The True Gate
Last week, we began looking at John 10. If you missed that email and would like to check it out, you can find it here. This week, we’ll continue exploring what this chapter has to say about Jesus being our good shepherd and thinking about what that really means for us as we move closer to the celebration of Christmas.
We left off in verse 6, noting that those listening to Jesus didn’t quite understand what he meant by the story he told them about shepherding. Today, we’ll pick up in verse 7 as Jesus tries again. We begin to peel back the layers as we get a glimpse into the deeper meaning of this story.
John 10:7-10 (NLT)
“…I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”
Right off the bat, Jesus says, “I am the gate for the sheep.” Last week, we talked about how the sheep were safe when they went in and out of the gate with their shepherd. Jesus is saying he is the gate—the entrance into the sheepfold—the way to safety.
Jesus follows this idea of being the gate with a curious statement - “All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them.” I mentioned last week that I was curious about the distinction between thieves and robbers. Some of you were curious about it, too, and sent me snapshots of your word searches, which I love!
As I looked at each word, it was clear that while we might use these words interchangeably, there is a distinctive here between thieves and robbers.
Here is what the Strong’s Concordance offers -
kleptēs (greek) - thief
embezzler, pilferer
the name is transferred to false teachers, who do not care to instruct men, but abuse their confidence for their own gain
lēstēs (greek) - robber
a robber, freebooter, brigand
This is how these two words are defined. Then, it lists them as synonyms but makes a distinction, which I found helpful.
Thief - one who steals by stealth
Robber - one who steals openly
Notice that Jesus says, “ALL who came before him were thieves and robbers.” So, who are the ALL? What is he talking about?
I think it is important to remember that for thousands of years people had been waiting for the Messiah, and many people falsely claimed to be the Messiah during that waiting.
I mentioned last time that it seems plausible that at least part of John 10 continues from John 9, so we are going to go back a bit today. Remember, it is the Sabbath, and Jesus has healed a man who was born blind.
John 9:28-34 (NLT)
Then they (the Pharisees) cursed him (the no longer blind man) and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know God spoke to Moses, but we don’t even know where this man comes from.” “Why, that’s very strange!” the man replied. “He healed my eyes and yet you don’t know where he comes from. We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but he is ready to hear those who worship him and do his will. Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. If this man were not from God, he couldn’t have done it.” “You were born a total sinner!” they answered. “Are you trying to teach us?” And they threw him out of the synagogue.
A lot is happening here, but imagine being the Pharisees. Imagine wanting to preserve and protect the law of God and the Scriptures you’ve been reading, memorizing, and mastering for your whole life. Imagine having to navigate every claim of Messiahship and how exasperating it might have been to them. I have a lot of sympathy for their confusion and frustration, yet in all of their weariness, they are missing the truth that the Messiah is among them.
In these verses, the Pharisees say they follow Moses because they know God spoke to Moses, but they don’t know who Jesus is or where he comes from. However, the no longer blind man sees clearly. He knows what is true. He says ever since the world began, no one has been able to heal someone born blind. He knows that only God could have done this for him.
This infuriates the Pharisees. They are like - you, the man who was born blind, a total sinner, are trying to teach us about Scripture, about God. Nope. Not happening. And they threw him out of the synagogue.
Now curiously, John 9 begins with the disciples of Jesus asking, “Rabbi, why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” Jesus answers them, saying, “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins. This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.”
In Luke in the Land, Kristi McLelland writes, “There were certain miracles that rabbis and religious leaders couldn’t perform. There were certain healings they didn’t possess the power to perform. And it was these miracles and healings that the people started associating with messianic presence and power. In other words, Messiah would be able to perform these miracles and healings, and they would differentiate Him from others claiming to be the messiah and those with miraculous ministries.”
Kristi goes on to say that, “According to Dr. Ron Moseley, a scholar in Jewish studies and second temple history, there were four such miracles considered to be ‘messianic’ in the first century mindset of the people.”
One of these miracles was healing a person born blind. It had never been done.
With that in mind, imagine the Pharisees staring at this man - a man known in the town to have been blind since birth. The community clearly considered this blindness to be a punishment for some sin - either the man’s or his parents. We see this in the question Jesus’s disciples asked as soon as they encountered the blind man. And we see it in the Pharisees’ response to the man - you were born a total sinner!
AND yet! The Pharisees know this healing is a unique sign that might, in fact, point to the one true Messiah. God’s power is on display in this healing. Yet, in their pride, they kick the man out of the synagogue. It would be easier to ignore him than to believe his claim.
But Jesus hears what happens, and he goes and finds the man. He asks him this question: “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” To which the man replies, “Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him.” And Jesus says, “You have seen him, and he is speaking to you!” And the man says, “Yes, Lord, I believe!”
Now, we have come a long way from our three verses in John 10, but I think when Jesus talks about all the thieves and robbers who came before him, he is speaking about those who claimed falsely to be the Messiah as well as the leaders who claimed to care for the sheep but really only had their own interests in mind. Jesus is the true King - the Good Shepherd, the Messiah, the High Priest - the Son of Almighty God.
In NT Wright’s commentary on John 10, he writes, “Anyone can call followers. But the sign of the real king is the response that comes from the heart, when people hear his voice and, in love and trust, follow him.”
The blind man’s life was forever changed that day! Before his eyes could see, he heard the voice of Jesus telling him to go and wash in the pool. He wanted to trust him. Hoped for a miracle. Experienced freedom like he’d never known.
Imagine yourself in this man’s shoes. He was asked to repeat his story of healing over and over, and still, people doubted him and questioned him at every step. They treated him as if he’d done something wrong. And yet, when the leaders meant to shepherd him cast him out, the Good Shepherd was right there looking for him.
The man stood there, eyes fully working, looking at the face of Jesus and knowing, you are the one. You are the Messiah we’ve been waiting for. In love and trust, he followed him. He discovered the shepherd’s voice, and he wasn’t going to forget it.
The last verse we read from John above says, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”
The Complete Jewish Bible says it a bit differently, "The thief comes only in order to steal, kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, life in its fullest measure."
Only the true Messiah can promise fullness of life. No thief or robber can ever promise that.
Jesus came so that we could have life in its fullest measure. That is miraculous and where we'll begin next time.
~ Melissa