Few images are more endearing to God’s people than the image of Jesus as the good shepherd. In the Old Testament, shepherd imagery is commonly used for Yahweh (e.g. Psalm 23:1; 80:1; 100:3).
In the New Testament, we find Jesus called the great shepherd of the sheep (Hebrews 13:20) and the chief shepherd (1 Peter 5:4). All of this underscores the multi-faceted richness of shepherding imagery in the Bible.
Ezekiel 34
John 10 is rooted in the soil of Ezekiel 34—another passage that speaks of shepherds. In Ezekiel 34:2, God indicted the rulers of Israel by calling Ezekiel to,
“…prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD GOD to the shepherds: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock?’”
In v. 11, God stated that he would search for his sheep and seek them out from where they had been scattered. In v. 16, he said, “I will seek what was lost [c.f. Luke 19:10] and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick…”
Later in Ezekiel 34, it became clear that God would shepherd his people through his Messiah who is called David. God said in v. 23, “I will establish one shepherd over them [c.f. John 10:16], and he shall feed them; My servant David. He shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the LORD, will be their God, and My servant David a prince among them.”
In the days of this new David, God would establish a covenant of peace (Ezekiel 34:25; 37:26) between himself and the people.
Three Fundamental Claims
In John 10, Jesus made three fundamental claims about himself as Messiah. In vss. 1–6, Jesus claimed to be the only authorized Messiah of Israel. In vss. 7–10, Jesus claimed to be the only access point for the life he had come to give. Finally, in vss. 11–30, Jesus claimed that he was not just a good shepherd—but the good shepherd. The one shepherd promised in Ezekiel, who would establish the everlasting covenant of peace between God and his people.
Claim #1
In v. 2, Jesus said, “But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.” Jesus was referring to himself as the shepherd, because of what he goes on to say in vss. 11 and 14, “ I am the good shepherd.” Christ is the one who entered by the door. It says in v. 3, “To him the door keeper opens…” That is a reference to God the Father granting his Son authorized access to the sheepfold of Israel. Which means that the sheepfold of v. 1 is the Jewish nation to whom Christ was sent. God opened the door of ministry for the true shepherd of the sheep to come and gather his sheep from the Jewish nation.
The opening of the door by the doorkeeper is a reference, therefore, to Jesus’ God-given access to Israel. To have authorization means to have official permission or approval to do something. Jesus was saying that the Father had given him official approval to minister to Israel and to call out his sheep from the pen.
Who are the thieves and robbers Jesus referred to? He said in v. 8, “All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers.” By thieves and robbers, Jesus was speaking about the rival claimants to messiahship who had come before him. There were many messianic pretenders who had led the people into political revolution and violence. They were so-called “messiahs” but never brought Israel lasting peace.
What made these men thieves and robbers is that they took what did not belong to them. They claimed to be the messiah without official warrant from the Father to do so—they had no authorization to access the flock of Israel like Jesus did. Thus, they did not enter by the door opened by the gatekeeper, but climbed in a different way.
In distinction from the thieves and robbers, notice what Christ said in v. 17, “My Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.” The goal of Jesus’ ministry among Israel would culminate in his death and resurrection for the sheep. In fact, Jesus said, “This command [or charge] I have received from My Father” (v. 18). Jesus came commissioned as the shepherd to die and then take up his life again.
Claim #2
In vss. 7–10, Jesus claimed to be the sole access point for the eternal life that he had come to give. He contrasted himself with the “thieves and robbers” who had come before him. In v. 10, he said, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.” This was a reference to the political upheaval caused by messianic pretenders along with their fellow insurrectionists (like Barabbas) and religious anti-Roman zealots. Jesus was rejecting wholesale that type of messiahship.
In distinction, Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.” Jesus meant that he was the entry way not into a more politically expedient life in this age but into new covenant life. In v. 9, he explained further, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture…” By pasture, Jesus was indicating the new life his sheep would receive through faith in him. The life Jesus came to give would be secured at the cost of his own death for the flock.
John 10 is permeated with the doctrine of definite atonement. When we ask the question For whom did Christ die?—Jesus consistently said that he would die on behalf of the sheep. In other words, the death of Christ was intended by God for the salvithic benefit of specific individuals given by God to the Son. This is why Christ consistently referred to the sheep as his own (c.f. vss. 14, 26, 27, 29).
Who are these sheep? In short, they are God’s elect people from Jew and Gentile who were given to Christ in eternity. Notice what Jesus said in v. 16, “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice…” When he said, “I have other sheep which are not of this fold”—he referred to Jewish people. The other sheep he referred to are the Gentiles given to him by the Father.
Notice what Jesus said, “I have other sheep” — that’s in the present tense. These sheep would hear his voice--that’s in the future tense. As Christ was speaking in John 10, therefore, he had in his possession sheep from Gentile nations who had not yet heard his voice as the good shepherd. But in the future, he said, they would hear his voice and respond. They would enter by Christ and receive the green pastures of eternal life and salvation, recognizing him as the Lamb of God who would take away their sins (c.f. John 1:29).
Claim #3
Finally, Jesus claimed to be the Ezekiel 34 shepherd who would establish the covenant of peace. Jesus wanted to make sure his disciples did not think of his impending death as a cosmic accident. In fact, his passion was the summit of obedience to the Father’s mission. The shepherd would give his life for the sheep. Hence, he said in v. 17, “No one takes [my life] from me.” The deepest reason for Jesus’ death was his own voluntary pursuit of carrying out the Father’s will for the wellbeing of his flock. “As the Father knows me, even so I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep” (v. 15).
This was the way the covenant of peace would be ratified. This was the way eternal life would be secured. Jesus said, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand” (v. 28). Christians must embrace and love the Shepherd who died for them. Jesus will not lose one sheep. Doubting saints need to rest in the Good Shepherd’s life-giving death. He provides the green pastures of salvation!
Application
How do people hear the voice of the Good Shepherd today? Since Jesus said, "I have other sheep not of this fold"—how do they hear Christ’s voice? It is through the church declaring the gospel of God. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).
Christ still speaks today through the ministry of the gospel. His death is placarded as the once-for-all sacrifice of sin. Christ is the door, sinners. Enter by him and find salvation—for only he has provided the death whereby he would draw the people to himself—the sheep of one flock.
Abounding Grace Radio