The key to understanding the parable of the Good Shepherd lies in the references to the gate mentioned in John 10:7 and 9). When Jesus mentions something two times, it is worth noting.
So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.
All who came before me are thieves and bandits, but the sheep did not listen to them.
I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture” (John 10:7-9).
To understand what Jesus meant by the gate, imagine a sheep pen typical of ancient Israel. It was likely built using stones gathered from the rocky ground. Shepherds would arrange these stones to form an enclosure, leaving an opening that served as the gate.
The shepherd would lie down in this opening, literally becoming the gate. Anyone entering to see the sheep or any sheep leaving the pen would have to cross over the shepherd, who acted as the gate.
By describing himself as the gate to the sheepfold, Jesus was emphasizing that he is the only way for people to enter the life God has planned for them.
Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
The Thief and Jesus Contrasted
Jesus contrasted his life-giving ministry with that of the thief.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).
While the thief is often identified as Satan, the thieves and bandits mentioned in verses 1 through 8 also represent human agents working under the influence of the thief. Our opposition comes not only from the devil but also from the world’s corrupt systems and our own flawed responses to God’s work.
Jesus highlighted the difference between the good shepherd and another figure—a hired hand. Unlike the shepherd, the hired hand is primarily concerned with earning wages and has no genuine care for the sheep.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.
The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep” (John 10:11-13).
Ezekiel 34 provides a vivid depiction of the behavior of a hired hand, whose primary focus is on satisfying his own needs while neglecting the well-being of the sheep.
The shepherds described in Ezekiel 34 symbolize governmental leaders, religious authorities, and others in positions of power. Remarkably, not much has changed since the sixth century BC when Ezekiel penned these words.
The good shepherd cares deeply for his sheep. He demonstrated this by laying down his life through the crucifixion and rising again in resurrection, providing his sheep with the best possible life now and the promise of heaven in the future.
A Grand Invitation
There is much more to explore in the story of the Good Shepherd, but I will conclude with verses 14 and 15. Take a few moments to meditate on these verses and reflect on the profound truths they hold for your life.
“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).
No one would dispute the profound and intimate relationship between the Father and the Son. However, take note of what Jesus says.
He declares that He knows us, and we know Him, with the same depth and intimacy as the Father knows Him and He knows the Father.
Jesus laid down His life so that we could experience this kind of intimate relationship with Him.
A preacher once said, “I want to experience everything that Jesus died for me to have.” If this kind of intimacy is part of what Jesus sacrificed to give us, let us fully embrace it with all our hearts.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today. It’s on the Bob Spradling channel.
Real Voices 