1 Jesus said:
I tell you for certain that only thieves and robbers climb over the fence instead of going in through the gate to the sheep pen. 2-3 But the gatekeeper opens the gate for the shepherd, and he goes in through it. The sheep know their shepherd’s voice. He calls each of them by name and leads them out.
4 When he has led out all of his sheep, he walks in front of them, and they follow, because they know his voice. 5 The sheep will not follow strangers. They don’t recognize a stranger’s voice, and they run away.
6 Jesus told the people this story. But they did not understand what he was talking about.
7 Jesus said:
I tell you for certain that I am the gate for the sheep. 8 Everyone who came before me was a thief or a robber, and the sheep did not listen to any of them. 9 I am the gate. All who come in through me will be saved. Through me they will come and go and find pasture.
10 A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest. 11 I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd gives up his life for his sheep. 12 Hired workers are not like the shepherd. They don’t own the sheep, and when they see a wolf coming, they run off and leave the sheep. Then the wolf attacks and scatters the flock. 13 Hired workers run away because they don’t care about the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and they know me. 15 Just as the Father knows me, I know the Father, and I give up my life for my sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not in this sheep pen. I must bring them together too, when they hear my voice. Then there will be one flock of sheep and one shepherd.
17 The Father loves me, because I give up my life, so that I may receive it back again. 18 No one takes my life from me. I give it up willingly! I have the power to give it up and the power to receive it back again, just as my Father commanded me to do.
19 The people took sides because of what Jesus had told them. 20 Many of them said, “He has a demon in him! He is crazy! Why listen to him?”
21 But others said, “How could anyone with a demon in him say these things? No one like that could give sight to a blind person!”
Read John 10:1-21 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!
During one of the times Jesus was preaching the crowds, He alludes to His upcoming death. However, this idea seems to be lost on the crowd He was speaking to. When Jesus begins talking about a good shepherd and contrasting this person with descriptions of both thieves and robbers, Jesus describes the good shepherd as one who gives His life for His sheep.
Jesus clearly states this first in verse 11 when He says: “I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd gives up his life for his sheep.” Jesus then reemphasizes this idea a few verses later by saying, “I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and they know me. Just as the Father knows me, I know the Father, and I give up my life for my sheep.” (v. 14-15)
If that wasn’t enough, Jesus emphasizes this one more time, and in this third time, Jesus also hints at the idea of a future resurrection. “The Father loves me, because I give up my life, so that I may receive it back again. No one takes my life from me. I give it up willingly! I have the power to give it up and the power to receive it back again, just as my Father commanded me to do.” (v. 17-18)
Here in the third reference to Jesus (a.k.a. the Good Shepherd) giving up His life, we see Jesus describing the life He gave up being returned to Him. This sounds a lot like resurrection in my mind. This could be coincidence that there are three references to giving up His life, and in the third reference we find Jesus referring to receiving His life back again. This echoes what happened on crucifixion weekend, where Jesus gave up His life and on the third day He received His life back when He was resurrected from the tomb.
While Jesus’ teaching about being a good shepherd divides those present in His audience, we can learn that nothing Jesus ever said or did happened by chance. Everything in Jesus’ life followed God’s plan, and Jesus ultimately gave His life up on the cross so that all of God’s people could have the assurance of a new life with Him in heaven.
We can place our hope, faith, trust, and belief in Jesus because He is willing to face death because He loves us so much. Jesus died for you and me, and this is the clearest example of how God feels about you and me.
This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!
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