John 10 - CSB Disciple’s Study Bible

10:1-21,25-30 JESUS CHRIST, Shepherd—Jesus is the Way to God’s pasture and the Shepherd who leads us to his salvation. He sacrificed his own life that we might have eternal life. He enters into intimate personal relationship with each of his people. No human authorities gained power over Jesus. He voluntarily died and was raised according to God’s mission for him.

10:9 SALVATION, Definition—Jesus Christ is the gate into the fold of God (Ps 28:9). God’s salvation is available only through his Son (Ac 4:12). Acceptance of God’s grace in Christ is a necessary human response to receive salvation.

10:10,28 SALVATION, Eternal Life—Eternal life is life of a heavenly quality and quantity and can never be lost. These verses teach the eternal security of believers. See note on 8:51.

10:14-15 REVELATION, Author of Love—Christ revealed the heart of God as he identified himself as the Shepherd-Son whose mind and heart were committed to offer love and life for the sake of those in his care. Jesus loved enough to know his sheep personally.

10:14-18 SALVATION, Atonement—Jesus as the Good Shepherd voluntarily laid down his life on the cross to make atonement for his sheep. Believers in him all belong to his one flock.

10:14-18 THE CHURCH, Redeemed of All Ages—Jesus is the Shepherd of his sheep—all those who call on the name of Christ. He knows his sheep and calls them by name. The flock of God is not a large, nameless group of people, but individuals known of God and called by him. God’s people include others who are different in race, nationality, and culture than those to whom the gospel first came. All these belong to God because Jesus laid down his life for the sheep. God’s purpose in Christ is to bring all his people together in his service. Spiritual unity under Christ is God’s plan for all his people. Church groups maintain separate identities to accomplish a unique mission, but all have a spiritual relationship to Christ’s larger family. See note on Lk 9:49-50.

10:17-18 REVELATION, Author of Love—The cross revealed God’s supreme love for us and for his Son. The cross did not surprise God. It was part of his plan of revelation, a plan to which Jesus totally committed himself.

10:19-42 JESUS CHRIST, Christ—See note on Mt 16:16. Jesus’s miracles showed he is the Christ. Self-centered religious leaders tried to attribute his power to Satan. The miracles showed Jesus was from God, but the leaders saw only a breaking of their rules (Lv 24:16) and wanted to kill him. Christ calls people to listen to him and not to human traditions. John used Ps 82:6 to show that if human judges were called “gods,” the term is even more appropriate for Jesus.

10:25-29 THE CHURCH, People of God—God’s people obey. We follow Christ where he leads. We are secure in his hand and participate in eternal life. No one is more powerful than God, so he offers perfect protection to his obedient people.

10:25-30 REVELATION, Faithfulness—Jesus’s followers are his sheep who know him well and thus believe his revelation. He offers us life eternal and is faithful to us with his life, so we are never in permanent danger. Unbelievers cannot claim an absence of revelation. Their closed minds do not let them respond to revelation. Open minds believe Christ’s acts and deeds, seeing that he and the Father are identical in nature.

10:25-38 GOD, Trinity—Near Eastern people could apply the term “gods” to powerful rulers appointed by the high god. Jesus showed the complete distinction between these human rulers and himself. His actions, particularly his healing miracles, were the actions of God. Thus he was the incarnate Son of God—God appearing on earth in human flesh. The Father and Son were united. This passage builds a firm foundation for the teaching of the Trinity, one God known to us in three distinguishable but inseparable Persons. See note on Mt 3:16-17.

10:27 DISCIPLESHIP, Lordship of Christ—True disciples hear the Lord’s voice and follow him. They know the security of being united with him. They neither complain or rebel. They obey. Simply put, discipleship is total obedience to Christ. See note on Rm 6:5-18.

10:28-29 ELECTION, Eternal Security—The salvation of the elect is secure for time and eternity. This eternal security is because the elect are in God’s hands. No one is strong enough to snatch them from God’s hand. Eternal security is not payment for human achievement. It is a gift of God’s election to give salvation through Christ.

10:36. JESUS CHRIST, I Am—Jesus was what he claimed, the unique Son of God. See notes on 3:31-36; 8:31-59.