John 10: Shepherd teaching and growing conflict in Jerusalem

• v.1-21 The Good Shepherd and His Sheep
• v.22-42 Further Conflict Over Jesus’ Claims

v.1-21 The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

v.1-6 Jesus uses the analogy of a sheep pen

v.1 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.

v.2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.

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.

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.

v.5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”

v.6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.

[Note: Jesus continues to challenge the Pharisees and teaches on keeping sheep. The shepherd enters the sheepfold, and the sheep know the voice of the shepherd. He goes ahead of his sheep, and they follow him for sheep will run from a stranger. Jesus uses this analogy, but the Pharisees don’t understand.]

v.7-9 Jesus applies the analogy to himself

v.7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you,

I am the gate for the sheep.

v.8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them.

v.9 I am the gate;

whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.

[Note: Claim 1 – to be the entry gate. Previous leaders failed to have the sheep listen to them. Claim 1 again – entry through him = salvation.]

v.10-15 He is their owner/carer/provider/protector [see also Psa 23]

v.10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

v.11  I am the good shepherd.

The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

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. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

v.14 “I am the good shepherd;

I know my sheep and my sheep know me

v.15 — just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.

[Note: Thieves come to steal and kill, he comes to bring life. Claim 2- to be the shepherd who lays down his life. ‘Hired hands’ aren’t the shepherds and easily abandon the sheep to wolves. Claim 2 again – his sheep know him and he lays down his life for them.]

v.16-18 He explains more about laying down his life

v.16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

v.17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again.

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.”

[Note: He has other sheep as well (as well as Israel). The Father’s love is revealed through his death and resurrection, and he lays down his life willingly.]

v.19-21 Thus causes confusion and disagreement among his listeners

v.19 The Jews who heard these words were again divided.

v.20 Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?”

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?”

[Note: This causes disagreement in the listeners and some deride him while others face the fact of the recent healing.]

v.22-42 Further Conflict Over Jesus’ Claims

v.22-24 The Jews demand explanation

v.22,23 Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.

v.24 The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

[Note: Next it is the Feast of Dedication [also known as the Festival of Lights] and the Jews demand he reveal who he is.]

v.25-30 He speaks more about his role and makes a strong claim

v.25,26 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.

v.27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

v.28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.

v.29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.

v.30 I and the Father are one.”

[Note: Jesus replies, I told you but you didn’t believe me; remember, I said my sheep listen to my voice and I give them eternal life and my Father protects them; this is because He and I are one.]

v.31-36 They understand, and accuse him of blasphemy, and he defends himself from them

v.31,32 Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”

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.”

v.34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”’’?

v.35,36 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?

[Note: They go again to stone him for blasphemy but he queries why. They answer it’s blasphemy to claim to be God! Ah, but what about what it says in the psalms? [Psa 82:6] Doesn’t it mean the one who has come is God’s son?]

v.37-39 He calls them to believe what he is doing

v.37 Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father.

v.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.”

v.39 Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.

[Note: Believe me if I do my Father’s works, but even then I know you won’t believe. He had to evade their clutches.]

v.40-42 He leaves and goes down and crosses the Jordan to preach

v.40,41 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true.”

v.42 And in that place many believed in Jesus.

[Note: He left there and crossed to the east of the Jordan where many people came, and there, away from Jerusalem, many believed in him.]

[Additional Note: The Feast of Dedication [v.22] is approximately 4 months before Passover. Thus Jesus leaves Jerusalem for this period and the events that follow occur in those intervening weeks.]

For those who may wish to make a study of this chapter, to perhaps think some more about what you have been reading, use the link below: