1 CHAPTER X. the door, is the shepherd of the VERILY, verily, I say unto sheep. you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheep-fold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he that entereth in by moved, or taken away, when it was pardoned. See on I: 29. Hence, when it was not pardoned, it remained on a person. The idea then is, Your sins are not forgiven. REFLECTIONS. 1. In all our calamities, let us acknowledge the providence of God, as having some wise and merciful design. vs. 3, 4. 2. The blessings which Jesus has bestowed on a guilty world show that he was indeed the divine teacher and the Saviour. vs. 25, 30-33. Are we ever perplexed with doubt as to the truth of Christianity? Let us examine what it has done and is daily doing for men. By its works let it be known. 3 To him the porter openeth ; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. of the Jews had expressly and decidedly declared that Jesus was a sinner. This declaration in reference to one who claimed to be the Messiah, the Son of God, was equivalent to a declaration that he was an impostor, a deceiver of the people, and one who ought not to be followed as a leader. The knowledge that such a declaration had been made had, doubtless, come to Jesus; and he availed himself of the opportunity when some of the Pharisees (see 9: 40) were present, with others (see 10: 19), to show the impropriety of such a declaration, to describe the qualities of a true guide, and thus to furnish the means of forming an opinion both respecting himself and respecting those who professed to be the proper religious guardians of the people. For this purpose he adopted the figure of a sheep-fold and a shepherd. By describing the qualities of 4. An humble sense of our de- a shepherd, he wished to draw attenficiencies is a needful preparation to tion to himself, as being, not an improfit by the gospel. A haughty, self-postor, but truly the guide and proconfident spirit will receive no bless-tector, that is, the Saviour, of men. ing. v. 39. Compare James 4: 6. 3. A fair and candid mind soon sees, yes, it feels, the truth of the claims which Jesus makes, as the Saviour, on our belief and obedience. vs. 17, 35-38. 5. Our obligations and our dangers are proportioned to our advantages. v. 41. And O how dreadful to live and die in the midst of Christian privileges, with a load of unpardoned guilt on our heads! CHAPTER X. The former part of this chapter is believed to be very closely connected, as to the occasion on which it was spoken, with the preceding chapter. In v. 21, allusion is made to the miracle of healing the blind man, and no intimation is given by the writer that what he is now about to record was spoken on another occasion. In the preceding chapter, v. 24, the leaders | 1. The sheep-fold. This was an enclosure, surrounded sometimes by low stone walls, and sometimes by a fence of wicker-work, and furnished with a gate. Into this enclosure the sheep were driven for the night. 3. The porter; the keeper of the gate, a servant whom the shepherd employed to keep guard during the night. || He calleth his own sheep by name. Sheep were objects of much endearment in Oriental countries, and names were given them to which they became accustomed; just as some domestic animals among us receive names from their owners. || Leadeth them out. In those parts of the world, the sheep were not driven before a person, but the shep 4 And when he putteth forth | not what things they were which his own sheep, he goeth before he spake unto them them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him for they know not the voice of strangers. 6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood herd went before, and they followed him. The characteristics of a good shepherd, as given in vs. 1-5, are these: 1. He comes honestly and uprightly into the fold. 2. The sheep know him, and he has an intimate acquaintance with them. 3. He carefully guides the sheep, and they follow him. As the Lord and guide of his people, these characteristics are found in Jesus Christ. While our Saviour thus described himself as the true shepherd, and furnished hints for distinguishing the unfaithful guides of the people at that time, he also gave a description of those who, in all subsequent ages, should act by his authority, and should be worthy to be called shepherds. 6. They understood not what things they were, &c. They perceived not fully the meaning of the parable. In other instances, also, the Saviour's parables were not understood. Still, they were not lost. They made an impression; and at a subsequent period they would be recollected and rightly apprehended. The parables were intended for coming ages too, as well as for the companies which first heard them. 7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be representing himself as the door, both in respect to shepherds and in respect to the sheep. 