…Parable #21 — John 10:1-18 — Shepherd and His Flock

The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

10 “I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! 2 But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. 5 They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.”…6 Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, 7 so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before me[a] were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. 9 Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved.[] They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. 10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.…11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. 12 A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. 13 The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep.

14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, 15 just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.…17 “The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. 18 No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.”

Parable #21 — John 10:1-18 — Shepherd and His Flock

What kind of relationship do sheep have with their shepherd? …John 10:2-42 But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. 

2. To whom did Jesus say the sheep would not listen? …John10:5, 8…5 They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.”

8 All who came before me[a] were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. 

Who did Jesussay was the thief? John10:1

“I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! 

Who does the stranger or thief represent today?

3. In this parable, Jesus describes himself as both the gate John10:7…7 so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 

and the shepherd John10:11, 14. …11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. 

14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, 

Which image do you like better?

4. Gates can be used to keep some things in and some out. Which side of the gate

that Jesus described are you on? (Be careful answering this.) John10:9…9 Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved.[] They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. …How has Jesus been a gate in your life?

5. What does a hired hand do for the sheep? John10:12…12 A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. 

What was Jesus willing to dofor his sheep? John10:11, 15, 17…11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. 

15 just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. 

17 “The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. 

What does it mean when Jesus repeatssomething three times?

6. How are we like sheep? …What tempts people to follow a stranger (or thief)?Why?

7. In what ways has Jesus been your shepherd? How can we better hear his voice?

Parable #21 — John 10:1-18 — Leader’s Notes

John 10:1-6 – The Sheep, the Shepherd, and Sheep Robbers

Verses 1-5 are in the form of a parable. Scholars debate whether this is a singleparable once told by Jesus, or several parables told by Jesus combined here by the gospel writer.…“I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! 2 But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. 5 They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.”…6 Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, 7 so he explained it to them: ……It is likely here that Jesus was drawing upon Ezekiel 34 in his metaphorical use of sheep language.

Ezekiel described Israel as God’s flock and the rulers (kings) as the shepherds. Rather than feeding the sheep, the rulers alternately ignore the flock and actually prey upon them instead of protecting them. As a result the flock is scattered and devoured by the wild animals. …The false shepherds will be removed from their position of leadership and God will again be the shepherd of his people.

He will gather them and lead them to good pasture. He will appoint a shepherd over them from David’s line and bring peace to the flock. Ezekiel 34 is a startlingly clear description of the way Jesus portrayed himself as the good shepherd.

Verses 1-3adescribe the proper way to approach the sheep—through the dooror gate of the sheepfold. Anyone who approaches another way has evil intentions.

Verses 3b-5 focus more on the close relationship between the sheep and theshepherd.…The shepherd knows his sheep and calls his own sheep by name. Theyfollow at the sound of his voice. Sheep will not follow a stranger.

Verses 1-5 reflect common practices and understanding of shepherding inPalestine at that time. …When the sheep were not out in the open they were kept in anenclosure made of stone walls. The size varied considerably. But all had anentrance where the shepherd took the sheep in and out. Obviously anyone whoentered the pen by climbing over the wall rather than by the entrance was up to nogood.

The sheep did learn the shepherd’s voice. In the summer the sheep were takeninto the rural areas to graze far away from home. …There several flocks would bebedded down at night in a large fold built with stone walls.

In the morning eachshepherd called for his sheep and the flocks separated from each other simply byrecognition of and response to the voice of their own shepherd.

The shepherdwould then lead the flock to the grazing area he had selected for that day.

 

Who was the audience for this parable (or parables)?

The flow of the gospelsuggests that the Jewish leaders of chapter 9 form that audience. Jesus is accusingthose Jewish religious leaders of being false shepherds. They are the thieves androbbers mentioned in verse 1.

He (Jesus) is the shepherd whose voice the sheep follow.

The Jewish religious leaders are the strangers—the thieves who care nothing for the sheep but only forthe profit they can make for themselves from the sheep.

Why did they not understand it?

Simply because of their own hard heartedness.

They refuse to allow the parable to expose their own sinfulness and need of God.

When reading the parables, or in factin all the teaching of Jesus, we need to be asking ourselves,

“What does this reveal about me?”

“Do I need to be different?”

“What does Godwant to do in changing my attitudes, thoughts, and life?”John 10:7-18

Jesus’ Application of the Parable(s)John 10:7-18take placein the same ares of our lives described in verses 1-5, but theydevelop their own direction and meaning.

Jesus describes himself in verses 7-10 asthe gate (or door) for the sheep and as the good shepherd in verses 11-18.

Verses1-5 provide the environment or atmosphere for understanding Jesus’ descriptionsof himself.

