John 10

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This chapter is divided into 3 sections: the good shepherd discourse (10:1-21), the discourse with the new (22-38) and a closing section (39-42) The chapter is unified by the themes that Jesus is Lord, Israel’s shepherd, that He is one with the Father and that His saving activity absolutely secures the protection of the who are His.

So let's focus on 10:1-21 first.

So we have a lot to talk about tonight. I'm gonna throw a couple different topics around like perseverance of the Saints, a bit about how to properly read scripture and also apologetics AND I think we may see John’s first use of fully intentional use of contrast in this chapter and we’ll talk about how that the Hebrews loved to really use it to drive home the story. So just ask to stop me and ask questions if Y'all need answers.

So, how many of y’all have worked on a farm? With sheep?

Ok. So we now know that our way of shepherding is way different than Israel’s way of shepherding. For starters, there's no sheepdog in this story.

So for this chapter context is crucial, especially cultural context, in order to properly understand what Jesus is saying.

Let's start with defining our terms:

Sheepfold: A fenced enclosure with one entrance where a whole community (town) would keep their sheep when they weren’t gracing. Thieves and predators could climb over the fence to steal or kill the sheep if left unguarded.

“enters by the door” The shepherd doesn’t need to climb over but is admitted by the watchman, if there was a guard, or by merely opening the pin and then calling out each individual sheep to attend to them.

Since we talked about Israel dirt last time lets talk about something way more interesting. Let's talk about Israel trees.

Sheep pens would’ve been made out of thorns, from thorn bushes, and Cypress and hardwood. So the sheep pen here represents the world/fallen humanity. But it also points back to Jesus in that Jesus took the sin of the world and the curse of sin (His crown of thorns) on His shoulders upon His death.

As an early Catholic put it, "An old legend makes out that the Cross was made of “Palm of Victory,” “Cedar of Incorruption,” and “Olive for Royal and Priestly Unction.” And in a Latin verse, we are told: The foot of the Cross is Cedar, The Palm holds back the hands, Th’ tall Cypress holds the body, The Olive in joy is inscribed.”

I just thought was super cool and wanted to share that symbolizes with Y'all. Never stop asking questions about the word/always hunger for God.

So now that we got our basic terms down let's dig into this a little more.

10:3 What's this verse mean? (the shepherd knows his sheep by name and the sheep recognize their shepherd’s voice and come to him. This is a vivid image of how God has marked some ppl to be his in the midst of fallen humanity).

Jesus, the shepherd, called out to us, His sheep, by our name and led us out the world (Because that's what I think the sheepfold represents).

Do y’all know what the word “Church” means in Greek? It means called out ones.

That's what the Church really is; those that have been called out and believe in Jesus.

Now Jesus here says that He “leads [his sheep] out” in what way does Jesus lead us? He is our leader by example. He set the perfect example of righteousness/right living in the everyday presence of God.

So the shepherd: 1) enters by the door 2) the sheep hear his voice 3) He calls them out by name 4) the sheep follow him because we know His voice.

Sheep: Their shepherd enters by the door 2) hear his voice 3) The shepherd calls the sheep and they follow him because they know his voice. 4) the sheep won't follow a stranger but flee because they don’t know the voice of a stranger.

(10:4

Electing grace is also effective grace: Jesus, who knows the sheep, reveals himself to them in such a way that they will respond. He doesn't force them to follow Him but through the work of regeneration He makes them willing).

10:5

This comforting promise doesn’t exclude the need to warn believers against false/deceitful teachers.

10:7

Jesus changes the metaphor from shepherd to door. Jesus is the one through whom eternal life is received. This “I am” phrase here continues the series of 7 such expressions in this gospel.

10:8

This doesn’t refer to OT prophets sent by God but to the long ling of Israel's corrupt leaders (kings, priests and now the Pharisees) who God indicted as negligent and explosive shepherds in Jer. 23.

10:7-10

So here, Jesus is being to explain this figure of speech by saying how he is the door and the shepherd.

Now, this is a little hard text to interrupt because the question is who is the thief? And that's the question I present now who do y’all think the thief of 10:10 is?

Our interruption can go one of two ways 1) the thieves could be the Pharisees Which I think it is. 2) we could go w modern orthodoxy and say the thief is Satan.

I think its the Pharisees given the near context of Ch. 9 and the Pharisees were there teaching the ppl before Jesus and we know from 9:41 that the Pharisees failed in their job of teaching the ppl about God and His Messiah because Jesus they’re guilty of a failure of duty remains on them. So given that Jesus just condemned the Pharisees for their failure in duty I think 10:10 is about them and NOT satan given the context. Moreover, the Pharisees wanted to steal Jesus' glory for themselves/or steal His following, they wanted to kill Jesus because of His ministry and they wanted to destroy His work.

(10:9

‘go in and out” sheep come into the fold for safety and go out under their shepherd’s guidance for pasture. Jesus invokes imagery of ps 23.)

10:11

In what way did Jesus lay down his life for his sheep?

The Christ Himself was sent by God to pay for the just punishment of the sin of mankind so that we could know and be with God once again all because He loved His sheep.

Jesus GAVE His life. He didn’t risk his life. He gives His life, enduring death on behalf of the sinner. This is intimated in the name “lamb of God” declared by the Baptist and other statements of Jesus as well.

(for the sheep

this sacrifice is for the sheep. It's for those whom the Father has given him/the elect. it is they who through the death of Jesus on their behalf will be justified and enjoy fellowship w, God.)

Notice in this chapter how Jesus describes us/His followers as “sheep”. What do y’all think the implications for that are?

10:12

So here Jesus contrasts his good shepherding with a hired hand, someone who isn’t a good shepherd because he is afraid of the wolves. But Jesus the good shepherd died to protect his sheep from the wolves.

Here He contrasts His sacrificial service with the cowardly abandonment of the sheep by those controlled by self-interest. Thieves steal the sheep, hirelings abandon the sheep, but Jesus lays down His life for the sheep.

Who do yall think the hired hand might be? Peter/disciples probably.

Who does y’all think the wolves might be? An enemy of God, at least. Probably the Pharisees because they wanted to kill Jesus. Also “the thief” and “the wolf” seems to correlate to one another.

10:13

I think John here many be using contrast to speak on how much Jesus loves His sheep/followers. “cares nothing” the implication being that Jesus defended His sheep and therefore loved/cared for them absolutely and eternally.

10:14

This is placed in parallel with the intimacy between the Father and the Son. It's clear that “know” here, as so often in scripture, means more than having a mental grasp; it includes personal understanding and a commitment of will.

10:16

Who are these other sheep not of this fold?

Gentiles. Because “not of this fold” meaning He speaks to Jews. So what's a “not Jew”? A gentile. Thus, Jesus is the savior of the whole world, not just the jews.

1:18

Often in theological circles the topic of “who killed Jesus the Jews or Romans?” Here, and elsewhere Jesus claims that He laid His own life down and therefore picked it back up again. Why does it matter if Jesus rose again or not?

Resurrection is what comforts Jesus as the Christ because that's what He said he would do, it also affirmed that His word/teaching is true. Moreover, His resurrect is symbolic of us being raised to life, that is given new life, by God as well. If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead then we have no eternal life. But he did and therefore we do and we know that He is true.

read 10:22-42