"Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. (John 10:1-4 NRSV)
I mentioned Jesus as the gate in the last post. In John Chapter 10, Jesus has quite a bit to say about gates. If you feel so inclined you can read John 10v1-18. It is an intriguing passage, partly because Jesus seems to mix his metaphors regarding gates.
I have been reading R.T. Kendall's superb book, 'Totally Forgiving God'. If you can get past the possibly provocative title, this is a very insightful book. I have three of his books, one I found less than entirely helpful at the time, another one about Joseph, and this one, which is the best. We all have an angle of insight into the multi-faceted glory of God's nature, and R.T.'s angle is only an angle. But there is depth of insight and experience here.
One of the things he says is that Jesus often did not explain what he said too clearly! He did not seem at all anxious to avoid being misunderstood. He clearly still is misunderstood even by those who love him because we squabble so much about theology! He was confident that those truly and persistently seeking truth would find it, led and illuminated by the Holy Spirit.
Anyway, back to John 10. Later in this passage, Jesus clearly states that he is both the gate and the shepherd of the sheep.
So again Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. (John 10:7 NRSV)
"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (John 10:11 NRSV)
A question arises though. Look carefully at verses 1-5 and especially verse 2.
The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
In verse 7 Jesus describes himself as the gate. So the gate he is. He is the way into the Kingdom. He alone is the way to know the Father who presides over the Kingdom. All this is straightforward. However, notice that the passage we are focussing on, John 10:1-18, is divided at verse 6.
Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. (John 10:6 NRSV)
In other words, verses 1-5 were a little tricky for the audience. It is fascinating to me that Jesus put something out to the people and then registered that they did not get it. So, at the start of verse 7, he starts again. Here is Jesus displaying the fullness of his humanity. He is working on communication with an audience in 'real time'. God likes people and has fun (as well as other emotions) communicating with us.
Unlike me (!), Jesus did not just plow on with his sermon on this occasion at least. I believe Jesus has subtly shifted his metaphor, his figure of speech, because they were giving him blank looks first time. After verse 6, the gate is clearly Jesus himself. But before verse 6? Look at verse 2 again.
The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
This time, the gate is the means by which the shepherd enters, not the shepherd himself. Read it carefully and it is hard to avoid the logic of my statement.
This of course begs a question; what does the gate mean in verse 2, if not the shepherd himself?
I believe the metaphor which makes most sense here is the one of incarnation. Jesus of course entered the sheepfold through the gate of human birth, into Israel 2000 years ago.
We live in a world where many spiritual beings are masquerading as deliverers, helpers and healers. Satan himself may appear as an angel of light, 2 Corinthians 11v14. Many self-appointed spiritual authorities claim to have had foundational revelations from angels, including Mohamed and Joseph Smith, the originators of Islam and Mormonism respectively.
Now the Bible contains an abundance of revelations given by angels, but the foundational revelation of God to man, and the foundational mediation between God and man, happened by means of incarnation. God himself became a human being. This had been planned within the Godhead from before the foundation of the world, see Revelation 13v8.
Initially God respected the precedence of Israel in his relations with men and Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, Judea. However, through the pouring out of his Spirit, indwelling his disciples, he reached the rest of the world as Jesus indicates here.
I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. (John 10:16 NRSV)
In my view then, in verse 10 follows on from the metaphor of verse 2. The gate of incarnation is contrasted with the illegitimate intrusion of Satan the thief. Satan is a disembodied spirit, along with the fallen angels. They seek to influence mankind without having actually been members of the human race.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they (the sheep) may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10 NRSV)
Only the Incarnate Son, the Son of man, Jesus the Christ, was able to bring legitimate influence with God and with man and initiate our transfer from the power of darkness and our entry into his Kingdom (Colossians 1v13).
To summarize we can say for certain that Jesus is the gate by which men may enter the Kingdom of Heaven, and also that the reason he is able and worthy to be this gate is because he humbled himself and became a man and suffered for our sins.
Jesus Christ is indeed fully God and yet fully man.
The truths of the incarnation are deep, complete and wonderful for us.
