John 10 Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part, verse-by-verse approach, to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: John 10:1-6: The Sheepfold & the Shepherd

A. Find Out:

1. Who is a thief and a robber? v.1
   • ‘Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.
2. Who is the shepherd? v.2
   • The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
3. What does the watchman do and then the shepherd do? v.3
   • The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
4. What does the shepherd then do and why do they follow? v.4
   • When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.
5. Why won’t the sheep follow a stranger? v.5
   •  But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognise a stranger’s voice.’
6. How did the people there respond to Jesus? v.6
   • Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.

B. Think:

1. What is significant about the way the shepherd enters the sheepfold?
2. What is significant about the way he gets the sheep out?
3. What is significant about the way that the sheep follow?

C. Comment:

Jesus uses an illustration that would be very familiar in those days. At night sheep were penned in and a guard was placed over them. When morning came the shepherd came and the guard opened the door for him and the shepherd called his sheep out and then led them off to new pasture.

The first thing that was shown was the shepherd’s access to the pen, through the doorway, because he was known to the night keeper; anyone else would have to climb in some other way. Jesus doesn’t explain what he means so we have to judge for ourselves. Is the pen the world, where the sheep are at night, in darkness. At the appropriate time the shepherd, Jesus, comes and calls his sheep, and those who are destined for eternal life, recognise the voice and come out in response.

The key thing in this illustration was the relationship that the shepherd had with the sheep. It was because they knew him and knew his voice that they came out of the pen and then followed him. We who are Christians responded to his voice when he called us to salvation, and now we follow him as we follow his voice. That most of the listening people didn’t understand Jesus indicates they were not his sheep.

D. Application:

1. If we heard his voice and “came out” we are his sheep.
2. We “follow him” by hearing his voice going ahead.

Passage: John 10:7-10: Jesus the gate

A. Find Out:

1. What did Jesus say he was? v.7
   • Therefore Jesus said again, ‘Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.
2. Who came before him? v.8a
   • All who have come before me are thieves and robbers,
3. What effect did they have? v.8b
   • but the sheep have not listened to them.
4. What will happen to the person who comes in via Jesus? v.9
   •  I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.
5. Why did the thief come? v.10a
   • The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;
6. Why had Jesus come? v.10b
   • I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

B. Think:

1. What is the twofold purpose of a gate?
2. How would this apply to Jesus?
3. Who do you think “robbers and thieves” here might be?

C. Comment:

Having just used a general picture, Jesus now starts giving more detailed applications, making them personal to himself. He starts with the gate or door to the sheepfold. Previously he had used the sheepfold as a picture of the world and that people would come out of it when he called them.

Now he is going in the opposite direction and we must infer that the fold he now speaks of is the place of encounter and security, in the knowledge of God, because people have to go into it through Jesus. In fact you can only get into this place by going through Jesus and when you do go in you will be saved or made safe for eternity. But more than that, he promises them life in its fullness and it is a life of freedom, of coming and going in the security of God, into the place of close intimacy and then out into the world where there is still beautiful provision from God (pasture).

Yet in this whole thing there are numerous references to thieves and robbers who came before Jesus. They are those who would claim to be leaders of God’s people, who claimed to have a way to intimacy with God, but in fact they are merely out for themselves, and they take away real life and not bring it. Only Jesus the one who can bring us into the place of real and full life with God.

D. Application:

1. Jesus alone is the way into the presence of God. Worship him.
2. Jesus alone is the provider of pasture for us today. Thank him.

Passage: John 10:11-16: Jesus the good shepherd

A. Find Out:

1. Who did Jesus say he was and what does he do? v.11
   • ‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
2. What are we told about the “hired hand” and his effects? v.12,13
   • The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
3. What more does Jesus tell us about the shepherd? v.14
   • ‘I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know m
4. What similarity does he give as an example? v.15a
   •  just as the Father knows me and I know the Fathe
5. What does he repeat that he will do? v.15b
   • and I lay down my life for the sheep.
6. What else will he do? v.16
   • I have other sheep that are not of this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

B. Think:

1. What is the difference between the hired hand and the Shepherd?
2. What are we told about the Shepherd’s commitment to the sheep?
3. What are we told about the sheep he owns?

