John 10 - NIV Grace and Truth Study Bible

10:1–6 Shepherd imagery would have been very familiar to Jesus’ audience because of its Old Testament overtones as well as their familiarity with shepherding in daily life. Ezekiel 34 is important background for Jesus’ words in John 10. Just as the religious leaders in Ezekiel’s day failed to care for God’s people, the religious leaders in Jesus’ day failed to carry out their responsibilities to his people.

John 10:1–6 continues the discourse that began in the previous chapter. Jesus contrasted how the religious leaders shepherded God’s people with how he shepherds his people. The contrast was clearly depicted in the previous chapter by how they each treated the healed blind man. Jesus is the true shepherd: he enters the sheepfold through the gate, he knows his sheep, they recognize his voice, and they follow him. The religious leaders—who had cast the blind man out of the synagogue—were thieves and robbers. They did not enter the sheepfold through the gate. Sheep fled from them because they did not recognize their voice.

10:7–10 Jesus claimed to be “the gate for the sheep.” This is the third of Jesus’ seven “I am” statements (see Introduction to John). Those who enter through him (believe in him) are saved. Jesus contrasted his purpose in coming with the thief (Satan). Jesus had spoken of thieves and robbers (plural, v. 8), but now he referred to the thief (singular, v. 10). The contrast between Jesus and his purposes and Satan and his purposes could not be greater. The thief seeks to destroy people’s lives (8:44), while Jesus has come so that his followers might have life abundantly (3:16).

10:11–13 Jesus here claimed to be “the good shepherd.” This is the fourth of his seven “I am” statements (see Introduction to John). Shepherd imagery has rich Old Testament overtones. In the Old Testament, God is the shepherd of his people (Ps 23; Isa 40:10–11). The religious leaders were chastened often by God for their failure to be faithful shepherds, while the coming Messiah would faithfully shepherd God’s people (Isa 56:9–12; Eze 34:1–23). The good shepherd demonstrated his commitment to his sheep by laying down his life for them.

10:14–18 As the good shepherd, Jesus knows his sheep and they know him. The word “know” means more than knowing about someone; it suggests the idea of intimate knowledge. The shepherd knows his sheep because he loves them. His knowledge is so intimate that it is comparable to the relationship between the Son and the Father. Jesus’ reference to other sheep points to the Gentile mission. It would be by the Son’s death that this community of faith would be born. The Father loves the Son because of the Son’s absolute dedication to the Father’s will. This dedication would lead to his death and resurrection at the appointed time, a time under the authority of the Son and not under the authority of his opponents.

10:19–21 The crowd’s response to Jesus’ discourse follows a pattern of rejection or acceptance. Some believed him to be demon-possessed, but others rejected that assessment and pointed to his words and deeds. Yet even those who supported him were not completely positive.

10:22–24 This passage culminates the Festival Cycle that began in chapter 5 (see note on 5:1–9). The setting for this passage is Solomon’s colonnade. Here Jesus identified himself as the Son of God (10:25) against the backdrop of the Festival of Dedication. This festival was celebrated in December. There is no Old Testament reference to this festival. Its origin is found in Israel’s battle for religious freedom against the Greek ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes. The Jewish people fought courageously against enormous odds to defeat his forces. Just as the Jewish people commemorated their deliverance from a tyrannical rule, Jesus declared that God sent him as the ultimate deliverer. When the Jews could no longer stand it, they asked Jesus to tell them if he was the Messiah (v. 24).

10:25–30 Jesus had already answered their identity question by his signs. Their failure to believe was because they were not his sheep. His sheep recognize his voice, follow him, and are eternally secure in their relationship with him. The eternal destiny of the sheep depends not on their feeble efforts but on Christ’s firm grip on them. In verse 24 the Jews asked Jesus for a plain assertion of his Messiahship; in verse 30 he gave them the answer. He is the Messiah, but he is more than the Messiah they anticipated. Jesus said he and the Father are one in nature and purpose (v. 30).

10:31–39 The Jews understood Jesus’ claim as blasphemy because he equated himself with God, and they picked up stones to stone him. Jesus appealed again to his good works in response to their threat of stoning. They claimed they were stoning him not because of his good works but for blasphemy. Jesus replied by quoting Psalm 82:6. While the passage is difficult, the most likely interpretation is that it speaks of Israel’s leaders (judges) in terms of gods. They fulfilled their God-given role by their judicial function. Jesus’ argument was from the lesser to the greater. If God called Israel’s leaders gods, how much more appropriate is it for the Son of God to speak of himself this way? Jesus concluded by challenging the crowd to believe in him. His signs were a clear indication of his mutual indwelling with the Father. They failed once again to arrest him.

10:40–42 Jesus left Jerusalem for Bethany on the other side of the Jordan River. It was there that John the Baptist once ministered (1:28). Even though John the Baptist was dead, his words and influence lived on. Jesus did not return to Jerusalem again until his Triumphal Entry (12:12) on what has become known as Palm Sunday.