One Year Journey Through the New Testament
John 10
Welcome to our journey through the New Testament!
“I Am the Good Shepherd”
1 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.
7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
17 “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes 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 command I have received from My Father.”
19 Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings. 20 And many of them said, “He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?”
21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
(John 10:1–21, NKJV)
Points to Ponder:
- Jesus teaches again in this passage unique to John’s gospel. He speaks of false shepherds and true shepherds. Those who sneak in to steal are actually theives and robbers. The true shepherds enter by the door, and the sheep recognize their voice.
- The sheep follow their true shepherd, but recoil from strangers.
- Jesus then identified Himself as the door of the sheep. He said that all who came before Him, namely to establish themselves as religious authorities, were the thieves and robbers.
- Jesus then utters the well-known saying, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
- He then also calls Himself the good shepherd. He gives His life for the sheep. The hireling will flee when danger comes, but not the good shepherd. He made it clear that He lays down His life for the sheep by His own choice.
- Many thought He was insane, but those who believed pointed to His mighty works as a testament of His validity.
The Opposition at the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem
22 Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23 And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. 24 Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. 26 But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one.”
31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?”
33 The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”
34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods” ’? 35 If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), 36 do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.” 39 Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.
40 And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed. 41 Then many came to Him and said, “John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true.” 42 And many believed in Him there.
(John 10:22–42, NKJV)
Points to Ponder:
- At another feast during winter, Jews asked Jesus to confirm if He is the Messiah. He told them that He had already told them so, but they chose not to believe. He said that His works bore witness of Him as well, but they ignored them.
- He basically showed them that they were not His sheep, but that His sheep were secure.
- They picked up stones with which to stone Him in their anger, but He asked what works warranted execution. They said He committed blasphemy.
- Jesus pointed out their flawed logic. The law told some Jews that they were gods because the word of God came to them. If they could be called gods, why could Jesus, who came from the Father and performed mighty works, not be called the son of God? They tried to capture Him, but He escaped.
- He went beyond the Jordan where John began baptizing. The people who had seen John admitted that John did no mighty works, but Jesus did everything that John said He would. Then they followed Him.
- Mighty works, miracles, healings, deliverances; they all open the door for the gospel. Lord, give us the power to do these great things so that the gospel may be received. Let revival come!
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All Scriptures from New King James Version unless otherwise noted.
Join us this afternoon at 5:00 pm for a discussion of this chapter live online. Live@5 with Dr. Greg Sloop can be found on Facebook on the Dr. Greg Sloop page or on the Kannapolis Church of God Facebook page or Youtube page. Another blog will be posted each weekday at 6:00 a.m.
Devoted To You 