1 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.”
This section is stating two major truths that Jesus emphasizes with the words, amen, amen, or truly, truly, or verily, verily. As with every time he starts a teaching with these words, we need to pay careful attention and see how it applies to our lives.
I’m not sure exactly how much to say about sheepfolds since there are plenty of commentaries that describe them, but the big point of them is that there is only one door or gate into a pen where more than one flock is kept overnight. It is interesting that the English word fold implies a blending but the Greek word aule means “a yard (as open to the wind); by implication, a mansion.”[1] It appears that John was inspired to pick a Greek word to express what Jesus had said in Aramaic and it carries a double meaning. It is obvious that Jesus is not simply talking about sheep and pens. He is talking about people and God’s protection. So the sheepfold actually represents a mansion or palace where many people are gathered and protected. There is only one way in and out of this palace and that is the door.
Notice that the thief must climb up to get in if he isn’t using the door. It doesn’t say climb over the wall but climb up. Some of the sheepfolds had towers apparently need to keep watch over the sheep and it also served as a protection from intruders. So the thief must climb up the outside, overpower the guards or doorkeeper before stealing the sheep. In one sense, the sheepfold could be likened to the Church and the thief represents false teachers who must work at getting into a position to deceive people. We must always be alert to those who teach us. We can’t assume that because they are in a position of leadership that they are always right. We must be like the Bereans who were “examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” (Acts 17:11 ESV).
I am also astounded by the number of wolves on social media who are trying their best to influence young believers and steer them away from the truth. If I post something about Jesus’ deity, the comments multiply denying it.
2 “But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.”
Since we can read ahead, it is easy to understand that Jesus is the shepherd as he states in verse 11. He is the only one who can enter by the door. He is the only one who is worthy. He has been sent by the Father and he is the one who will purchase the sheep as is described in the new song of Revelation 5:9, “And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation” (ESV).
3 “To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.”
Who is Jesus talking about when he refers to the doorkeeper? When we look at the physical structure of the sheepfold, the doorkeeper is the one who authenticates the shepherd who is coming to claim his sheep. In this sense, this would be God the Father. He is the one who has authenticated Jesus with miracles. In another sense the doorkeeper opens and that would refer to work of the Holy Spirit since he opens us up to be able to hear Jesus’ voice calling us.
Once we have ears to hear, we are able to hear Jesus calling. Yet we remember that we are the ones who have been given to Jesus by the Father. We are called by name, not Y’all, but as individuals. When we see Jesus calling his own out of the sheep that are in the fold, it gives a different meaning to the fold. When we say the fold is like the Church, we stumble because there is the idea that in this fold are sheep who belong to another beside Jesus. Perhaps the sheepfold is not the Church, meaning the body of Christ but the congregations in which there is always some unbelievers. The ones who hear are true Christians and follow Jesus out of the fold.
True Christians follow Jesus. We know his voice and respond to his commands. “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me’” (Matt 16:24 NIV). It is fitting that those who follow Jesus live a life that includes denying ourselves and bearing whatever burden he gives us.
5 “Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers." 6 Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.
Sometimes we become too anxious about making sure people in our churches are following Jesus. We must remember that there are always some who don’t know Jesus and we can only point them to Jesus. Those who are following strange teachings or are living immoral lives are simply following a stranger instead of Jesus. It shows all too well that they are not true Christians. Christians will know the difference and stay away from the strangers. This is quite scary. It implies that most people in some of the megachurches are all lost but assuredly believe they are saved. They would be in the group that didn’t understand what Jesus was saying. So Jesus has to say the same thing in another way.
7 Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
Again, Jesus prefaces his teaching by assuring the listeners that he is telling them something that is important. He explains what he has been talking about. But now, he calls himself the door, not the shepherd. Looking back on the description of the sheepfold, he is emphatically telling us that he is the only way in and out of the sheepfold. This is Jesus’ exclusive claim to the be the only way of salvation.
I’ve been looking at Jesus’ teaching as symbolic of the Church and churches. But when Jesus speaks of others coming before him, it doesn’t fit unless you view the time before Christ and people who were saved by faith as, Paul argues in Romans 4, are part of the Church, believers from all ages. So those who came before him were the false prophets and teachers who led Israel into idolatrous worship of other Gods. Even in those times, there were people who wouldn’t listen to them and people who would. It doesn’t matter what time we live in; salvation comes only through Jesus.
Jesus then presents the picture of the Church when he reiterates that he is the door and we are saved when we enter the Church, his body, by way of him. That makes sense doesn’t it. If the Church is Jesus’ body, then the only way to get into the Church is through him. The door makes perfect senses.
What about coming in and going out and finding pasture. This is why the analogy to the Church makes more sense than simply being saved or the sheepfold being heaven. We are not saved to sit in the sheepfold forever. We are meant to have and enjoy life, now and forever. We go out and follow Jesus in the world so that we can do what he wants, which if for us to bring others into the kingdom. Serving Jesus, denying ourselves, and taking up our cross is what an abundant life is like. It is abundant because we will be most satisfied with life when we are doing more closely what Jesus wants us to do. It doesn’t mean we can’t have an abundant life unless we become pastors or missionaries, but it means that in whatever vocation we are called, we do it all for Jesus (1 Cor 10:31).
The opposite is true for anyone who is following the thief. Life may seem great, but what is the end? It is eternal death and destruction. So what’s it going to be? Listen to the world which is Satan’s representative, the ultimate thief, or Jesus. If you hear Jesus’ voice, you only have one option.
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