John 10:1

John 10:1 . Verily, &c. — The Pharisees supported themselves in their opposition to Christ with this principle, that they were pastors of the church; and that Jesus, having no commission from them, was an intruder and an impostor, and that, therefore, the people were bound in duty to adhere to them against him. In opposition to this, Christ here describes who were the false shepherds and who were the true, leaving them to infer what they were. He introduces his discourse with, Verily, verily, I say unto you — To show, not only the certain truth, but the deep importance of what he uttered. He speaks by way of parable or similitude, taken from the customary way of managing sheep in that country. It is supposed that he was now in the outer court of the temple, near the sheep which were there exposed to sale for sacrifice, the sight of which reminded him of the language of the ancient prophets, “who often compared the teachers of their own time to shepherds, and the people to sheep.

Accordingly, in describing the characters of the scribes and Pharisees, he made use of the same metaphor, showing that there are two kinds of evil shepherds, pastors, or teachers; one, who, instead of entering in by the door to lead the flock out and feed it, enter in some other way, with an intention to kill and destroy; another, who, though they may have entered in by the door, feed their flocks with the dispositions of hirelings; for when they see the wolf coming, or any danger approaching, they desert their flocks, because they love themselves only. The Pharisees plainly showed themselves to be of the former character, by excommunicating the man that had been blind, because he would not act contrary to the dictates of his reason and conscience to please them. But though they cast him out of their church, Christ received him into his, which is the true church, the spiritual enclosure, where the sheep go in and out and find pasture.” He that entereth not by the door into the sheep-fold, &c. — “I assure you, that whosoever, in any age of the church, assumed the office of a teacher, without commission from me, and without a sincere regard to the edification and salvation of men’s souls, was a thief and a robber; and in the present age, he is no better who assumes that office without my commission, and particularly without believing on me, and without intending my honour and the good of the church.” — Macknight.

John 10:1 . Ἀμὴν … λῃστής . The αὐλή , or sheepfold, into which the sheep were gathered for safety every night, is described as being very similar to folds in some parts of our own country; a walled, unroofed enclosure. The θύρα , however, is not as with us a hurdle or gate, but a solid door heavily barred and capable of resisting attack. This door is watched by a θυρωρός [door-guard, for root “or” vide Spratt’s Thucyd. , iii. p. 132], who in the morning opened to the shepherd. He who does not appeal to the θυρωρός but climbs up over the wall by some other way (lit. from some other direction: ἀλλαχόθεν , which is used in later Greek for the Attic ἄλλοθεν ) is κλέπτης καὶ λῃστής , a “thief” who uses fraud and a “robber” who is prepared to use violence. That is to say, his method of entrance, being illegitimate, declares that he has no right to the sheep.

Verily, verily (ἀμὴν, ἀμὴν) The formula never begins anything quite new, but connects what follows with what precedes. This discourse grows out of the assumption of the Pharisees to be the only authoritative guides of the people (John 9:24, John 9:29). They have already been described as blind and sinful. Sheepfold (αὐλὴν τῶν προβάτων) Literally, fold of the sheep. So Rev., better, because the two ideas of the flock and the fold are treated distinctly. Compare John 10:16. Some other way (ἀλλαχόθεν) Literally, from some other quarter. The thief does not, like the shepherd, come from some well-known direction, as from his dwelling or from the pasture, but from an unknown quarter and by a road of his own. This from is significant, because, in the previous discourses, Jesus has laid great stress on the source from which He proceeded, and has made the difference in character between Himself and His opposers turn upon difference of origin. See John 8:23, John 8:42, John 8:44. In the latter part of this chapter He brings out the same thought (John 10:30, John 10:32, John 10:33, John 10:36). Thief - robber (κλέπτης - λῃστής) For the distinction see on Mark 11:17. There is a climax in the order of the words; one who will gain his end by craft, and, if that will not suffice, by violence.

Verily, {1} 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. (1) Seeing that by Christ alone we have access to the Father, there are no true shepherds other than those who come to Christ themselves and bring others there also, neither is any to be thought to be in the true sheepfold but those who are gathered to Christ.

CHAPTER 10 Joh 10:1-21. The Good Shepherd. This discourse seems plainly to be a continuation of the closing verses of the ninth chapter. The figure was familiar to the Jewish ear (from Jer 23:1-40; Eze 34:1-31; Zec 11:1-17, &c.). "This simple creature [the sheep] has this special note among all animals, that it quickly hears the voice of the shepherd, follows no one else, depends entirely on him, and seeks help from him alone—cannot help itself, but is shut up to another's aid" [Luther in Stier]. 1, 2. He that entereth not by the door—the legitimate way (without saying what that was, as yet). into the sheepfold—the sacred enclosure of God's true people. climbeth up some other way—not referring to the assumption of ecclesiastical office without an external call, for those Jewish rulers, specially aimed at, had this (Mt 23:2), but to the want of a true spiritual commission, the seal of heaven going along with the outward authority; it is the assumption of the spiritual guidance of the people without this that is meant.John 10:1-18 Christ declareth himself to be the Door, and thegood Shepherd.John 10:19-21 Divers opinions concerning him.John 10:22-30 He proveth to the Jews by his works that he is theChrist, and asserts his unity with the Father.John 10:31-38 The Jews go about to stone him: he justifieth his doctrine,John 10:39-42 and escaping from them, goeth beyond Jordan, wheremany believe on him.

