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John 10 - The Canceled Shepherd

Some of Jesus' most comforting words almost caused a riot. How will you respond?


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John 10 (ESV)

  • 1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who

    • does not enter the sheepfold

      • by the door

      • but climbs in by another way,

    • that man is a thief and a robber.

  • 2 But he who

    • enters by the door

    • is the shepherd of the sheep.

    • 3 To him

      • the gatekeeper opens.

      • The sheep hear his voice,

      • and he calls his own sheep by name

      • and leads them out.

      • 4 When he has brought out all his own,

        • he goes before them,

        • and the sheep follow him,

        • for they know his voice.

        • 5 A stranger

          • they will not follow,

          • but they will flee from him,

          • for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

  • 6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them,

    • but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

  • 7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you,

    • I am the door of the sheep.

      • 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers,

      • but the sheep did not listen to them.

    • 9 I am the door.

      • If anyone enters by me,

      • he

        • will be saved

        • and will go in and out

        • and find pasture.

      • 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.

      • I came that

        • they may have life

        • and have it abundantly.

    • 11 I am the good shepherd.

      • The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

      • 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd,

        • who does not own the sheep,

        • sees the wolf coming

          • and leaves the sheep and flees,

          • and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.

      • 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

    • 14 I am the good shepherd.

      • I know my own

      • and my own know me,

      • 15 just as

        • the Father knows me

        • and I know the Father;

        • and I lay down my life for the sheep.

      • 16 And I have other sheep

        • that are not of this fold.

        • I must bring them also,

        • and they will listen to my voice.

        • So there will be

          • one flock,

          • one shepherd.

    • 17 For this reason the Father loves me,

      • because I lay down my life

      • that I may take it up again.

      • 18 No one takes it from me,

        • but I lay it down of my own accord.

        • I have authority to lay it down,

        • and I have authority to take it up again.

        • This charge I have received from my Father.”

19 There was again a division among the Jews because of these words.

  • 20 Many of them said,

    • “He has a demon, and is insane; why listen to him?”

  • 21 Others said,

    • “These are not the words of one who is oppressed by a demon.

    • Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

22 At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem.

  • It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon.

  • 24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him,

    • “How long will you keep us in suspense?

    • If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

  • 25 Jesus answered them,

    • “I told you,

    • and you do not believe.

    • The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me,

      • 26 but you do not believe

      • because you are not among my sheep.

      • 27 My sheep

        • hear my voice,

        • and I know them,

        • and they follow me.

        • 28 I give them eternal life,

          • and they will never perish,

          • and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

      • 29 My Father,

        • who has given them to me,

        • is greater than all,

        • and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.

      • 30 I and the Father are one.”

  • 31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone him.

    • 32 Jesus answered them,

      • “I have shown you many good works

        • from the Father;

        • for which of them are you going to stone me?”

    • 33 The Jews answered him,

      • “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you

      • but for blasphemy, because

        • you, being a man,

        • make yourself God.”

    • 34 Jesus answered them,

      • “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’?

      • 35 If he called them gods

        • to whom the word of God came—

          • and Scripture cannot be broken—

        • 36 do you say of him whom the Father

          • consecrated

          • and sent into the world,

        • ‘You are blaspheming,’

        • because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?

      • 37 If I am not doing the works of my Father,

        • then do not believe me;

        • 38 but if I do them,

          • even though you do not believe me,

          • believe the works,

          • that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”

  • 39 Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.

  • 40 He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained.

    • 41 And many came to him.

    • And they said,

      • “John did no sign,

      • but everything that John said about this man was true.”

42 And many believed in him there.


John 10 Summary


It's important that you read Jesus' words here in chapter 10 with the right inflection. Jesus is not speaking here with a cute toddler bouncing on His knee and butterflies flitting about the blue sky above as they pat a fluffy little lamb on its head.


This is a continuation of the conversation - argument - that began with the Pharisees after Jesus healed the blind man on the Sabbath in chapter nine. These words were not necessarily spoken in anger, but certainly with a focused intensity as Jesus likely leaned forward and looked these Pharisees right in the eye while speaking.


The first time Jesus accuses the Pharisees of being false shepherds of God's people (v1-5), it sails right over their heads (v6). So He launches into a longer version in v7-18, but then He doesn't stick around for follow up questions.


His opponents track Him down walking in the temple courtyard (v23), and then Jesus picks up right where He left off.


Jesus makes several massive theological claims in John 10:

  • The Shepherd's (Jesus') sheep (people) know His voice and follow Him (v3-4)

  • Jesus came that His sheep may have life, and have it abundantly (v10)

  • Jesus has more sheep than just the people of Israel (v16)

  • Jesus lays down His life for the sheep (v18)

  • Not all sheep belong to Jesus (v26)

  • Jesus gives His sheep eternal life (v28)

  • Last, but certainly not least Jesus twice makes this stunning claim: I AND THE FATHER ARE ONE (v30, 38)

Jesus' opponents knew exactly what He claimed in this exchange, as evidenced by their picking up stones to execute Him on the spot for blasphemy (v31, 33).



Dig Deeper


These words likely seem endearing and comforting to you, because you recognize the voice of your Shepherd in them. Praise God for this, and pray that you will continue to follow Him no matter how hostile the crowd around you becomes.





AAA Prayer :

  • ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father in heaven, who sent His Son to be our Shepherd;

  • ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will clearly hear and respond to the Good Shepherd's voice.

  • ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

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