C. Comment:

From saying he is the door or gate, Jesus now goes on to say that he is the Good Shepherd, and in that he tells us a number of things.

First, he is putting himself alongside his Father with this “I AM” saying, for the shepherd in the Old Testament was God Himself. There is a strong hidden claim here.

Second, he twice says he will lay down his life for the sheep. This is not merely a general statement of commitment of the shepherd to protect his sheep, but is in fact a statement of what was going to happen.

Third, he contrasts himself with a “hired hand”, who might be seen to be the religious leaders of the day who were appointed to look after the sheep, but as there was no sense of ownership by them, they were in fact more concerned for their own welfare than that of the sheep.

Fourth, he tells us that he has more sheep than just those of the flock of Israel; Jesus was also concerned for Gentiles as well, who were to be brought in also.

Fifth, there is also a picture of intimacy between Jesus and his sheep (followers), which he says is to be the same as that between himself and his Father.

Jesus here owns us, knows us, protects and provides for us, even to the very giving of his life.

D. Application:

1. Jesus is THE Shepherd, who owns us, cares for us and provides for us, and even gave his life to purchase us. Worship him.
2. Do we care for one another in a similar way?

Passage: John 10:17-21: Varied responses

A. Find Out:

1. Why did Jesus say the Father loved him? v.17
   • The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life – only to take it up again.
2. How and why did Jesus say he did this? v.18
   • No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.’
3. How were these words received? v.19
   • The Jews who heard these words were again divided.
4. What did one part of the crowd say about Jesus? v.20
   •  Many of them said, ‘He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?’
5. What did another part of the crowd say and why? v.21
   • But others said, ‘These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?’

B. Think:

1. What does Jesus reveal about what he will do in the future?
2. What does he reveal about how it will happen?
3. How are the hearts of the listeners revealed?

C. Comment:

Jesus has just made reference to his Father (v.15) and so it natural for him to continue speaking about Him. He says two significant things about his Father: first that his Father loves him because of his obedience and second that he does what he does because his Father has told him to. The first thing should probably be taken to mean that “this is one of the reasons the Father loves me” or “this is the reason the Father expresses His love for me”. God expressed His love for Jesus by verifying his ministry (Acts 2:22) because that would lead on to the planned climax, his death and resurrection. Yet again we see that everything Jesus does is within the plan and purpose of God, and that he himself is sure of that!

We should also note the effect Jesus’ words had upon the Jews who were listening. Some responded negatively and some positively to what he had just said. Jesus’ words always have this effect, for they reveal the hearts of the listeners. When Jesus speaks no one remains neutral, they are either for him or against him, there is no in between.

Lessons? Do we know that we are called in the same way was Jesus was? Do we have the same clarity of purpose, and same intent to fulfil it? When Jesus speaks do we respond positively or negatively?

D. Application:

1. Jesus did his Father’s will perfectly to redeem us. Worship him.
2. Do we seek to fulfil God’s declared will for our lives in the same way with the same assurance?

Passage: John 10:22-28: Teaching at the Festival

A. Find Out:

1. When and where did this occur? v.22,23
   • Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.
2. What were the Jews asking of Jesus? v.24
   •  The Jews who were there gathered round him, saying, ‘How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.’
3. What did Jesus reply? v.25
   •  Jesus answered, ‘I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me,
4. Why were they unable to believe? v.26
   • but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.
5. What did Jesus say his sheep did? v.27
   • My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me
6. What did he further say about his sheep? v.28
   •  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.

B. Think:

1. How did the Jews appear to be positive?
2. Yet what denied that?
3. How did Jesus say they differed from his sheep?

C. Comment:

In these few verses we see some very significant things. First, the Jews come to Jesus and almost seek to provoke him to declare himself, as if they really want him to be their Messiah. It is as if they are saying, if you are the Messiah we will follow you, if you are the deliverer of Israel we’ll come with you.

Second, note how Jesus responds: he cuttingly points out that he has already provided sufficient for them to believe in him, but they have refused to believe, and so putting a title to him won’t help. The crucial issue, he says, is whether or not people are his “sheep” and they clearly are not! Those who are Jesus’ sheep hear what he says, know his voice for what it is and simply follow him. Something in his sheep tells them that this is the shepherd to be followed. As a result of turning to Jesus, he gives them eternal life and this life cannot be taken from them, it makes them secure. They can jump out of his hand but no one else can take them out of it; there is complete security for those who follow Jesus.

