John 10 - NIV Quest Study Bible

The shepherd represents faithfulness, compassion, guidance and protection. The shepherd was also a prophetic picture of the Messiah in the Old Testament. Jesus not only displayed the characteristics of a good shepherd but also demonstrated the power of the Messiah who would shepherd the people of Israel (Ps 23:1; 80:1; Isa 40:10 – 11; Eze 34:11 – 16,23).People who earnestly sought the truth could find profound spiritual insight in Jesus’ figures of speech. For others, they were little more than fascinating but puzzling riddles. Those who were resistant to Jesus’ message often misunderstood his meaning or, if they could infer what he intended, they rejected the implications.A true shepherd loves and cares for his sheep. The sheep belong to him. But a hired hand is only interested in money. Jesus, the good shepherd, demonstrated his love and commitment by laying his life down for us, his sheep.The sheep pen represents Israel, the Jewish people. Jesus was referring to the Gentiles when he said he had other sheep that were not of this sheep pen. This is one of Jesus’ earliest and clearest references to Gentiles as members of his kingdom.If Jesus had said to them, “I am the Messiah,” his statement would have been badly misunderstood, for they expected a victorious Messiah, not a suffering one. This verse refers to no one particular comment the Lord made but to his repeated, consistent and plain testimony about his unique role as the incarnate revealer of God. See What had Jesus been claiming all along? (8:25).Although these people were descendants of Abraham and should have been included in the “sheep pen” of faith, their unbelief excluded them. Simply being a descendant of Abraham is not enough; likewise, being of a different ethnic background doesn’t keep one out of God’s “sheep pen.” Those who believe in Jesus — whether Jew or Gentile — are his sheep.Jesus said, Before Abraham was born, I am! (8:58). He also referred to God as his Father. See Why was Jesus accused of blasphemy? (5:17 – 18). Jesus was even more specific here, for he claimed to be one with his Father (10:30) — that is, equal to the Father in the divine essence of his nature.Usually Law was used strictly in reference to the first five books of the Bible, called the Pentateuch. But on occasion, the Law referred to the whole collection of Jewish Scriptures, which Christians know as the Old Testament.The words Jesus quoted from Psalm 82:6 refer to the judges (or other leaders or rulers), whose tasks were divinely appointed (Ex 22:28). Jesus challenged their accusation of blasphemy by arguing from lesser to greater. If there is any sense in which men can be spoken of as “gods,” how much more may the term be used of him whom the Father set apart and sent!