The Gate of Salvation and Life in its Fullness

In the first part,

Jesus declares that He is the Gate for the sheep (7b) and the shepherd (2), and the Gate of Salvation (9) and Life (10b).

He shows what qualifies to be “the shepherd,“ and compares with a robber and a thief.

In the 2^nd part,

Jesus declares that He is the Good Shepherd, and compares with the hired hand.

I. The Gate, Jesus (John 10:1 – 10)

First, Jesus explains the difference between shepherd and thief/robber. The shepherd enters by the gate (John 10:2) but a thief and a robber climbs in by some other way (John 10:1).

Then, Jesus declares “I am the gate for the sheep” (7b, 9a)

Jesus is the Gate to the sheepfold, and it is important to enter through this Gate.

The man who enters by the Gate is one who recognizes and believes Jesus and he is the shepherd of His sheep.

Jesus entrusted His sheep to His servants like us. Entering through the sheep gate Jesus, we are able to be a shepherd to His sheep (2). Shepherd should understand their character & ability by calling them by their names and lead them by being an example (3).

If a man does not recognize Jesus, he is not qualified as the shepherd but considered as a thief and a robber (1-2). They have two different purposes: See verse 10.

¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

“Entering through Jesus” is the condition of salvation both for shepherd & sheep (9).

Jesus is the Gate of Salvation (9) and Life in its fullness (10).

II. The Good Shepherd, Jesus (John 10:11 – 18)

Jesus declared in John 10:11a.

^11aI am the good shepherd (11a, 14a)

Now, Jesus explains about the Good Shepherd. See v11b.

^11bThe good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Jesus says this with “the good shepherd” replaced with “I” in v15b.

¹⁴ ‘I am the good shepherd; …… ¹⁵ …… and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Jesus compares the Good Shepherd with the hired hand in v12 and v13.

¹² The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So, when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. ¹³ The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

Differently to the hired hand, Jesus owns the sheep. This implies how much greater His care and love toward His sheep (us) are than all others (hired hands)’s.

As we know, we usually do not commit if the cost is too high. But we may sacrifice even our lives for someone only if we truly love & care about that person. The Good Shepherd Jesus committed to save us even though it cost His life. This shows how much Jesus loves and cares for us. As a disciple & a shepherd entrusted His sheep, we learn from Jesus to be a good shepherd like Him (11-18).

See v14 and v15.

¹⁴ ‘I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.

In these verses, Jesus says “I know my sheep and my sheep know me”.  What does this mean? Let’s think more about this Word.

• Jesus knows me: Jesus knows my character, habits, weaknesses and strengths, needs, feelings, hurts, intensions/motivations, sins, miserable fate if without Him, ……
• I know my Shepherd: His sheep knows “His sacrifice was out of His love toward me and how great His love is, He knew me even when I didn’t recognize Him, He knows me all along, He makes my life meaningful, He is trustworthy, He is faithful, He is good, ……”

See v16.

¹⁶ I have other sheep that are not of this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

Jesus talks on “other sheep that are not of this sheepfold”. Jesus owns them at present, too, as shown in the expression of “I have” (not “I will have”). Jesus declares, “there shall be one flock and one shepherd.”