In this famous parable, which reacheth to John 10:30, our Saviour seemeth to drive two great designs: 1. To prove himself the true Shepherd. 2. To prove the Pharisees and teachers of those times thieves and robbers. It should seem, that the sheepfolds in those countries were houses, which had doors by which the entry was into them: there is no doubt but by the sheepfold is meant here the church of God, in which the people of God are gathered together in one. By the door he apparently meaneth himself, as he himself speaketh, John 10:9. Or rather, more generally, that way which God hath appointed for any that are to take charge of his church to enter. He is both the Shepherd (the true Shepherd) and the Door: the Shepherd, as the care, conduct, and government of the church belongeth to him, and is upon his shoulders: the Door, as he is he whom the Father hath ordained to be the chief Shepherd, from whom all who pretend to any right to teach or govern in the church must derive both their authority and abilities.

John 10:1 . Ἀμήν verily ) These words are in close connection with those that precede; for the ἐκεῖνοι , John 10:6 , “ they understood not what things they were which He spake,” has reference to ch. John 9:40 , “The Pharisees—heard these words, and said, Are we blind also?” [ And indeed we may suppose that this parabolic discourse , John 10:1-5 , was delivered at a point of time mid-way between the Feast of Tabernacles and the Feast of Dedication ( John 10:22 ); for John 10:21 , “Can a devil open the eyes of the blind? ” refers back to the miracle that was wrought next after the Feast of Tabernacles; and the words which He put forth at the Feast of Dedication , John 10:26-30 (containing the same image, sheep), refer to that parabolic discourse ( John 10:1-5 ).—Harm., p. 363.]— διὰ τῆς θύρας , through the door ) through Christ: John 10:9 , “I am the door.” Only one legitimate way of access lies open; all others are closed.— εἰς τὴν αὐλήν , into the sheep-fold ) concerning which, John 10:16 , “There shall be one fold and one Shepherd.”— τῶν προβάτων , of the sheep ) This allegory is continued as far as to ver, 30. And sheep seem to have been before His eyes at the time.— ἀναβαίνων , climbing up ) over the fence.— κλέπτης καὶ λῃστής , a thief and robber ) John 10:8 , “All that ever came before Me are thieves and robbers.”

1–10 . The Allegory of the Door of the Fold 1 . Verily, verily ] This double affirmation, peculiar to this Gospel (see on John 1:51 ), never occurs at the beginning of a discourse, but either in continuation, to introduce some deep truth, or in reply. This verse is no exception. There is no break between the chapters, which should perhaps have been divided at John 9:34 or 38 rather than here. The scene continues uninterrupted from John 9:35 to John 10:21 , where we have a reference to the healing of the blind man. Moreover John 10:6 seems to point back to John 9:41 ; their not understanding the allegory was evidence of self-complacent blindness. This chapter, therefore, although it contains a fresh subject, is connected with the incidents in chap. 9, and grows out of them. The connexion seems to be that the Pharisees by their conduct to the man had proved themselves bad shepherds; but he has found the Good Shepherd: they had cast him out of doors; but he has found the Door: they had put him forth to drive him away; the Good Shepherd puts His sheep forth to lead them. We are not told where these words are spoken; so that it is impossible to say whether it is probable that a sheepfold with the shepherds and their flocks was in sight. There is nothing improbable in the supposition. He that entereth not by the door ] The Oriental sheepfolds are commonly walled or palisaded, with one door or gate.

Into one of these enclosures several shepherds drive their flocks, leaving them in charge of an under-shepherd or porter, who fastens the door securely inside, and remains with the sheep all night. In the morning the shepherds come to the door, the porter opens to them, and each calls away his own sheep. some other way ] Literally, from another quarter: the word occurs here only in N.T. the same ] Better, he ; literally, that one . It is a pronoun of which S. John is very fond in order to recall with emphasis some person or thing previously mentioned. Comp. John 1:18 ; John 1:33 , John 5:2 ; John 5:39 , John 9:37 , John 12:48 , John 14:21 ; John 14:26 , John 15:26 . In John 1:33 (‘the same said unto me’), John 5:11 , and John 12:48 it is inaccurately translated, as here, ‘the same.’ a thief and robber ] Everywhere in this Gospel (8, 10, John 12:6 , John 18:40 ), as also 2 Corinthians 11:26 , these words are given correctly as renderings of the Greek equivalents; but everywhere else in N.T. ( Matthew 21:13 ; Matthew 26:55 ; Matthew 27:38 , &c., &c.) the word here translated ‘robber’ is less well translated ‘thief.’ The ‘robber’ is a brigand, a more formidable criminal than the ‘thief;’ the one uses violence, the other cunning. 1–18 . “The form of the discourse in the first half of chap. 10 is remarkable. It resembles the Synoptic parables, but not exactly. The parable is a short narrative, which is kept wholly separate from the ideal facts which it signifies.