John
© copyright 2008 Darroll Evans, all rights reserved

 

Chapter 10

 

John 10:1-38
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.
2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before 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 not what things they were which he spake unto 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 saved, and shall go in and out, 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.
12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
13  The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not 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, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
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 take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
19 There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.
20 And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?
21 Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?
22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.
23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch.
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, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
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 man pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
30 I and my Father are one.
31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?
37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.
38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

Then, Jesus taught extensively, “Truthfully I tell you that he does not come in through the Door, but comes in some other way, is a thief and a robber.

“But, he that comes in through the Door is the Shepherd of the sheep.”

Many come saying they are of Christ, but only a few, the remnant are actually of Christ.

Christ Jesus continued, “To Him the porter opens, and the sheep hear His voice: and He calls His sheep by name, and leads them out.”

Those who are called by the Holy Spirit to follow Christ hear that calling and follow His leading!

We are not self-called and appointed!  We are called and appointed by God to follow His Son!  The Holy Spirit is the One who is appointed to administer that calling!

The Jesus told them, “And, when He puts (sends) forth His own sheep, He goes before them, and the sheep follow Him, because they know His voice.

“They will not follow a stranger! Instead, they will flee from him, because they do not know the stranger’s voice.”

Jesus told His disciples that parable, but they did not understand it.

Then, He bluntly told them, “Truthfully, I tell you, I am the door of the sheep.

“All those that came before Me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.

“I am the door! If anyone comes in by Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture!”

Coming in by Christ, the Door to God’s blessings is the only entrance!  There is only One Way, and that is Christ Jesus!

Jesus continued His teaching, “The thief does not come for any other reasons except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy! I have come that they (the called and chosen of God) may have (true) life, and that they may have it is super abundance!

“I am The Good Shepherd! The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep!

“But those who are hirelings, and not the Shepherd, who own not sheep, upon seeing the wolf, leave the sheep, and run away! Then, the wolf catches them, and scatters the sheep!

“The hireling runs away, because he is a hireling, and does not care for the sheep!

“I am the Good Shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known by those who are Mine!

“As the Father knows Me, I know Him, and I lay down My life for the sheep.

“I have other sheep which are not of this fold!  I must also bring them in! They too shall hear My voice! And so, there shall be one fold, and One Shepherd!

“For this reason, My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life, in order to take it up again!”

Many, including Peter, believe that the Jews killed Christ!  That is a false assumption!

Acts 3:14-15
14
 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;
15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.

But Christ Jesus said, “None may take My life from Me! I lay it down, because I have the power to lay it down! I also have the power to take it again! I have received this commandment from My Father!”

At that, there was a commotion among the Jews, because of what Jesus said.

And, many of the Jewish leaders said, “He has a devil, and is mad! why listen to him?”

Others said, “These are not the words of one who is demonic! Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?”

That exchange happened in Jerusalem during the winter at the time of the feast of the dedication, Hanukkah.

Jesus was walking in the temple area on Solomon's porch when the Jewish leaders came to Him and asked, “How long will You keep us in the dark? If You are the Christ, make it clear to us!”

So, Jesus explained, “I told you, and you did not believe!

“The works that I do in My Father's name are a witness!

“But you did not believe, because you are not My sheep!”

Jesus told the Jewish leadership that they were no His!

I wonder how many supposed Church leaders are not really His!

Then Jesus told them, “My sheep hear my voice! I know them, and they follow me!

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish! Neither shall anyone pluck them out of my hand!”

In Christ, we have a security that many Christians do not understand!

He told them, “My Father, which gave them me is greater than all! None is able (Gr. δύναμαι-dunamai/has the power) to pluck them out of My Father's hand!”

The, Jesus said something that most do not understand!  He said, “I and My Father are one!”

That takes us back to the Shema!

Deut 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

The greatest confession in all Judaism is the confession that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are One!

 Because the Jews of that day understood, they tried to stone him!

But, Jesus responded with words, His greatest weapon against their ignorance, “I have shown you many good from My Father!

“For which of those works do you stone me?”

In their anger they responded the only way their ignorance allowed!

They said, “We do not try to stone You because of good works, but for blasphemy, and because You seek to make Yourself equal with God.”

 Jesus was not “equal” with God!  He is God the Son!

Then Jesus asked, “Isn’t it written in Jewish law that you are gods?”

 

Psalms 82:6 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.

 

That is perhaps the greatest misinterpretation in all Scripture!

 

The Hebrew does indeed use the word, אֱלֹהִים-elōhξm, but in this case it refers to judges!

 

In the world to come when Israel becomes a Christian nation, they will act as judges in the earth!

 Jesus asked, “If God called them gods, unto whom the word of God came (and the scripture cannot be annulled), what do you say about Him whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world? Do you accuse me of blasphemy, because I said, I am the Son of God?

“If I don’t do My Fathers works, don’t believe Me!

“But, if I do them, though you don’t believe Me, believe the works!

“So that you may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in him!”

Do you believe?

Churches are filled with attendees!  That is not bad!  Where else will those who have not heard the gospel hear it?

The word must be heard to be effective!

John 10:39-42
39
 Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,
40 And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode.
41 And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true.
42 And many believed on him there.

 

 Consequently, they sought again to take Him by force, but He left, and went to the area of the Jordan River where John had baptized. Jesus stayed there for a while and many came to Him!

 

Why did Jesus leave His accusers?

 

It was not time for His crucifixion!

 

When they came to Christ, they said, “John did no miracles, but everything John said concerning Jesus is true!”

 

Many believed on Christ Jesus there!

 

Chapter 11

Index