We have exhaustively gone over and over these verses now. I have added my ignorance in commentary and quoted a few others much wiser than I. Being a pupil here with you today I wish to hear from you. I add a single question ever week, today’s is simply how do you interpret this proverb. Please take a moment if you feel moved to enter the discussion forum and give me your short commentary. I pray the Lord blesses all of us with His word and blinds us to our ignorance and reveals His gleanings of grace.
Extra credit: I rarely do anything because the world does or ask nor do I make it a point to base any message on the season or events. I have been asked though why I haven't seen Mel Gibson’s the Passion. My canned response has been that the book is better. Not to purposely go out to condemn this movie and by no means condemning those who decide to view it, I decided to expand my explanation over the next couple of posts. Here is the first by a Don Fortner pastor in Dansville Ky. ”God’s Way”
Jhn 10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
Jhn 10:2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
Jhn 10:3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
Jhn 10:4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
Jhn 10:5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
Jhn 10:6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
Jhn 10:7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
Jhn 10:8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
Jhn 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
Discussion forum :How do you interpret this proverb?
“Our passage begins with "Verily, verily, I say unto you." The antecedent of the you is found in "the Pharisees" of the previous chapter. The occasion of this word from Christ was the excommunication of the beggar by the Pharisees (John 9:34). The mention of "the sheepfold" at once views these Pharisees in a pastoral relationship. The reference to "thieves and robbers" climbing up some other way denounced the Pharisees as False shepherds, and rebuked them for their unlawful conduct. In the course of this "parable" or "proverb," the Lord contrasts Himself from the Pharisees as the true Shepherd. These things are clear on the surface, and the confusion of some of the commentators can only be attributed to their failure to attend to these simple details.
There are two chief reasons why many have experienced difficulty in apprehending the Lord’s teaching in this passage: failure to consider the circumstances under which it was delivered, and failure to distinguish between the three "doors" here spoken of—there is the "door into the sheepfold" (verse 1); the "door of the sheep" (verse 7); and the "door" of salvation (verse 9). In the previous chapter we find our Lord had given sight to one born blind. This aroused the jealousy of the Pharisees, so that when the beggar faithfully confessed it was Jesus who had opened his eyes, they cast him out of the synagogue. When Christ heard of this He at once sought him out, and revealed Himself as the Son of God. This drew forth the confession, "Lord, I believe." Thus did he evidence himself to be one of "the sheep," responding to the Shepherd’s voice. Following this, our Lord announced, "For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind" (John 9:39). Some of the Pharisees heard Him, and asked, "Are we blind also?" To which the Savior replied, "If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth." It was the self-confidence and self-complacency of these Pharisees which proved them to be blind, and therefore in their sins. Unto them, under these circumstances, did Christ deliver this memorable and searching proverb of the shepherd and his sheep.” By A. W. Pink
