tried to lead them they would not follow him for the sheep only know the voice of the Good Shepherd.
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.
This was a parable Jesus spoke to them and they did not understand what things He spoke to them. Jesus reveals He is the door of the sheep. It is figurative language. The deceivers were thieves and robbers. The sheep, however, did not hear the thieves and robbers. Jesus says He is the door; that is, He is the way to eternal life. In order to get saved, you must go to Him. The walk of the Christian faith is with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; that is, because we have received Him let us walk in Him. The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy the sheep; however, the Good Shepherd comes to give life and to have it more abundantly. Jesus is the Good Shepherd and He lays His life down 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.
If someone who does not care watches over His sheep they will be lost. This verse teaches the exclusivity of belief in Jesus Christ. No Shepherd is greater then Him who is Jesus Christ. No shepherd is able to protect His sheep like Jesus can. Someone hired does not care for the sheep but only the Good Shepherd loves the sheep. The Good Shepherd is Jesus Christ, He knows them and people know they are His. God the Father knows the sheep of Jesus and Jesus lays down His life for the sheep. Jesus died for people in every generation from every tribe, people, tongue and nation. There is one fold that are the people of God and there is one Shepherd (Jesus). The Father loves the Son and knows that His Son must lay down His life. Those who belong to the Father belong to the Son and those who belong to the Son belong to the Father. Jesus has the divine authority to lay it down and take it up 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. 19There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.20And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him? 21Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind? 22And 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.
No man has authority to take His life from Him. Jesus laid His life down of own accord. Jesus has power to lay His life down and to take it up again. He received this commandment from His Father. The Jews thought He was a devil and out of His mind. They disputed among themselves if He was demon possessed. It was the feast of dedication and it was winter. Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch. The Jewish wanted to hear it on their own terms but not the way Jesus spoke. Jesus had already proclaimed that He was the Christ, but they would not listen to Him. He spoke the divine truth that He was the Christ the divine Son of God.
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.
Jesus did works in His Father’s name that bear witness to Him. The Jews did not believe because they were not His sheep. The sheep hear His voice and He knows them and they follow Him. He gives them eternal life and they shall never perish. No one is able to pluck them out of His Father’s hand. The Father and Son are one; that is, they are both equally divine and one in the plan of God.
31Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed 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.
The Jews took up stones to stone Him again. Jesus read the Old Testament because it was sufficient for every good work. Here Jesus speaks of His signs that He performed. They did not make the connection that the works were signs that showed that He was God Incarnate. He declare that He was God in human flesh by “I and my Father are one.” The gods were human judges, but the divine Word cannot be broken. He declared Himself to be the divine Son of God and backed it up by Scripture. Jesus testified of Himself that His works were just, true and good.
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.
Jesus did good works; that is, Jesus did the works of His Father in glorious miracles and signs that bear witness to Him. The Jews sought to get Him but He escaped out of their hands. Jesus abode near the place where John baptized. John spoke truly about Jesus Christ and because of the miracles people believed on Him there.
