The Shepherd and The Door

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. John 10:1

“Truly, truly” in the KJV is “verily, verily.” It is the Greek word “amen,” taken from the Hebrew word “amanah.” This is a firmly fixed truth. Trustworthy. Point of doctrine. Important knowledge. Pay attention to this and don’t forget it!

There was one door in the Ark. There was one door in the Tabernacle...

There is one door to the sheepfold. Anyone coming in some other way is not the shepherd. The reason the thieves and robbers cannot come in at the door is because there is a porter (gatekeeper) guarding the door as the sheep rest at night. Each shepherd has charge of his own sheep. Sheep must have a keeper, a caregiver; they are not smart or self-sufficient in any way, but they know the voice of their shepherd, and will not follow another.

"But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.  A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”  This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. John 10:2-6

This uncomplicated illustration Jesus gave to His listeners was familiar to them, but the profound spiritual truth He was teaching escaped their comprehension. The gatekeeper represents the Holy Spirit, who guards God’s people (sheep), keeping them safe until the Messiah (shepherd) arrives. Those who are trying to molest the sheep and lead them astray are thieves (kleptes) who steal by strategy (man-made religion, empty ritual), and robbers (lestes) who steal by violent plunder (legalism, taboos, lies). They are false teachers: Pharisees, legalists, religionists. The blind beggar in chapter 9 never bought religion, but he recognized the reality of Jesus Christ. Likewise, many of us then and now have been turned off, confused and alienated by legalism and religion, but sense an immediate connection to Jesus Himself as we read the gospel accounts of His life and mission. We hear our Shepherd’s voice and follow Him. He takes us as His own, permanently. He leads us into rich pastures of Bible doctrine, where our souls are nourished for growth in grace and knowledge of Him. Then He places us in His shelter, for safekeeping under the watchcare of the Holy Spirit.

So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:7-10

The thieves and robbers are operatives in Satan’s system. He promotes religion, knowing it will destroy those who try to live by it. He promotes false doctrine, knowing it will confuse those who are trying to earn points with God. He steals the truth from those who are paying attention to legalists. Jesus came with one objective: to give us eternal life. He has the authority to be both the shepherd (our keeper) and the door to salvation and spiritual growth.

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. John 10:11

At the time He spoke these words, Jesus had not yet died physically for us, but He had laid down His life of heavenly glory, by becoming a man and living among men for over 30 years. To me, that seems an enormous sacrifice in itself. Yet, that would not be the whole sacrifice. He knew He was destined for a terrible, tortuous spiritual death under the penalty of all the sins of the human race. He did this willingly, to redeem us from slavery to sin and make us members of His Royal Family forever.

The thieves, the robbers, the false teachers, the hired hands are not shepherds. They don’t even know the eternal issues involved in shepherding human sheep, much less would they give up their comforts and pleasures and even their very lives to protect us. Their objective is to manipulate us, use us and cast us aside. When the world attacks and abuses us, the hired hand runs away, leaving us to be ravaged by the wolves. That’s because we are of no real importance to the hireling; we are just a means to an end.

He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. John 10:12-13

I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. John 10:14-15

Our Lord knows His own and His own know Him. That’s why, when a born-again believer in Jesus Christ hears and reads His Word, it rings true, bringing freedom, comfort, knowledge and perfect peace. It is a familial relationship, just as God the Son enjoys with God the Father. We may not have complete comprehension when we first read a scripture, but being His sheep, we can rest assured that as we go on with Him, the deeper meaning will come to light in our soul. That is trust. That is faith. This very Gospel of John has brought that truth home to me, comparing my comprehension of it 50 years ago with what it means to me now. The more we know of Him, the more we love Him, and the more assuredly we recognize the voice of our Shepherd, the more readily we will reject the wooings of the hirelings, the thieves, the robbers, the wolves.

And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. John 10:16

Jesus was speaking to Jews, in the dispensation of Israel. Those Jews who believed in Him were His sheep at that time. After His death, burial, resurrection and ascension, the dispensation of the Church would begin. That is now. Jews and Gentiles of all nationalities are hearing and believing Him, since the day of Pentecost. Sheep not of the original fold, but belonging to the same Shepherd. We are one flock. We are Church.

For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” John 10:17-18

It was the Father’s plan, but the Son is the executor. As such, He operates under His own authority to lay down His life and take it up again. No one else has that authority over Him. Everything He suffered for us, He suffered willingly.

There was again a division among the Jews because of these words. Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?”  Others said, “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” John 10:19-21

Jews love to argue and debate, as do most men. Argument and debate won’t bring us to the truth about Jesus. To arrive at His truth, it is necessary that we simply believe Him. That is the key that opens the door to abundant life IN CHRIST.