The focus on Jesus’ identity in John 10:22-42 also implies that thepurpose of verses 1-18is understanding who Jesus is.

There are two different applications of the gate metaphor in

verses 7-10. “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before me[a] were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. 9 Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved.[] They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. 10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.…

Verse8 interprets Jesus as the gate by which the shepherd comes to the sheep.

Thethieves and robbers did not come through Jesus, the door, to get at the sheep.

Thefact that they used other means proves that they are imposters.

If Jesus is the doorby which the authentic shepherd comes to the sheep then Jesus is not the shepherdat this point, but God is.

Verses 7-8 seem to be saying that Jesus is the door bywhich God comes to shepherd us.

This view assumes the background of Ezekiel34 where God is the shepherd of Israel.

A beautiful picture of theIncarnation.(God in human form)

It is God who comes to care for us through Jesus.

The door metaphor is then turned around in verses 9-10.9 Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved.[] They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. 10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.…

Here Jesus is the gateby which the sheep go out to find pasture, salvation, and life.

There is no otherway by which the sheep can find these benefits.

If they do not come throughChrist, they will not find life and salvation.

If they follow the thief they will finddeath and destruction.

This is another beautiful picture of Jesus.

It clearly teachesthat he is the only way for salvation.

Verse 10 concludes this section with astatement of Jesus’ purpose.

I came in order that they might have life and that theymight have it in abundance.

We see that the pasture of verse 9 leads to life in verse 10.

John has already described Jesus as the source of living water (water of life) andas the bread of life.

Now, within the metaphor of sheep, Jesus provides the pastureof life. And that pasture is abundant; it provides all that is needed and fullysatisfies.

Not only is Jesus just the only way by which salvation and life can beobtained.

But the life that he provides is totally sufficient and satisfying.

From Verses 11-18 the metaphor changes from Jesus as the door to Jesus as theshepherd.

These verses are also built around parallel statements by Jesus,

“I am thegood shepherd,” in verses 11 and 14.

Several new thoughts or developments, notimplied in verses 1-5, appear.

The most significant new thought is the theme of theshepherd sacrificing his life for the sheep(verses 11b and 15b), and the indirectapplication of this points to Jesus in verses 17b and 18.

17 “…….. I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. 18 No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.”

The risky responsibility of theshepherd is not the only conflict-oriented material in the passage.

The contrastbetween the genuine shepherd and the imposter appears in terms of their response toimpending danger.

The imposter flees before the wolf;

The good shepherd laysdown his life for the sheep.

These verses also introduce the concept of other sheepand other folds.

The imposter in verses 12-13 is the hired hand as opposed to the thief of thepreceding verses. The hired hand(somebody who works only for money, especially at menial or unpleasant tasks) is not attempting to harm or steal the sheep.

In fact,the hired hand’s motive is good.

He is a protector, one who cares for the sheep.

However, the point of mentioning the hired hand is to show the contrasting levels ofcommitment.

When push comes to shove, the hired hand is more interested in

protecting himself than the sheep.

In contrast, to the good shepherd (Jesus), the hired handhas noconcern above caring for and protecting the sheep.

Thus verses 11-13tells us both of Jesus’ character as the Good Shepherd and ofthe care thatindividual believersreceives as His flock.

Sheep are not created to beindependent or to care for themselves.

They cannot survive running their own lives by themselves.

Neither can we as believers.

Genuine faith or trust in Jesus only becomes real in our lives when werealize that the Shepherd is more concerned for our welfare than for his own.

Verses 9-10 suggest that his care includes salvation, nurture, and abundant life.9 Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved.[] They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. 10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.…This is not just a one-time, past benefit of Jesus dying for us, butit’s aongoing and present blessings and Jesus’ongoing and present concern for us.

The repetition of “I am the good shepherd,” in verse 14 marks the next step inthe development of the text. Verses 14-15now focus on the relationship of theshepherd and the sheep.

I know my own says Jesus and my own know me. Verses 11-13and it focuse on care and dependence, but verses 14-15tells us about the intimacy between the sheep and the Sheppard .

14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, 15 just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. …The care ofa shepherd for his sheep may be tender and loving, but the metaphor lacks apersonal dimension for most of us.

The intimacy of Jesus’ care for us is not simply that of a shepherd for sheep but the same kind of intimaterelationship shared by Jesus and the Father.

The intimate relationship of Jesus and his followers that we see here goes much further than just the sheep/shepherd metaphor because of its mutual character.

The doublerepetition of “know” emphasizes the understandingbetween the shepherd and the sheep “I know my own and myown know me.”“The Father knows me and I know the Father.”

The introduction of mutual personal relationshipmeans that we bear significant responsibility as well.

We dare not simply absorb thecare of the Good Shepherd towards us; we must share in His concerns andparticipate in His mission.

