Yochanan 10

1 0 Omein, omein, I say to you, the one not entering through the derech hasha’ar (way of the entrance) into the mikhla haTzon (fold [enclosure] of the sheep) but going up another derech, that one is a ganav and a shoded (robber) [Rev 13:4].

2 But the one entering through the derech hasha’ar is Ro’eh haTzon (Shepherd of the flock [of sheep]).

3 To this one the doorkeeper opens, and the tzon hears the Ro’eh’s voice and the Ro’eh calls b’shem (by name) each of his own tzon and leads them out. [TEHILLIM 95:7]

4 When the Ro’eh has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the tzon follow the Ro’eh, because they have da’as of the Ro’eh’s voice.

5 But a zar (stranger, foreigner) they will never follow, but will flee from him, because they do not have da’as of the voice of zarim (strangers, foreigners).

6 This figure of speech Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach told them. But those ones did not have binah (understanding) of what he was saying to them.

7 Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said, therefore, again, Omein, omein, I say to you, Ani Hu the derech hasha’ar (way of the entrance) of the tzon.

8 All who came before me are ganavim (thieves) and shodedim (robbers), but the tzon did not listen to them. [YIRMEYAH 23:1,2; YECHEZKEL 34:2-3]

9 I am the derech hasha’ar. Through me, if anyone enters, he will come to yeshu’at Eloheinu and will go in and will go out and will find mir’eh (pasture) [BAMIDBAR 27:17; TEHILLIM 118:20; 23:2]

10 The ganav does not come except in order that he may steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have Chayyim (Life) and that they may have it more abundantly. [TEHILLIM 65:11]

11 I am the Ro’eh HaTov (the Good Shepherd). The Ro’eh HaTov lays down his neshamah for the tzon. [TEHILLIM 23:1; YESHAYAH 40:11; YECHEZKEL 34:11-16,23; YESHAYAH 53:7,8,10]

12 The hireling, the one who is not the Ro’eh?the hireling, the one to whom the tzon does not belong?this hireling sees the ze’ev (wolf) coming and abandons the tzon and runs for his life and the ze’ev seizes them and scatters them. [ZECHARYAH 11:16]

13 This happens because he is a hireling and the tzon means nothing to him.

14 Ani Hu the Ro’eh HaTov, and I have da’as of my tzon and my tzon has da’as of me. [SHEMOT 33:12]

15 Just as HaAv has da’as of me and I have da’as of HaAv, so I lay down my neshamah for the tzon.

16 And another tzon I have which is not of this mikhla (fold [enclosure]); those also it is necessary for me to bring, and my voice they will hear, and they will become eder echad with Ro’eh echad (One flock with one Shepherd). [YESHAYAH 56:8; YECHEZKEL 34:23; 37:24]

17 Therefore, HaAv has ahavah for me, because I lay down my neshamah that I may take it up again.

18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have samchut (authority) to lay it down, and I have samchut to receive it again. This mitzvah I received from HaAv of me. [YESHAYAH 52:13-53:12]

19 There was a machloket (division of dissension) again among those of Yehudah, because of these dvarim of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach.

20 And many of them were saying, He has a shed (demon), and He is meshugga?why do you listen to him? [MELACHIM BAIS 9:11; YIRMEYAH 29:26]

21 Others said, These dvarim are not of one being possessed of shedim. Surely a shed (demon) is not able to open the eyes of an ivver (blind man)? [SHEMOT 4:11]

22 Then the Chag (Festival) of Channukah took place in Yerushalayim. It was winter.

23 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was walking around in the Beis Hamikdash in the area called Ulam Shlomo (Solomon’s Colonnade).

24 Then those of Yehudah encircled Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach and were saying to him, How much longer are you going to hold our neshamot in suspense? If you are the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, tell us openly.

25 In reply, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said, I did tell you and you do not have emunah. The pe’ulot which I do b’Shem Avi, these pe’ulot give solemn edut (testimony, see Yn 8:18) about me.

26 But you do not have emunah (faith), because you do not belong to my Tzon.

27 My Tzon hear my voice, and I have da’as of them, and they follow me.

28 And I give to them Chayyei Olam, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. [YESHAYAH 66:22]

29 That which HaAv of me has given me is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch out of the hand of HaAv.

30 I and HaAv are echad. [DEVARIM 6:4; TEHILLIM 33:6; BERESHIS 2:24]

31 Again those of Yehudah took up stones that they might stone him.

32 In reply, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to them, Many ma’asim tovim I showed you from HaAv. Because of which ma’aseh do you stone me?

