Comments on John 10 The shepherd and flock themes employed in this chapter have their roots in the Law (cf. Gen. 49:24, Num. 27:15-18), but are later developed to a large extent in the Prophets (cf. Isa. 40:10-11, Isa. 56:9-12, Jer. 12:10, Jer. 17:16, Ezek. 34, Micah 3, Zech. 11, Zech. 13:7-9, also cp. Ps. 14, D&C 33:4). As these passages indicate, the religious leaders were called to act as shepherds to Israel who were likened to flocks of sheep. However, the leaders more frequently acted as thieves and robbers who gorged themselves on the flock. Jesus is drawing on this OT prophetic context in the present discourse. He is saying the present religious leaders of Judah are no better than these ancient religious leaders who exploited Israel for their personal benefit. In contrast, he holds himself up as the ideal example of what the religious leaders of Israel ought to be like. The primary audience he is addressing is the Pharisees from the end of the preceding chapter, cf. 9:40-41. Naturally, there were others present in a public place, but the discourse in v. 1- 18 is a result of the Pharisee's taunts. Jesus addresses them in response and contrasts them with himself using imagery they ought to be familiar with. This chapter can be seen as Jesus' interpretation on Ezek. 34:11-22. v1-21 close the Feast of Tabernacles narrative that started with ch. 8. v1-5 These verses contain two parables, or one parable with two parts, which are later explained in v. 7-18. Verses 1-3a is the parable of the gate, explained in v. 7-10. Verses 3b-5c is the parable of the good shepherd, explained in v. 11-18. v1-3a Those who enter the sheepfold by any other way other than the door are people who are out to commit some crime (v. 1), if they weren't they would use the gate. The one who enters the gate is the shepherd of the sheep (v. 2), there is no need for him to sneak in another any other way. The porter of the gate will open the gate to the shepherd (v. 3a). The religious leaders of Israel are supposed to be watchmen among Israel, instead they are thieves and robbers. v3b-5c The shepherd of the sheep calls the sheep, they recognize his voice, and he leads them out to green pastures (v. 3). He goes before his sheep and they follow him because they know him (v. 4). They will not follow a stranger because they do not know his voice, instead they will flee from him (v. 5). The healed blind man from the previous chapter would be an example of one of the shepherd's sheep who doesn't follow the strangers voice (i.e., the Pharisees), but instead heeds the voice of the shepherd (i.e., Jesus). v3 Compare Mark 6:34. "calleth his own sheep by name", in other words, he knows each sheep individually, cp. Luke 15:3-7. "leadeth them out", cp. Num. 27:17, Isa. 55:4. v6 Despite the frequent usage of the symbolism in the Scriptures, the Pharisees still don't grasp Jesus' message. So, he expounds upon the parables in more plain terms in v. 7-18. Why don't they understand the message? The OT Prophetic passages that condemn the bad shepherds condemn them, and so they ignore it rather than confess they are sinners and repent. The result is spiritual blindness. v7-10 Jesus interprets v. 1-3a when he states plainly that he is the gate (v. 7). He states that he is the gate which all of the thieves and robbers avoid (v. 8), and is the gate by which the sheep may find green pastures which represents the salvation of man (v. 9). The thieves are interested in selfish pursuits of stealing, killing, and destroying, but the Jesus is come to selflessly grant life in abundance to the sheep (v. 10). v10 "kill", in the discourse in 8:44 we hear the adversary is a murderer from the beginning, and so those who follow after him do his works. The Anchor Bible (AB) states the Greek term "thyein" is not the usual word for "to kill" used elsewhere by John. They suggest it is a sly reference to sacrifices and therefore can be taken as an attack on the priests. v11-18 Jesus interprets v. 3b-5c giving two reasons why he is the good shepherd: he lays down his life for the sheep (v. 11- 13), and intimately knows all of the sheep (v. 14-16). Jesus is the good shepherd because he gives his life for the sheep (v. 11). The hireling is only in it for the money so he doesn't really care about the sheep when they are threatened (v. 12-13). Jesus is the good shepherd because he knows his sheep individually, and they know him as well (v. 14) just as he knows the Father and the Father knows him (v. 15). Jesus knows all of his sheep, even those not of the present fold, all of them will be united into one fold (v. 16). And so the Father loves him because he lays down his life so that he may take it up again (v. 17), and in so doing bring salvation to his sheep as his Father has commanded him and granted him authority to do (v. 18). v11-13 Compare Matt. 10:16, Acts 20:28-29. v11 "good", the Greek term "kalon" is most literally translated to "ideal", and also has the meaning of "nobel" and "model", cp. 1 Sam. 16:11-12. "shepherd", the occupation of a shepherd was a lowly and humble one. There was no public recognition. It was solitary and difficult to care for helpless sheep. v12 Compare Zech. 11:5. v14-16 Compare Nahum 1:7, Isa. 40:11. v14 Compare 6:37, 6:44, 6:65, 17:6-7. v16 "one fold, and on shepherd", cp. 3:29, 8:47, 11:52, 18:37. See also 3 Ne. 15:21-23 for Jesus' comments on this verse among the Nephites. See also Ezek. 34:11-14 for background on the gathering of the scattered sheep by the shepherding Lord. v18 "No man taketh it from me", this verse speaks of mortality invested with divinity. Jesus is without sin, and therefore the Fall of man (e.g., physical and spiritual death) have no hold on him. And, those who seek to kill him can find no fault in him and are constantly being thwarted. So, Jesus has complete control over his fate, unlike the rest of us, yet he choose to sacrifice his life for his people. v19-21 recount previous incidents of division among the people (cp. 7:12, 7:25-27, 7:31, 7:40-41, 9:16) and accusations of madness and possession (cp. 7:20, 8:48). Despite all of the evidence given, the miracles and sermons, nothing has changed the hearts and minds of the people. v21 "Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?", possibly referring to Ps. 146:8. The fault-finders are grasping at straws in order to excuse themselves, and so others point out to them they are doing so by rejecting their arguments with strong logic. However, the result is a morass of contention as the people are not penitent. v22-39 takes place some two or three months later at the subsequent Feast of Dedication, a.k.a. Chanukah. However, the same subject of shepherd and sheep is addressed, so the text is connected in theme while there is a transition in time. Jesus is in the Temple for the observance of the Feast of Dedication (v. 22-23) when the Pharisees surround him and insist he tell them plainly whether or not he claims to be messiah (v. 24). Jesus responds saying he has already answered that question and his Father's works which he does bear witness of the truth of his testimony (v. 25). But, since they are not his sheep they will not believe him (v. 26), as his sheep hear him, believe him, and follow him (v. 27). Jesus states he gives his sheep eternal life, and none of them are taken from his hands (v. 28), because they are held in the Father's hands (v. 29). Jesus states this is achieved because of his unity with the Father (v. 30). The Pharisees take up stone to stone him with (v. 31), and Jesus asks them for which of the Father's works they are stoning him (v. 32). They respond saying they are not stoning him for good works, but for making himself God (v. 33). Jesus points out to them that the Law says that they are gods (v. 34-35), and Jesus points out to them that he has claimed to the be the Son of God (v. 36), not God as they accuse. Jesus then appeals to the works he does, which they just previously confessed they could not stone him for, and says that if he didn't do the works of the Father, then they shouldn't believe him (v. 37). If they don't believe Jesus' testimony concerning himself as being the Son of God, then they should believe the works he does, as that proves the Father is with him (v. 38). Jesus' argument effectively disarms their accusation of blasphemy as he points out he hasn't blasphemed. And he hamstrings any possibility of their finding fault with his works because they admit they cannot stone him for any of them in v. 33. So, Jesus once again outwits them and escapes out of their hands (v. 39). It is plain from the events the Pharisees are hostile from the outset and are looking for an excuse to attack him, cp. v. 39. The eagerness with which they take up stones to stone him with despite the fact that he has not blasphemed indicates what their real motives were the entire time. v24 "the Jews", we would assume these are Pharisees in specific and not just common Jews in general given the preceding references in the chapter characterizing "the Jews" as being the Pharisees, cf. 9:16-18. "round about him", a better translation would be "surround him". v25 The works being a witness is a major theme in John's Gospel, cf. v. 21, 5:36, 9:30-32. v30-33 Jesus says he and his Father are one. He never says that he himself is God. The Pharisees are looking for an excuse to kill him, and they go so far as to accuse him of blasphemy when he hasn't committed it. Jesus makes no such statement that he is God, his explicit statement appears after their accusation and he identifies himself as "the Son of God" in v. 36. They are putting words in his mouth in order to attack him. v34-35 Jesus draws on passages from the Scriptures to point out their hypocrisy. First Jesus quotes Ps. 82:6 in v. 34 and then he paraphrases Exod. 7:1 and Exod. 21:6 and alludes to passages such as 2 Chron 19:6, Jer. 1:2, and Hosea 1:1 (also cp. Luke 3:2) in v. 35. The Exodus references are the most important ones in this argument. They cast the person in the judgement seat as being "as God" to another, or vicariously representing God when exercising the Priesthood in judgement according to the Law. Also, it is entirely possible Ps. 82:6 is in fact a commentary on Exod. 7:1 and Exod. 21:6. With these comments it almost seems Jesus is sidestepping the issue. We know Jesus is invested with all of the power of his Father and thus is God in the flesh, so why is Jesus apparently dodging the issue? Jesus has never identified himself as "God", rather he has constantly deferred to his Father as his source of doctrine and power. For example, see 5:18 and 5:30 where they seek to stone Jesus for making himself equal with God, yet Jesus is constantly deferring to the Father. Jesus never announces himself equal with God, and so the accusation is false. While Jesus has been invested with his Father's authority, it is still his Father's. And thus, in the sense of being dependant on the Father, Jesus is not equal to him. Furthermore, the Pharisees are falsely attributing a position to Jesus in order to contrive a stonable offense again him, and he must refute that false attribution or else it could be perceived as tacit approval. v36 "whom the Father hath sanctified", cp. 6:69, 17:19. v40-42 Jesus leaves Jerusalem, where the people don't believe his works as he tells them they should in v. 37-38, and goes beyond Jordan where John Baptist formerly proselyted (v. 40). Many people there believe in Jesus' works and therefore him and remark that all of John Baptist's testimony concerning Jesus was true (v. 41-42). John's intent is to contrast the unbelief of the Pharisees and rulers at Jerusalem with the belief of the common Jewish people. Also, since Jesus was not ready to die, he stays among believers until the following Passover (cf. 11:55) when his time was ready. Copyright © 2001 by S. Kurt Neumiller . All rights reserved. No part of this text may be reproduced in any form or by any means for commercial gain without the express written consent of the author. Digital or printed copies may be freely made and distributed for personal and public non-commercial use.