“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.” John 10:1-5
My Summary & Reflection
Jesus notes that the person who enters the place where the sheep are kept, not by the door but by some other way, is a thief. But the person who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To the shepherd, the porter opens the door. The sheep hear the shepherd’s voice. He calls the sheep each by its own name, and leads them out. He walks ahead of the sheep and they follow him because they know his voice. The sheep will not follow a stranger, because they don’t know the stranger’s voice.
In this parable, Jesus first compares himself to the door of the sheep. In his explanation he says, “I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” John 10:9 This idea echoes that described in the parable of The Strait Gate https://leaveninthemeal.com/2019/01/23/week-27-the-strait-gate/ in that the gate or the door is the path that must be followed to obtain eternal life. In another passage, Jesus says, “…I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6
This however is not the only comparison made in this parable. Jesus also notes that he, in this parable, is also the shepherd. “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” John 10:11 As the shepherd, Jesus identifies each individual by name. As in the parable of the Good Shepherd, https://leaveninthemeal.com/2019/02/13/week-30-the-good-shepherd/, Jesus again wants us to know that each person is important individually. He, as the shepherd, leads us out and we recognize his voice as our leader.
The duality as both the door and as the shepherd is explained by Jesus in that he and the Father are in unison. He can be both the way and the shepherd at the same time. He says, “I and my Father are one.” John 10:30.
Your Reflection
- Have you found your way to the doorway to eternal life?
- Do you hear Jesus’ voice guiding your path?
- What prevents you from following the path that Jesus is laying out for you?