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John 10

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.

Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.

And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?

Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?

And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.

And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch.

Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.

Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.

But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

I and my Father are one.

Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.

Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;

Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?

If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,

And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode.

And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true.

And many believed on him there.

What does John 10:4 mean?

Explanation

John 10:4 is part of a larger discourse in which Jesus uses the metaphor of a shepherd to describe His relationship with His followers.

The verse illustrates the intimacy and trust that exists between Jesus (the shepherd) and His disciples (the sheep).

Literally, it paints the picture of a pastoral scene where a shepherd leads his sheep out to pasture.

The sheep follow eagerly because they recognize and trust in the shepherd's voice.

On a deeper level, this verse is about spiritual recognition and obedience.

The "sheep" are seen as those who hear Jesus' teaching and follow Him, indicating a personal, discipleship relationship.

Unlike followers of a stranger whose voice the sheep would not recognize, Jesus' followers are attuned to His message and guidance.

This reflects the idea that genuine followers of Jesus have a spiritual capacity to discern and respond to divine truth.

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

John's Gospel is generally believed to have been written later than the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), around 90-100 AD. This was a time when the early Christian community was distinguishing itself from mainstream Judaism and faced internal and external pressures.

The shepherd metaphor was significant in the historical context because it was familiar and powerful to the Jewish audience.

In the Old Testament, God is often portrayed as a shepherd leading His people, Israel (Psalm 23, Ezekiel 34).

Jesus adopting this imagery would resonate with His audience and reinforce His claim as the appointed Messiah and God's chosen leader.

Theological Insights

Different theological perspectives focus on varying aspects of this verse:

Traditional Christian view: Many traditional Christians view this verse as affirming Jesus as the good shepherd, emphasizing His leadership, care, and the need for believers to listen and follow Him faithfully.
Reformed perspective: In Reformed theology, this verse may relate to the doctrine of irresistible grace, suggesting that those whom God calls will recognize and follow Him, unable to resist the call of the true shepherd.
Liberal Christian interpretation: Some liberal Christians might interpret this metaphorically, seeing it as a call to follow spiritual wisdom and truth, which Jesus embodied, rather than a literal voice.

Practical Applications

This verse can influence daily life in several ways:

Discipleship: It encourages Christians to develop a relationship with Jesus so they can discern His guidance in their lives.
Spiritual sensitivity: It suggests that believers should cultivate spiritual sensitivity to recognize and follow divine direction.
Community and belonging: It highlights the importance of community, as the sheep are part of a flock with a shared connection to the shepherd.

Cross-References

John 10:27: "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:"
Psalm 23:1: "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want."
Isaiah 40:11: "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young."

Language Study

In the original Greek text of the New Testament, key words such as:

"putteth forth" (ekballei): Literally "to send out" or "lead out," which can imply a deliberate, guiding action by the shepherd.
"goeth before" (proagei): This term suggests that the shepherd is leading by example, going ahead of the sheep.
"know" (ginōskousin): More than intellectual knowledge, this implies a personal, experiential knowledge of the shepherd's voice.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Across many cultures, the figure of a shepherd represents leadership, provision, and protection. Ancient myths, such as those in Greek culture, also contain pastoral imagery.

However, the specificity of the shepherd as a symbol for a deity or divine savior leading followers is distinctive to Judeo-Christian tradition.

Scientific Perspectives

Modern science would likely view this verse metaphorically since it speaks to psychological and social constructs such as trust, voice recognition, and group dynamics rather than empirical scientific phenomena.

Voice recognition and the psychology of following a leader, however, are topics relevant in neuroscience and social psychology.

Commentaries

Experts and theologians offer a range of interpretations:

Matthew Henry: He sees it as a demonstration of Christ's tender care for His followers, ensuring they will not be left to wander without direction.
William Barclay: Barclay notes the Palestinian shepherding practice wherein sheep learned to follow the familiar voice of their shepherd, drawing a parallel to spiritual discernment.
**D.A.

Carson**: Carson emphasizes the sheep's response to Jesus' voice as indicative of an effective call, a central theme in the Gospel of John about selecting and preserving Jesus' followers.

John 10

John 10

What does John 10:4 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does John 10:4 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?