Daily Scripture Reading John 10:1-21

Today, many mega-churches employ large pastoral staffs who do much of the supposed shepherding. However, many people on those staffs see their role on the staff as a mere stepping stone on their career path. Many of them frequently move to a job at a different church in order to advance their career. If their job at a church is merely a career step, then it is legitimate to question how committed they are to their current church.

The New Testament often uses the analogy of sheep and shepherds in order to describe church leadership. John 10 contains some statements in which Jesus defined good shepherding. His assertions lead to the conclusion that paid staff members are not an effective way to achieve Biblical shepherding.

Jesus gave sight to a blind man on the Sabbath. That generated a debate about Jesus. The Jews claimed Jesus was a sinner because He broke the Sabbath. The man who had received his sight argued that only a man sent from God is able to give sight to the blind. Eventually, the Jews reviled the man who had been blind and put him out.

Jesus declared that He came into this world so that those who see may not see and vice versa. The Pharisees asked if they were blind. Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.” Then Jesus continued.

John 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.

John 10:2 But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep.

There is a lot happening with this illustration. First, is the illustration itself. Jesus pointed out simple facts that distinguish between thieves and shepherds. Second, Jesus was documenting facts about raising sheep, which are important to us because in the New Testament the leaders of churches are called shepherds while the members of churches are called sheep. Third, Jesus was using this illustration as a reaction to the Pharisees rejecting Jesus which we read about yesterday.

John 10:3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

The pronoun “him” refers to the shepherd. Note that the shepherd calls each sheep by name. This communicates the importance of church leaders knowing the people in their church.

John 10:4 When he brings all his own out, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.

John 10:5 A stranger they will never follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.”

Sheep recognize the voice of their shepherd and will follow him. They do not recognize the voices of strangers and will not follow them.

This has both pros and cons in relation to churches. If a church leader is following God, then it is good if the congregation follows him. If a church leaders is going astray, then it is bad that the congregation follows him. Also, if a so-called church leader is following God, but does not know the congregation, then he will not be able to get the congregation to follow him towards God.

This explains why so many churches have gone astray over the centuries and why so many so-called evangelical churches are going astray today. The congregation tends to go along with whatever the leaders want to do. If the leaders adopt unbiblical ideas and practices, and today many church leaders are doing that, then the whole church follows the leaders into heresy and irrelevancy.

John 10:6 This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them.

Notice the phrase “they did not understand”. They certainly would have understood the illustration itself because raising sheep was very common in their culture. What was puzzling to them, and a question we should ask, is why Jesus said these things at this particular time.

Jesus healed a blind man; thus proving He is God. The Jews rejected the proof and actually accused Jesus of being a sinner. Then Jesus said He came into the world so that those who can’t see will see and vice versa. How does this parable about the sheepfold continue that thought?

John 10:7 ¶ So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

Jesus claimed to be the door. In His figure of speech, Jesus said the shepherd enters by the door while thieves enter some other way. By claiming to be the door, Jesus said the only legitimate way to gain salvation is through Jesus. As the people debated whether Jesus was good or bad, He used this illustration of the sheepfold to communicate that He is the only way to salvation.

John 10:8 All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.

John 10:9 I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

Jesus repeated the idea that He is the only way to receive salvation.

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Anyone who offers salvation apart from Jesus is a killer and destroyer.

John 10:11 ¶ “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

Throughout the New Testament, church members are portrayed as sheep and church leaders as shepherds. In this passage Jesus defined good shepherding, which teaches us about good church leadership.

Good church leaders sacrifice themselves for the members of the church.

John 10:12 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 and scatters them—

John 10:13 because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep.

Jesus drew a contrast between the dedication of the shepherd and the lack of dedication on the part of hired hands.

Today, many mega-churches employ large pastoral staffs who do much of the supposed shepherding. However, many people on those staffs see their role on the staff as a mere stepping stone on their career path. If their job at a church is merely a career step, are they really committed to the congregation? How are they any different than the hired hands mentioned by Jesus?

Instead of relying on staff pastors to do the shepherding, the shepherding should be done by volunteer elders who have a lifetime commitment to the church.

John 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me,

John 10:15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

This repeats the idea that a good church leaders knows the people in the congregation.

John 10:16 And I have other sheep, which are not from this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.

The term “other sheep” is a reference to gentiles. The term “this fold” is a reference to the Jewish people. After the resurrection, believing Jews and believing gentiles were united into one church.

John 10:17 For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again.

John 10:18 No one takes it away from Me, but from Myself, I lay it down. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”

John 10:19 ¶ A division occurred again among the Jews because of these words.

This is the third time the Gospel of John tells us the crowd was divided over Jesus. The next two verses define the division.

John 10:20 And many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to Him?”

John 10:21 Others were saying, “These are not the words of someone demon-possessed. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

A person’s belief regarding Jesus is what divides the unsaved from the saved. Anyone who believes in Jesus is saved. Those who do not believe in Jesus are not saved.

Jesus said a true shepherd lays down his life for the sheep while a hired hand flees when danger comes.

Today, many mega-churches employ large pastoral staffs who do much of the supposed shepherding. However, many people on those staffs see their role on the staff as a mere stepping stone on their career path.

What is it about being a paid staff member that would cause an assistant pastor to be more like a hired hand who flees in the face of danger?

What is it about being a volunteer elder that would cause an elder to be more like a good shepherd who sacrifices himself for the sheep?

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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”