The Only Way In
Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” John 10:7-10
The setting is the open country where the shepherd would allow the sheep to graze. In the summer months shepherd and sheep might spend the night in the open instead of returning the sheep to the farm where the shepherd lived. Overnight the sheep would be placed in roughly constructed round stone-wall enclosures. The top of the wall was covered with thorns to keep out wild animals. Inside the enclosure the sheep were safe as long as the entrance was secured by the shepherd. He slept across the entrance because there was no door.
In the verses immediately prior to our above text, Jesus introduced the theme of sheep and shepherd. He described the well-known picture of a country shepherd herding his sheep in with others overnight for safety (probably in the local village) and then separating his from the rest through the day as he led them to good feeding grass. ‘Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them’ (9:6). More explanation is needed. The setting is probably still the Feast of Tabernacles that began in chapter 7 and those listening would still be talking about the healing of the blind man (9:1-39).
“I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep.” This is the third of the seven ‘I am’ sayings in John’s gospel (6:35,48,51; 8:12; 10:7,9; 10:11,14; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1,5). Jesus is portraying Himself as the shepherd who makes himself the ‘door’ to the enclosure to protect the sheep.
“All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers.” This is probably an allusion to Old Testament passages like Jeremiah 23:1-8 and Ezekiel 34:1-31 where the prophets pronounced judgement on the shepherds (leaders) of Israel for failing to look after the people. Jesus might well have had in mind the religious leaders of His own day who treated the man born blind so badly. Thankfully, it could be said of these leaders, “the sheep did not listen to them.”
“I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.” As the sheep entering the stone enclosure with the shepherd guarding the doorway, so those who placed their trust in Jesus were safe and secure. As the shepherd led his sheep out to pasture through the day and brought them in at night, so too Jesus provides rich sustenance for those who believe in Him.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.” The religious leaders of His day were sheep-stealers who had no thought for the well-being of the sheep. They were no better than the shepherds of Israel denounced by Jeremiah and Ezekiel.
But contrasting His ministry with theirs, Jesus could boldly say “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” The picture is of a shepherd ensuring his sheep are well cared for and contented. Jesus, the good shepherd, came into the world so that people might have eternal life and have it to the full. To have eternal life is to know God through Jesus Christ (17:3). To have it to the full means enjoying the richness of life in relationship with God now and enjoying resurrection to eternal life at the end of this age (5:24-29)
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