In this chapter Jesus uses an illustration from everyday life in first century Palestine that everyone would have easily understood. Certain parts of that illustration are a little confusing to most of us.
He talked about sheep, shepherds, thieves, doorkeepers, doors, and hired hands. What does all this mean?
At night shepherds often herded their sheep into a stone enclosure for safety. The sheep entered the enclosure through a gate and a gatekeeper would guard the entrance. If a thief or wild animal would have to climb over the wall unnoticed to steal or harm the sheep. Another interesting fact is that the sheep in one of these enclosures might not necessarily be from the same herd belonging to same shepherd. Sheep from multiple shepherds might spend the night there. This was not a problem because the sheep actually recognized their voice of their shepherd and would follow only his voice. In the morning the shepherd would call and his sheep would follow the sound of his voice.
That’s the way it is with Jesus and His sheep. We hear His voice and follow Him. We don’t follow strange voices. Any other person attempting to harm or draw away His sheep is a thief who really doesn’t care about the sheep. He shows His love for us by laying down His life for us, while the false voices take advantage of us and then abandon us at the first sign of danger.
It is important in life that we who follow Jesus keep our hearts and minds attuned to His voice and know His word so we will not be led astray by wrong voices. This is one of many reasons daily Bible reading and prayer are important.
Each of us could benefit by regularly examining ourselves and evaluating who and what are influencing our attitudes and decisions. Is it Jesus and His word? Is it someone or something else?
It is also interesting that in verse 16 Jesus said He had “other sheep.” He is telling the Jews that Jews are not the only ones who can be part of His flock. Gentiles will also respond to His voice and become His sheep. He will make both Jews and Gentiles who believe in Him to become “one flock with one shepherd.”
The last half of this chapter makes clear that the divided opinions about Jesus are growing harder. In verse 24 His critics ask Him to “plainly” tell them if He is the “Christ” (Messiah) or not. They want a straight answer – no ambiguity. In verse 30 He affirms His deity by saying He and “the Father are one.” They did not like His answer. In verses 31 and 39 they try to seize Him and stone Him to death. What’s interesting to me is they wanted Jesus to answer their question and tell them who He was, but when He did – they didn’t like His answer.
A lot of people in our world today don’t like Jesus’ answers to a lot of questions they ask. Some choose to reject Him outright, while others “reinterpret” His words to make Him agree with them.
A fundamental truth is that you can’t have the real Jesus without also accepting what He really said. One of the things Jesus really said is: “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture” (verse 9). There is only one door by which a person may enter “eternal life” (verse 27-28) and that door is Jesus.
Pastor Steve Hogg
Will Beaty says
Matk 10:52 – Blind Bartimaeus – He called out to Jesus even when the crowd told him to be quiet. And when Jesus came into his life and he was told to go on his way, he didn’t continue to sit and beg at the gate of the city but immediately followed Jesus.