8. All that ever came before me. This language is not to be taken in so extensive a sense as to include the truly pious leaders of the people in former ages. It was intended to cover a very considerable space of time before the coming of Jesus, when the high priest. hood and other sacred offices had become exceedingly degenerate, and were rather sources of emolument to those who bore them, than means of serving and benefiting the people. It would also particularly apply to the very generation that was contemporary with Jesus. All that had appeared among them as religious guides, before Jesus, and not connected with Jesus, had proved themselves quite destitute of the proper characteristics. || Are thieves and robbers; not true shepherds, careful for the welfare of the flock, but intent on their own gain and emolument. The sheep did not hear them; the truly pious did not follow them as their leaders. Thus those who had assumed the office of a spiritual shepherd without deriving it from Jesus the Messiah, or without reference to his authority, and to the great principles which he was enforcing, were not true shepherds. 7. Jesus said unto them again. He resumed the same topic and employed the same figure. What follows in 9. I am the door. By me if any. several successive verses is partly an man enter in, &c. In respect, likeexplanation of the parable, and partly wise, to the members of the flock, he an addition to it; an extended appli- is the door. It is only through him cation to himself of the illustration that men can come into a state of furnished by a sheep-fold and a shep- safety and happiness, just as only herd. He first drew instruction re- through the gate can a sheep pass specting himself from the sheep-fold; | in and out. || Enter in; into the fold, saved, and shall go in and out, | cause he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep. and find pasture. 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have, 12 But he that is a hireling, which are not of this fold: them and not the shepherd, whose also I must bring, and they shall own the sheep are not, seeth hear my voice; and there shall the wolf coming, and leaveth be one fold, and one shepherd. the sheep, and fleeth; and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13 The hireling fleeth, be as a member of the flock. He shall be saved: shall be secure. 10. The thief. Jesus next passed to draw a contrast between himself and those who professed to lead the people, but who in reality were seeking only their own gain. Thus he illustrated his own solicitude for the welfare of his people, as being the true, the good shepherd. That they might have life; have true happiness. Jesus came, not for his own sake, but for the sake of his people; not for any personal emolument, but for their highest welfare. 11. Giveth his life for the sheep; will himself die, rather than that the sheep should be destroyed. 14. Know my sheep. The word know has here, as in various other places, the additional idea of loving and caring for. The meaning of the verse is, I tenderly love my sheep, and am loved by them; between me and them there is a strong mutual attachment. 15. This verse, as it stands in the original, is a more full declaration of the mutual love which exists between Christ and his followers. That love is compared to the mutual love which exists between the Father and Christ. The meaning of the verse would be 17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. more obvious, if it were not separated from the preceding verse, and if the first word were fully translated. Thus, vs. 14, 15-I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine, even as the Father knoweth me and I know the Father; the word know having here the additional idea of loving. For the sheep; in behalf of them, so as to secure their highest interests; in plain language, for the salvation of my people. 16. Not of this fold; not of the Jewish nation. Jesus was to gather a people from among the Gentiles. One fold. The separation between Jews and Gentiles was to end, and the company of the Saviour's followers, to be formed out of them both, was to be one body. Compare Eph. 2: 13-18. 17. That I might take it again. The design of Jesus in laying down his life was, the salvation of his people (see v. 15); and his laying it down was to be followed by his resuming it. The word that expresses here a result which would be connected with the giving up of his life; as if he had said, I lay down my life, yet so that I shall take it again. Christ's subjection to death was to be eminently 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to 21 Others said, These are take it again. This command-not the words of him that hath ment have I received of my a devil. Can a devil open the Father. eyes of the blind? 20 And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad;. why hear ye him? 19 There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings. a temporary one. Compare Heb. 10: 12, 13. 7:25. 18. No man taketh it from me; that is, against my own will. Lay it down of myself; of my own accord. His death was to be a voluntary one. Compare Matt. 26: 53, 54. || Commandment; direction, charge. 20. And is mad; is beside himself, talks in a senseless manner. Compare 7:20. 8:48. 22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. 22. The feast of the dedication. About 170 years before the birth of Christ, Antiochus Epiphanes, king of Syria, inflicted great cruelties on the Jews, ordered them to change their religion, and to embrace his own idolatrous system, forbade their usual sacrifices, their festivals, and their Sabbath. In order to pollute the temple, and drive the Jews from their sacred observances, he placed a statue of the heathen god Jupiter Olympius HINTS. 