– PARABLES OF JESUS –
The Parable of the Sheepfold
In John 10, Jesus used an illustration about the sheep in the sheepfold. The illustration is a parable regarding the door, the sheep, and the potential for robbers and thiefs to steal what is not their’s. It reads:
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, again, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever 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)
The Protection of the Sheepfold
A typical sheepfold in Palestine was a walled, unroofed enclosure where multiple shepherds might bed their flocks for the night. Each night, one of the shepherds would stand guard at the entrance of the sheepfold. In the morning, when a shepherd would come, he would be permitted entrance and his sheep would follow him out, for they knew his voice.
A thief could not enter at the door, so they would try to enter some other way to steal the sheep. The sheep would not willingly follow them, but rather they would need to snatch and steal the sheep.
Jesus is the Door
John tells us in verse 6 that the Lord’s audience (which included Jewish leaders) did not understand the illustration. In explaining the story to them, He assumed a couple of roles from the analogy. In our text this week, He is the door; and in our text for next week, He is the Shepherd.
Jesus identified Himself as the door, not once, but twice (verses 7, 9). There are not multiple ways into the sheepfold. There is only one legitimate way in, and that is through the door. In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
The Sheepfold is…
Jesus is the door, what is the sheepfold? The sheepfold is descriptive of God’s people. in fact, the Scriptures refer to God’s people as sheep several times (Matthew 15:24; 25:32-34; Mark 6:34; Luke 15:2-7; John 10:26-28; 21:16-17; Hebrews 13:20; etc.). Jesus spoke about having other sheep which were not of that fold, but which would be brought near so there would be one flock (John 10:16; Ephesians 2:11-16). This is the Jew and Gentile brought together into the same body—the church.
Thieves and Robbers
Who are those whom Jesus said “came before” Him, whom He identified as “thieves and robbers” (v 8)? Certainly, not all of Israel’s leaders were thieves and robbers. They had some very good leaders, such as Moses, Joshua, Gideon, etc.. These served as shepherds. Those whom Jesus spoke of were not true shepherds, but thieves. They were the Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes, chief priests, and elders of Jesus’ day. They did not have the best interest of the people at mind for they were not there to serve God’s people but to serve themselves.
In Matthew 23, Jesus spoke very directly of the scribes and Pharisees; they were hypocrites who bound burdens on the people (verse 4), elevated themselves (verses 5-6), and loved to be exalted by the people (verses 7-8). Not only did the Jewish leaders shut up the kingdom from the Jews (verse 13) but they also corrupted the Gentile converts (verse 15). Additionally, Jesus said they literally were thieves, devouring widows’ houses (verse 14). They were deceitful and wicked workers of the wicked one.
The scribes and Pharisees, who heard but did not understand Jesus’ illustration (John 10:6) came “to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10). Conversely, Jesus, who is the door, the entrance, the way, the truth, the life has come to give abundant life (John 10:10).
Conclusion
May we be His sheep, in His sheepfold, and those who hear His voice and follow Him. Only in Him can we find salvation. Only in Him will be gain access to eternal life in heaven. Therefore, let us come and enter by the door!
Links: YouVersion | GROW magazine
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