John 10:7-10 -- So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All those who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door; if anyone enters through 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 so that they would have life, and have it abundantly.
Thank You, Lord for this new day. Thank You, God for and in everything! In Jesus name I pray. Amen!
Our journey to follow Jesus continues in John chapter ten. Jesus is addressing the religious authorities He's been dealing with since chapter nine. We closed out nine with the blind man, Jesus healed, being kicked out of temple and Judaism by the pharisees. Jesus found him and the man believed in and worshipped Him. Jesus told Him He'd come to make the blind see and those who think they see blind. There were religious authorities nearby who heard this and jumped in. So, Jesus began at the end of nine, into ten addressing them in front of the ex-blind man.
A little wordy recap but for me having the context here helps better understand Jesus' words. He says in today's verses "I am the door of the sheep." and "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved,". When you realize this was being said in the presence of the ex-blind man who had just been treated awfully for standing up for the simple truth of what Jesus had done for him; then kicked out of Judaism all together, it adds so much weight to it all.
Jesus' words to the pharisees cut to the core of their selfish, deceitful, bullying, religious ways and at the same time, brings comfort and acceptance to the ex-blind man. Jesus makes clear He is the door to the sheep, so they may have cast the ex-blind man out of their religion, but he'd gained access to the true sheepfold through Jesus!
Also, here are two other things that give historical context on what Jesus is saying. In verses one through six, Jesus talks of a gate keeper for the sheepfold letting the shepherd in. Then here in seven through ten He says He is the door to the sheep.
In that time, some towns had a single sheepfold, where multiple herds of sheep could be kept in. There was a gatekeeper who let the shepherds in and when the shepherd called his sheep, they recognized Him and came out from all the other sheep in there. Only his sheep would come at the sound of his voice. This is what Jesus speaks of in one through six.
When a shepherd was out on their own, they had smaller pens to put the sheep in, and many times there was no gate or door on it. The shepherd would lay across the only entrance into the pen to keep the sheep in and see any dangers that would approach. He would effectively become the "door" to the sheep.
Christian, is Jesus, the Word, the Way, the Truth, the Life, your door in and out of everything in your daily life?
Don't take my word on anything, be the Berean and get into your bible and let God show you directly!
You are loved. You are prayed over. You are not alone.
コメント