John 10 - NIV First Century Study Bible

10:1 The gate. The gate for a sheep pen was a small opening that was typically a low stone wall. The gate could be filled with brush, or the shepherd could physically lie down in the opening. The “gate” represents both Jesus as the way to salvation (or the kingdom of God) and as the one worthy to shepherd the people. The allegorical overtones probably invited his audience to engage in interpretation.

10:1 Thief (Greek lestes). Barabbas was called a lestes, which can also mean a revolutionary or zealot. See note on Jn 18:40.

10:11 The good shepherd. This metaphor is deeply Messianic. It was a symbol for royalty in the Biblical mind. YHWH was thought of as the shepherd of his people, and the image was used for the most important Biblical figures from Moses to David (see Nu 27:17; 2Sa 5:2; Ps 23; 78:70–72). Jesus may have been alluding more specifically to Eze 34, an entire chapter condemning the shepherds (leaders) of Judah.

10:16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. The ultimate Messianic vision of the Old Testament is the gathering of Jews, diaspora Jews and possibly even Gentiles (see Isa 56:8; Zec 14). The disciples were not in a position to claim ultimate knowledge of who was really a part of God’s kingdom.

10:22 Festival of Dedication. This refers to the eight-day Festival of Hanukkah, a celebration of the victory of the Maccabees over the Greek Seleucids, which occurred around 164 bc. When the temple was rededicated after being desecrated by Antiochus Epiphanes (see note on Mt 24:15–28), the sacred oil for the menorah miraculously lasted all eight days of the festival though there was only enough oil for one day. The original festival was really a late Festival of Tabernacles (sukkot), but it quickly became a permanent part of the yearly cycle of Jewish holidays.

10:30 I and the Father are one. This is a key verse in the later development of Trinitarian theology. There was controversy among Christians as to whether Jesus was one person with the Father or had one will with the Father. The church fathers formalized a statement regarding the one divine nature in the fourth century (in the Nicene Creed). This step was meant to battle against dissenting views.

10:33 You, a mere man, claim to be God. According to the Mishnah, a person was guilty of blasphemy only if they pronounced the divine name of God (YHWH), which it appears Jesus did not do. (Mishnah Sanhedrin 7:5.) The Torah, however, has a broader definition of blasphemy (see Nu 15:30) that perhaps his accusers were relying on. Jesus’ defense using Ps 82:6 shows his intimate knowledge of Hebrew. The Hebrew word translated “gods” in the passage is actually “elohim,” often used for God’s name (see note and word study on Ge 2:4).