1. The comparison of Je- on the altar of the temple, and offered sus to a shepherd shows the affection-up a hog in mock-sacrifice. For the ate care which he exercises over his space of three years, the temple refollowers. Compare Ps. 23. mained desecrated and deserted. At the end of three years, Judas Maccabeus, with an army of faithful Jews, obtained remarkable successes over the generals of Antiochus, and restored the worship of the nation. This joyful event was followed by a festival of eight days; and it became thenceforward a custom annually to celebrate, by a festival of eight days, this renewal of worship, and this new dedication of the temple. It occurred in the Jewish month Kisleu, corresponding to our December. It was this festival which is here denomi 2. This comparison should teach us the necessity of a cordial submission to his guidance. Can we be safe numerous spiritual foes without the care and guidance of the great and good Shepherd? amid our 3. What compassion for his people, and what concern for their salvation, that he should die for them! v. 11. Compare 15: 13. Rom. 5: 8. 4. The repeated mention of Christ's dying for his people clearly shows, that there was a special efficacy in his death, as procuring their salvation. Compare 3: 14, 15. 1 Pet. 2: 24.nated the dedication. It was also 3:18. 5. Notice the extensiveness of the Saviour's love. v. 16. 6. How sadly does prejudice blind the mind! And how great is the need of divine illumination in order rightly to discern and truly to relish the instructions of Christ! v. 20. 7. The character and acts of Jesus carry conviction to a candid mind, that his doctrines are true. v. 21. called by other names; for instance, the days of the dedication [renewal] of the altar, the purification of the temple, also by the single name Lights, be cause the Jews profusely lighted their houses during the festival, in remembrance of the return of peace and joy. In the apocryphal books, 1 Maccabees 4: 52-59, 2 Macc. 10: 1-8, an account is given of this new consecration of the temple. 23 And Jesus walked in the cause ye are not of my sheep, as temple in Solomon's porch. I said unto you. 24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. 25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. 26 But ye believe not, be 23. In Solomon's porch. The temple was furnished with various porches, or porticoes. Of these the eastern one was called Solomon's. It was so called, probably, because it occupied the precise spot of the one originally built by Solomon, and was believed to stand on the foundation which Solomon had laid. It was believed that the original portico was not wholly destroyed when the temple was laid waste by Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 25:9); and the one standing in our Saviour s time was regarded as only a repairing of the original one. 24. Make us to doubt; keep us in suspense. 25. I told you. Whether or not Jesus had said expressly that he was the Messiah, he habitually used language which was equivalent to such a declaration, and which the Jews understood as equivalent to such a declaration. He had not practised concealment, nor had he purposely kept any one in a tormenting suspense. Compare 5: 17, 19, &c. 6: 29, 35, 48. See, also, 6: 68, 69. At the same time, he knew that a positive declaration by himself, however plainly made, would carry with it no conviction, and would not be adapted to the just demands of reflecting persons. Such a declaration the chief men among the Jews would doubtless abuse, as they actually did afterwards. See Matt. 26: 63-66. Jesus therefore referred them to the evidences of his being 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and none is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and my Father are one. the Messiah, which were furnished by his miraculous works. Such a course he pursued, when the messengers of John the Baptist proposed a similar inquiry. See Matt. 11: 4,5. 26. Ye are not of my sheep; ye possess not that pious disposition which characterizes my true followers, and which is necessary in order rightly to discern and to estimate my instructions and my claims; ye are not truly pious. Sheep are an emblem of the innocent and pious, who submit themselves to the guidance of God and of those whom he has qualified and authorized to be spiritual guides. Compare Matt. 25: 33. || As I said unto you. These words ought properly to commence the next verse, as in sense they are immediately connected with the words that follow. Thus; As I said unto you, my sheep hear my voice, &c. Jesus had made a declaration which was equivalent to such a remark. See verse 14; and compare v. 3. 27. My sheep; the truly pious, who follow me. 28. They shall never perish. Compare 6: 35, 39, 40. Rom. 8:30–39. 29. Which gave them me. See 6: 37, 39. 17: 2. This 30. I and my Father are one. remark was made with reference to the protection and salvation of those who follow Christ, as his disciples. The Saviour asserted, therefore, that between him and the Father there |
