Parable of the Good Shepherd

Turn with me if you will to the book of John, chapter 10. In my Bible, the title of this knowledge nugget appears as the heading. I am reading from the New American Standard – Updated Edition (NASU). In the Contemporary English Version (CEV), we find the title “A Story about Sheep” and in the New English Translation (NET) Bible, we find “Jesus as the Good Shepherd.” So in reading the first 21 verses of John chapter 10, we have a pretty good idea of who the parable is going to be about.

Let’s look at the first six verses of John Chapter 10:

“1 ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.’ 6 This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them.”
John 10:1-6 (NASU)

Verse 6 tells us that “they” did not understand what Jesus was telling them. Who are “they” in verse 6? Is it the disciples or is it a group of Jews; perhaps Pharisees? We have to go to John 9:40 to take this in context. There we find that Jesus is speaking to a group of Pharisees.

Now before Jesus interprets this parable, I want to ask “Do you understand the parable?” In reality, it is interesting to hear the different interpretations I get when I ask this question to the students.

John 10:7-18 provides the explanation of this parable:

“7 So Jesus said to them again, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear 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 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 is not the owner of 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 is not concerned about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, 15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. 18 No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.’ ”
John 10:7-18 (NASU)

So who are the “sheep” that Jesus is referring to in verse 7? And who is “all who came before Me” that Jesus is referring to in verse 8? If you answered correctly, you said that the “sheep” are His followers and the “all who came before Me” are the false shepherds [Note: He is speaking to the Pharisees about themselves…]. Do you think this went “over their heads?” In other words, did the Pharisees understand that He was talking about them? That answer comes in the last three verses of this week’s knowledge nugget:

“19 A division occurred again among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them were saying, ‘He has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to Him?’ 21 Others were saying, ‘These are not the sayings of one demon-possessed. A demon cannot open the eyes of the blind, can he?’ ”
John 10:19-21 (NASU)

We see that an uneven split has occurred. Note that the Word says “many” in verse 20 which is referring to those who do not believe in Jesus. The “others” that verse 21 is referring to are believers in Jesus Christ. Where in Scripture have we seen a similar uneven split? Actually in quite a few places but one place that immediately comes to my mind is Matthew chapter 7, verses 13 and 14:

13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV)

Note the many/few comparison. Do you know what these two verses are referring to? If you said Hell and Heaven, you are correct. Or put another way in another translation:

13 “Heaven can be entered only through the narrow gate! The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide enough for all the multitudes who choose its easy way. 14 But the Gateway to Life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it.”
Matthew 7:13-14 (TLB)

But what about the many/few correlation? Does this align with your way of thinking? Do you agree or disagree with this; that FEW will enter Heaven (as compared to those destined for Hell? Is this what a loving God would do to mankind? Considering that these verses appear in RED in the red-letter editions of the Bible, that means that Jesus Christ Himself spoke these words. Do you believe what Jesus Christ has to say?

Wow! A tough but powerful lesson! Let me hear from you either with a comment to this post or via the “Contact Us” form found here.

That will be a wrap for today. You all have been great. I especially appreciate the eMails from folks that either let me know how this ministry has helped them or sent me ideas on content that I could publish. With that, I leave you by speaking this blessing over you:

“I pray that the Lord
will bless and protect you,
and that he will show you mercy
and kindness.
May the Lord be good to you
and give you peace.“
Numbers 6:24-26 (CEV)

Pastor Dave