The implication of all this is simply that we need to tell people about Jesus, and those who are destined to be his sheep will hear and respond, because they will know that they are hearing the voice of their shepherd calling them.

D. Application:

1. Jesus’ sheep know his voice – and therefore will follow him.
2. We are to speak his words, and his sheep will be revealed.

Passage: John 10:29-33: Revelation & rejection

A. Find Out:

1. Who had given the sheep to Jesus? v.29a
   •  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all
2. What did he reiterate about the security of the sheep? v.29b
   • no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.
3. What did he say about himself and the Father? v.30
   • I and the Father are one.’
4. How did the Jews respond to that? v.31
   •  Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him,
5. How did Jesus defend himself? v.32
   • but Jesus said to them, ‘I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?’
6. Why did they say they were acting like that? v.33
   • ‘We are not stoning you for any good work,’ they replied, ‘but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.’

B. Think:

1. What does Jesus say is the success of his ministry?
2. What is obvious about his claim?
3. How did the Jews confirm that?

C. Comment:

Jesus has just said that his sheep are secure in his hand and then goes on to say that they are also secure in the hand of His Father who is greater than anyone or anything else. There is therefore, no doubt that he is referring to God for no one else could match that description.

Then comes an amazing claim: I and the Father are one. Now liberal theologians try to play this down by saying he meant one in the sense of unity of purpose and desire, but the Jews clearly deny that line of thinking. They were quite clear that Jesus was claiming to be God! This is one of Jesus’ most clear claims and the response of the Jews is equally clear: this is blasphemy and he desires to die!

It is interesting that Jesus provokes them into this declaration, almost as if he wants us, the onlookers, to be quite clear as to what he said. In an almost innocent way he asks why performing a few miracles should provoke them to stone him. It is then that they make this incredible indictment: “you… claim to be God”. Yes, absolutely, and it’s simply because he IS God in the flesh. He had been saying it in guarded pictures, but now it is blatantly out in the open. Let us be under no illusion who Jesus is: he is God!

D. Application:

1. Jesus is God, and he therefore demands our worship.
2. Jesus is the Son, just one expression of the Godhead, but still God!

Passage: John 10:34-42: Conflict, rejection & belief

A. Find Out:

1. To what did Jesus appeal? v.34
   • Jesus answered them, ‘Is it not written in your Law, “I have said you are ‘gods’”?
2. What did he say about Scripture? v.35
   •  If he called them “gods”, to whom the word of God came – and Scripture cannot be set aside
3. How does Jesus describe himself? v.36a
   • what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world?
4. What did Jesus ask them to believe and why? v.37,38
   • Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, “I am God’s Son”? 37 Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.’
5. How did they respond but where did Jesus go? v.39,40
   • Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.
   • 40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed,
6. What happened there? v.41,42 
   • and many people came to him. They said, ‘Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true.’ 42 And in that place many believed in Jesus.

B. Think:

1. What was the first argument Jesus put forward using Scripture?
2. What was the second argument he put up to get them to believe?
3. Why did a number believe?

C. Comment:

They were just about to stone Jesus when he appeals to Scripture. Look in Psalm 82, he says, it talks about people as “gods” so why shouldn’t I refer to myself in this way. An interesting use of Scripture! At least it makes them pause, so he continues: if God has set me apart for what I am doing, this should especially qualify me to call myself Son of God. Only believe if I do the things God would do, so look at the miracles I do and believe because of them, not because of what I say.

Then again, he openly declares that he is one with the Father, and again they try to seize him. In all this we have a delicate balance of Jesus speaking the truth as to who he actually is, while at the same time providing just sufficient for the Jews to hold back from actually killing him, for the time for that is not yet right.    

When Jesus departs from Jerusalem a number follow him because they remember what John had said about him. There is a constant tension among the people, wanting to believe and wanting not to believe. They were not certain about Jesus as they reasoned it out; it was only the “heart people” who followed him, those stirred in their hearts. The “logical people” were uncertain, and it is like that so often when God moves. 

D. Application:

1. When God moves, you believe by faith stirred by the heart.
2. Faith hears and the heart responds. The intellect is often unclear.