Verse 16 suddenly brings in an entirely new concept, it mentions othersheep, another fold. …16 I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.…This is a clear reference to God’s concern for the Gentile(somebody who is not Jewish)(already expressed in the Old Testament) and to the church’s mission tothe Gentile.

In the context of the extremely close relationship between Jesus and us – his flock, who share intimacy with Him would mean that we willhave the same concern about other sheep, those not part of His fold, to bring them closer and make it possible for them to listen to hisvoice. …Because of our mutual relationship with Jesus we would follow his wish ofone flock, one shepherd.

Verses 17-18 appear disconnected from the metaphor of the sheep/shepherd laying down his life for the sheep thus far in chapter 10.

Several new ideas enter the passage from verse 17 specifically because it mentions love for the first time.

17 “The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. 18 No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.”

The statement that theFather loves Jesus “because” the Son is laying down his life does not mean thatJesus earns the Father’s love by his sacrificial death. …No, when Jesus lays down His life for the sheep that act expresses the perfect accord between the Father and the son.

The mutual relationship of intimacy between Jesus and the Father points toa shared purpose as well as to love.…The loveof Christ for us, the love of theFather for Jesus, and the laying down of Christ’s life for usare linked and cannot be separated.

There is another theme clearly introduced in verses 17-18 and that is the Resurrection. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again.For this is what my Father has commanded.”

Theresurrection is an expression of the will and love of the Father, as the closingphrase of verse 18 makes clear.

It is also linked to seeking the other sheep.

TheGentile mission of the church did not develop until after the Resurrection.

Theseverses function in a prophetic way in John’s gospel.

They also make it clear thatteaching about the good shepherd is part of our on-going task between Jesus’resurrection and ours.

 

“What did Jesus mean when He said ‘I am the good Shepherd’?”…John 10:11“I am the good shepherd”is the fourth of seven “I am” declarations of Jesus recorded only in John’s Gospel.

These “I am” proclamations point to His unique, divine identity and purpose.

Immediately after declaring that He is “the door” inJohn 10:7, Jesus declares “I am the good shepherd.”

He describes Himself as not only “the shepherd” but the “good shepherd.” What does this mean?……It should be understood that Jesus is “the” good shepherd, not simply “a” good shepherd, as others may be, but He is unique in character (Psalm 23Zechariah 13:7Hebrews 13:201 Peter 2:251 Peter 5:4). The Greek wordkalos, translated “good,” describes that which is noble, wholesome, good, and beautiful, in contrast to that which is wicked, mean, foul, and unlovely.

It signifies not only that which is good inwardly( one’s character) but also that which is attractive outwardly.

It is an inborn goodness. Therefore, in using the phrase “the good shepherd,” Jesus is referring to His inherent goodness,

His righteousness, and His beauty.

As shepherd of the sheep, He is the one who protects, guides, and nurtures His flock.……As He did in declaring that He is “the door of the sheep” inJohn 10:7 Jesus is making a contrast between Himself and the religious leaders, the Pharisees inJohn 10:12–13

He compares them to a “hired hand” who doesn’t really care about the sheep.

InJohn 10:9, Jesus speaks of thieves and robbers who enter the sheepfold silently with the intention to harm or steel.

In that passage the Jewish leaders (Pharisees) are contrasted with Christ, who is the Door.

The “hired hand” mentioned iJohn 10:12, is contrasted with the true or faithful shepherd who willingly gives up his life for the sheep.

He who is a “hired hand” works a wage ,that is his main concern.

His concern is not for the sheep but for himself.

Interestingly enough, the shepherds of ancient times were not usually the owners of the flock.

Nevertheless, they were expected to exercise the same care and concern the owners would.

This was characteristic of a true shepherd.

But, some of the “hired hand” thought only of themselves.

As a result, when a wolf appeared (the most common threat to sheep in that day) the hireling would have abandoned the flock and fled, leaving the sheep to be scattered or killed John 10:12–13……First, to better understand the purpose of a shepherd during the times of Jesus, it is helpful to realize that sheep are utterly defenseless and totally dependent upon the shepherd.

Sheep are always subject to danger and must always be under the watchful eye of the shepherd as they graze.

Rushing walls of water down the valleys from sudden, heavy rainfalls may sweep them away, robbers may steal them, and wolves may attack the flock.

David tells how he killed a lion and a bear while defending his father’s flock as a shepherd boy 1 Samuel 17:36

Driving snow in winter, blinding dust and burning sands in summer, long, lonely hours each day—the shepherd patiently endured al that for the welfare of the flock.

In fact, shepherds were frequently subjected to grave danger, sometimes even giving their lives to protect their sheep.……Likewise, Jesus gave His life on the cross as “the Good Shepherd” for his own.

