Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when He brings out His own sheep, He goes before them, and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.
Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them. Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I AM the door of the sheep. All whoever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I AM the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly"
---- John 10:1-10
A sheepfold or a sheep pen was an enclosure made up of large rocks or wood with barbed wire, a fence and or wall that the shepherd would make the sheep go into for safety after they were done feeding on the hills or nearby fields. The enclosure had only one opening the sheep could go in and out of. The opening was the door; the shepherd was the door of the sheep. At night the shepherd would guard his sheep by lying down at the opening to keep thieves and predators away so they could rest. A good shepherd would not let his sheep get harmed and killed. He was their only protector, and they trusted him because he was the one that led them out and back in again. They responded to his voice only because he would call them by name. Also, shepherds could rent a communal pen with other shepherds who would keep their flocks overnight if they needed to attend to other business. They would pay a gatekeeper, a hireling, to watch the sheep. The next day, the shepherd would come, and the gatekeeper would open the door so that the shepherds would either call his sheep by name or use a special unique call or song to gather all of his sheep and lead them out. The sheep that belonged to the other shepherds would only listen to their shepherd’s voice and not a stranger. Sheepfolds today are the same as they were in antiquity. One of the differences today is that some shepherds use dogs to help direct the sheep if they try to go astray.
Jesus called Himself the Good Shepherd in John 10:11,14. Although those who were listening were not aware that when He said I give my life for my sheep He was referencing His death.
So, why do so many Christians believe that when verse ten says, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that more abundantly”, that Jesus is making reference to material wealth? Verse ten is not talking about financial gain at all! Jesus is clearly making reference to granting eternal life to His sheep; those that place their faith in Him for the forgiveness of their sins. That is all this entire chapter is talking about.
The abundant life is the blessed reality that Jesus saves wretched sinners like you and I. Just like shepherds literally laid down their lives for actual sheep because he loves, cares and nourishes them, Jesus laid down His life for His sheep.
Jesus is indeed our Good Shepherd (John 10:11, 14).
Who are the thieves and robbers?
Well the ultimate thief is Satan, but he is not the thief in question here. Notice Jesus said, all that ever came before me were thieves and robbers. That would be the religious leaders of Christ’s day. Why did Jesus call them thieves and robbers? Because they were false teachers and prophets. The Prophet Ezekiel calls false teachers worthless shepherds who did not feed the flock of God but fed themselves (Ezekiel 34). In Matthew 23 Jesus righteously cursed out the religious leaders.
But woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation (Matthew 23:13-14).
Jesus also calls them blind guides and fools (vv 16-17).
The abundant life is eternal life. There is nothing better than to know that we will spend forever with God the Father, God the Son, The Holy Spirit, the Angels, and all the saints of God for all time. When one ponders on these blessings, they should burst forth in praise to God.
My Doxology
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God;and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is (1 John 3:1-2).
From Charles Spurgeon regarding 1 John 3:1:
that we should be called children of God Who calls us so? That is the wonder. Men take upon themselves great names without any right to them. There are degrees among men that are degrees of shame because the persons who wear them were never justly entitled to them. It is one thing for us to call ourselves children of God, and another thing for the Father to bestow His love so that we are truly called the sons of God. From where comes this princely title of “children of God”? Who calls the saints the children of God?
The Father Himself does so. He speaks to them as unto children. He deals with them as with sons. He is pleased in infinite love to bid them say, “Our Father,” and He answers to them by calling them children and heirs. He acknowledges their sonship, and pities them as a father pities his children. He has called them sons, saying, “ ‘I will be a Father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me,’ says the all-powerful Lord” (2 Cor 6:18). Oh, what a blessing it is to have God calling you His child; the great Almighty and Infinite One looking upon you with a Father’s love, and saying, “You are my son”! He speaks the truth, and we may believe it, and be sure. He knows His own children, and gives the name of sons to none whom He will in the end disown. He calls us His children, and we are.
Charles Spurgeon, Spurgeon Commentary: 1 John, ed. Elliot Ritzema, Spurgeon Commentary Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014), 1 Jn 3:1.
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us (emphasis added) and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins (1 John 4:10).
From Matthew Henry:
Verses 9–12; (1 John 4)
Nothing can be more absurd than the conduct of those who doubt as to the truth of Christianity, while in the common affairs of life they do not hesitate to proceed on human testimony, and would deem any one out of his senses who declined to do so. The real Christian has seen his guilt and misery, and his need of such a Saviour. He has seen the suitableness of such a Saviour to all his spiritual wants and circumstances. He has found and felt the power of the word and doctrine of Christ, humbling, healing, quickening, and comforting his soul. He has a new disposition, and new delights, and is not the man that he formerly was. Yet he finds still a conflict with himself, with sin, with the flesh, the world, and wicked powers. But he finds such strength from faith in Christ, that he can overcome the world, and travel on towards a better. Such assurance has the gospel believer: he has a witness in himself, which puts the matter out of doubt with him, except in hours of darkness or conflict; but he cannot be argued out of his belief in the leading truths of the gospel. Here is what makes the unbeliever’s sin so awful; the sin of unbelief. He gives God the lie; because he believes not the record that God gave of his Son. It is in vain for a man to plead that he believes the testimony of God in other things, while he rejects it in this. He that refuses to trust and honour Christ as the Son of God, who disdains to submit to his teaching as Prophet, to rely on his atonement and intercession as High Priest, or to obey him as King, is dead in sin, under condemnation; nor will any outward morality, learning, forms, notions, or confidences avail him.
Matthew Henry and Thomas Scott, Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, 1997), 1 Jn 5:9.
From King David:
The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. He makes me lie down in the green pastures. He leads me besides the still waters. He restores my soul. He causes me to walk in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For you are with me. Your rod and staff they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;You anoint my head with oil. My cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23:1-6