John 10:11-21

John 10:11--- I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

John 10:12--- 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.

John 10:13--- The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

John 10:14--- I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

John 10:15--- As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

John 10:16--- 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.

John 10:17--- Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

John 10:18--- 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.

John 10:19--- There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.

John 10:20--- And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?

John 10:21--- Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?

There is a progress of thought in each allegory.

I. THE CHARACTER OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD.

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

1. He is himself "the great Shepherd of the sheep." Of whom the prophets spoke. (Ezek 34:23, Gen 49:24; Isa 40:11)

2. His interest in his sheep is manifested in his throwing away his life for their protection. Like David, he exposes his life freely for the sake of his Father's flock; he gives his life in their room and stead. Our Lord constantly emphasizes that doctrine of atonement which "the wisdom of the world" rejects.

II. THE CHRACTER OF THE HIRELING.

1. He has no natural concern for the sheep. "But he that is an hireling, and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep." Hirelings of this class mind their own things, not the things of Jesus Christ, seeking only their gain from their quarter. They care not, therefore, what becomes of the sheep. Our Lord here refers, probably, to the natural guides of the Jewish people---the priest and the Levites, who had come to forget or ignore all their religious responsibilities.

2. He allows the wolves to scatter the flock. "The wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep." The wolf represents the natural enemy of the sheep. Jesus said before, "I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves" (Matt 10:16). The Pharisees were "wolves" from their rapacity, their falseness, and their temper of domination.

III. THE RELATION BETWEEN THE GOOD SHEPHERD AND THE SHEEP.

" I know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, and as I know the Father."

1. This bespeaks mutual knowledge. Jesus has an individual knowledge of each member of his flock, as at once the choice and gift of his Father, and as his own purchase. The relation between himself and his Father was the source and the pattern of this intimate relation with his sheep. The sheep know Christ savingly, for their knowledge is linked with trust, love, admiration.

2. He sacrifices his life for the sheep. "And I give my life for the sheep." The sacrifice was yet future, but clearly foreseen. There was no life for the sheep but through the death of the Shepherd.

3. He has also purposes of mercy for the Gentiles. "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also must I bring, and they shall hear my voice: and there shall be one flock, one Shepherd. Jewish unbelief will not defeat the Lord's purpose to establish a kingdom of believers. Our Lord foresees the hearty belief of the Gentiles in his Messiaship. He regards them as already his, for they are so from all eternity (ch 18:37). He regards them as not "of this fold," for they are as yet "aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise" (Eph 2:12). Yet they are to be brought out of the wilderness of the world, to his heavenly kingdom and glory by their hearing his voice in the gospel. There will be but one Church-state for Jew and Gentile. "And they shall be one flock, one Shepherd." Jesus by his death has made both one---"one new man"---breaking down the middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile. There may be many folds, that is, many visible Churches, but there is one flock. There is but one Shepherd in this flock. Our Lord foresees the great mission-work of the Church in coming ages.

IV. MARK THE PERFECT FREEDOM OF THE SHEPHERD'S DEATH.

"Therefore doth my Father love me, because I give my life, that I may take it again. No one taketh it from me, but I give it of myself."

1. There is more in the sacrifices of Christ than in the death of a shepherd, who lets himself be torn in pieces that his flock may escape.

2. Christ's was a death absolutely self-determined, yet in accordance with his father's will, and therefore does it specifically challenge the Father's love. There was power to lay down life. This implies the power to keep it. He could have claimed the aid of twelve legions of angels to snatch him from the grasp of his enemies. He was indeed "crucified in weakness;" but it was a weakness self-induced. There was power to take life again in his resurrection, after he had satisfied law and justice by his obedience and sufferings unto death.

V. CONSIDER THE EFFECT OF OUR LORD'S TEACHING.

"There was a division therefore again among the Jews by reason of these words." There is always the same result" a few accept the teaching, the rest become increasingly hostile and insulting. The question, "Why hear ye him?" implies an uneasiness at the favor shown to him by a portion of the Jews.
[ The End ]