I mentioned Jesus as the gate in the last post. In John Chapter 10, Jesus has quite a bit to say about gates. If you feel so inclined you can read John 10v1-18. It is an intriguing passage, partly because Jesus seems to mix his metaphors regarding gates.
I have been reading R.T. Kendall's superb book, 'Totally Forgiving God'. If you can get past the possibly provocative title, this is a very insightful book. I have three of his books, one I found less than entirely helpful at the time, another one about Joseph, and this one, which is the best. We all have an angle of insight into the multi-faceted glory of God's nature, and R.T.'s angle is only an angle. But there is depth of insight and experience here.
One of the things he says is that Jesus often did not explain what he said too clearly! He did not seem at all anxious to avoid being misunderstood. He clearly still is misunderstood even by those who love him because we squabble so much about theology! He was confident that those truly and persistently seeking truth would find it, led and illuminated by the Holy Spirit.
Anyway, back to John 10. Later in this passage, Jesus clearly states that he is both the gate and the shepherd of the sheep.
So again Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. (John 10:7 NRSV)
"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (John 10:11 NRSV)
A question arises though. Look carefully at verses 1-5 and especially verse 2.
The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
In verse 7 Jesus describes himself as the gate. So the gate he is. He is the way into the Kingdom. He alone is the way to know the Father who presides over the Kingdom. All this is straightforward. However, notice that the passage we are focussing on, John 10:1-18, is divided at verse 6.
Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. (John 10:6 NRSV)
In other words, verses 1-5 were a little tricky for the audience. It is fascinating to me that Jesus put something out to the people and then registered that they did not get it. So, at the start of verse 7, he starts again. Here is Jesus displaying the fullness of his humanity. He is working on communication with an audience in 'real time'. God likes people and has fun (as well as other emotions) communicating with us.
Unlike me (!), Jesus did not just plow on with his sermon on this occasion at least. I believe Jesus has subtly shifted his metaphor, his figure of speech, because they were giving him blank looks first time. After verse 6, the gate is clearly Jesus himself. But before verse 6? Look at verse 2 again.
The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
This time, the gate is the means by which the shepherd enters, not the shepherd himself. Read it carefully and it is hard to avoid the logic of my statement.
This of course begs a question; what does the gate mean in verse 2, if not the shepherd himself?
I believe the metaphor which makes most sense here is the one of incarnation. Jesus of course entered the sheepfold through the gate of human birth, into Israel 2000 years ago.
We live in a world where many spiritual beings are masquerading as deliverers, helpers and healers. Satan himself may appear as an angel of light, 2 Corinthians 11v14. Many self-appointed spiritual authorities claim to have had foundational revelations from angels, including Mohamed and Joseph Smith, the originators of Islam and Mormonism respectively.
Now the Bible contains an abundance of revelations given by angels, but the foundational revelation of God to man, and the foundational mediation between God and man, happened by means of incarnation. God himself became a human being. This had been planned within the Godhead from before the foundation of the world, see Revelation 13v8.
Initially God respected the precedence of Israel in his relations with men and Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, Judea. However, through the pouring out of his Spirit, indwelling his disciples, he reached the rest of the world as Jesus indicates here.
I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. (John 10:16 NRSV)
In my view then, in verse 10 follows on from the metaphor of verse 2. The gate of incarnation is contrasted with the illegitimate intrusion of Satan the thief. Satan is a disembodied spirit, along with the fallen angels. They seek to influence mankind without having actually been members of the human race.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they (the sheep) may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10 NRSV)
Only the Incarnate Son, the Son of man, Jesus the Christ, was able to bring legitimate influence with God and with man and initiate our transfer from the power of darkness and our entry into his Kingdom (Colossians 1v13).
To summarize we can say for certain that Jesus is the gate by which men may enter the Kingdom of Heaven, and also that the reason he is able and worthy to be this gate is because he humbled himself and became a man and suffered for our sins.
Jesus Christ is indeed fully God and yet fully man.
The truths of the incarnation are deep, complete and wonderful for us.
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