He had the power to save himself but choose to save us instead

Matthew 20:28“The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” . Through His willing sacrifice, the Lord made salvation possible for all who come to Him in faith.

In proclaiming that He is the Good Shepherd, Jesus speaks of “laying down” His life for His sheep John 10:15,17–18……Jesus’ death was divinely appointed.

It is only through Him that we receive salvation. John 10:14“I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own” Furthermore, Jesus makes it clear that it wasn’t just for the Jews that he laid down His life, but also for the “other sheep”

He says in John 10:1616 I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.

The “other sheep” clearly refers to the Gentiles. As a result, Jesus is the Good Shepherd over all, both Jew and Gentile, who come to believe upon Him John 3:16…16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave[a] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.……“What did Jesus mean when He said ‘I am the door’?”…The statement “I am the door,” found inJohn 10:7, is the third of seven “I am” declarations of Jesus recorded only in John’s Gospel. These “I am” proclamations point to His unique, divine identity and purpose. In this “I am” statement, Jesus colorfully points out for us the exclusive nature of salvation by saying that He is “the door,” not “a door.”…Furthermore, Jesus is not only our Shepherd who leads us into the “sheepfold,” but He is theonlydoor by which we may enter and be saved John 10:9. Jesus is the only means we have of receiving eternal life John 3:16. There is no other way.……To get a clear picture of Jesus’ meaning in this statement, it is helpful to understand a little about ancient culture, especially of sheep and shepherding.

Of all domesticated animals, sheep are the most helpless.

Sheep will spend their entire day grazing, wandering from place to place, never looking up.

As a result, they often become lost. But sheep have no “homing instinct” as other animals do.

They are totally incapable of finding their way to their sheepfold even when it is in plain sight.

By nature, sheep are followers.

If the lead sheep steps off a cliff, the others will follow.……Additionally, sheep are easily susceptible to injuries and are utterly helpless against predators.

If a wolf enters the pen, they won’t defend themselves.

They won’t try to run away or spread out. Instead they huddle together and are easily slaughtered.

If sheep fall into moving water, they will drown.

However, sheep fear moving water and will not drink from any stream or lake unless the water is perfectly still.

This is why David in the 23rd Psalm tells us of the shepherd who “makes [us] to lie down in green pastures, he leads [us] beside the still waters . . . though [we] walk through the valley . . . [we] will fear no evil. For You [the Shepherd] is with [us].”……Sheep are totally dependent upon the shepherd who looks after them with care and compassion.

Shepherds were the providers, guides, protectors and constant companions of sheep.

So close was the bond between shepherd and sheep that to this day Middle Eastern shepherds can divide flocks that have mingled at a well or during the night simply by calling their sheep, they know and follow their shepherd’s voice.

Shepherds were inseparable from their flocks.

The shepherd would lead the sheep to safe places to graze and make them lie down for several hours in a shady place.

Then, as night fell, the shepherd would lead the sheep to the protection of a sheepfold.……There were two kinds of sheepfolds or pens.

One kind was a public sheepfold found in the cities and villages.

It would be large enough to hold several flocks of sheep.

This sheep pen would be in the care of a porter or doorkeeper, whose duty it was to guard the door to the sheep pen during the night and would let the shepherds in the next morning.

The shepherds would call their sheep, each of which knew its own shepherd’s voice, and would lead them out to pasture.……The second kind of sheep pen was in the countryside, where the shepherds would keep their flocks in good weather.

This type of sheep pen was nothing more than a rough circle of rocks piled into a wall with a small open space to enter. Through it the shepherd would drive the sheep at nightfall.

Since there was no gate to close—just an opening—the shepherd would keep the sheep in and wild animals out by lying across the opening. He would sleep there, in this case literally becoming the door to the sheep.……In this context, Jesus is telling us that He is not only the shepherd of the sheep, but also the door of the sheep.

In doing so, He is vividly contrasting Himself with that of the religious leaders of His time whom He describes inJohn 10:8as “thieves and robbers” …When Jesus says, “I am the door,” He is says it again that salvation is only possible through Him .

This is far removed from the ecumenical teachings popular in today’s liberal religious circles.

Jesus makes it clear that any religious leader who offers salvation other than the teachings of Christ is a “thief” and a “robber.”……One who believes the gospel Hebrews 11:6…6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.…and repents of sin …Luke 13:3

3 Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God. Then you are assured of being in “the fold” and of having entered by “the door.”

As followers of Christ, Jesus is both our Shepherd and the Door to the sheepfold who provides for all our needs.

We should know because Scripture reminds us that the world is full of predators whose sole intent is to destroy us …1 Peter 5:8

8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.we are always under His protection.

More importantly, we are fully confident that

1 Peter 5:4.

4 And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor.…