33 In reply, those of Yehudah said to him, For a ma’aseh tov we do not stone you, but for Chillul Hashem and because you, being a man, make yourself G-d. [VAYIKRA 24:16]

34 In reply, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach answered them, Has it not been written in your Torah, ANI AMARTI ELOHIM ATEM (I said you are g-ds.) [TEHILLIM 82:6] [SHEMOT 7:1; 22:27 TARGUM HASHIVIM]

35 If those ones he called g-ds, to whom the Dvar Hashem came and lo tufar Kitvei Hakodesh (and the Kitvei Hakodesh cannot be broken, TEHILLIM 119:89,142)

36 Can you say of the One whom HaAv set apart as HaKadosh and sent into the Olam Hazeh that he commits Chillul Hashem because I said, Ben HaElohim Ani Hu? [YIRMEYAH 1:5]

37 If I do not accomplish the pe’ulot of Avi, do not regard me with bitachon.

38 But if I do, even if you do not have emunah in me, chotsh have emunah in the pe’ulot, so that you may continue to have da’as and binah that HaAv is in me and I am in HaAv.

39 They were seeking, therefore, again to seize him, and he eluded their hand.

40 And he went away again beyond the Yarden to the place where Yochanan was in the beginning giving the mikveh mayim’s tevilah of teshuvah, and he remained there.

41 And many came to him and were saying, Yochanan indeed did no ot (miraculous sign), but everything Yochanan said about this man was HaEmes.

42 And many put their emunah (faith) in him [as Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach] there.

Yochanan 10 Commentary

Chapter 10

The parable of the good shepherd. (1-5) Christ the Door. (6-9) Christ the good Shepherd. (10-18) The Jews' opinion concerning Jesus. (19-21) His discourse at the feast of dedication. (22-30) The Jews attempt to stone Jesus. (31-38) He departs from Jerusalem. (39-42)

Verses 1-5 Here is a parable or similitude, taken from the customs of the East, in the management of sheep. Men, as creatures depending on their Creator, are called the sheep of his pasture. The church of God in the world is as a sheep-fold, exposed to deceivers and persecutors. The great Shepherd of the sheep knows all that are his, guards them by his providence, guides them by his Spirit and word, and goes before them, as the Eastern shepherds went before their sheep, to set them in the way of his steps. Ministers must serve the sheep in their spiritual concerns. The Spirit of Christ will set before them an open door. The sheep of Christ will observe their Shepherd, and be cautious and shy of strangers, who would draw them from faith in him to fancies about him.

Verses 6-9 Many who hear the word of Christ, do not understand it, because they will not. But we shall find one scripture expounding another, and the blessed Spirit making known the blessed Jesus. Christ is the Door. And what greater security has the church of God than that the Lord Jesus is between it and all its enemies? He is a door open for passage and communication. Here are plain directions how to come into the fold; we must come in by Jesus Christ as the Door. By faith in him as the great Mediator between God and man. Also, we have precious promises to those that observe this direction. Christ has all that care of his church, and every believer, which a good shepherd has of his flock; and he expects the church, and every believer, to wait on him, and to keep in his pasture.

Verses 10-18 Christ is a good Shepherd; many who were not thieves, yet were careless in their duty, and by their neglect the flock was much hurt. Bad principles are the root of bad practices. The Lord Jesus knows whom he has chosen, and is sure of them; they also know whom they have trusted, and are sure of Him. See here the grace of Christ; since none could demand his life of him, he laid it down of himself for our redemption. He offered himself to be the Saviour; Lo, I come. And the necessity of our case calling for it, he offered himself for the Sacrifice. He was both the offerer and the offering, so that his laying down his life was his offering up himself. From hence it is plain, that he died in the place and stead of men; to obtain their being set free from the punishment of sin, to obtain the pardon of their sin; and that his death should obtain that pardon. Our Lord laid not his life down for his doctrine, but for his sheep.

Verses 19-21 Satan ruins many, by putting them out of conceit with the word and ordinances. Men would not be laughed out of their necessary food, yet suffer themselves thus to be laughed out of what is far more necessary. If our zeal and earnestness in the cause of Christ, especially in the blessed work of bringing his sheep into his fold, bring upon us evil names, let us not heed it, but remember our Master was thus reproached before us.

Verses 22-30 All who have any thing to say to Christ, may find him in the temple. Christ would make us to believe; we make ourselves doubt. The Jews understood his meaning, but could not form his words into a full charge against him. He described the gracious disposition and happy state of his sheep; they heard and believed his word, followed him as his faithful disciples, and none of them should perish; for the Son and the Father were one. Thus he was able to defend his sheep against all their enemies, which proves that he claimed Divine power and perfection equally with the Father.

Verses 31-38 Christ's works of power and mercy proclaim him to be over all, God blessed for evermore, that all may know and believe He is in the Father, and the Father in Him. Whom the Father sends, he sanctifies. The holy God will reward, and therefore will employ, none but such as he makes holy. The Father was in the Son, so that by Divine power he wrought his miracles; the Son was so in the Father, that he knew the whole of His mind. This we cannot by searching find out to perfection, but we may know and believe these declarations of Christ.

Verses 39-42 No weapon formed against our Lord Jesus shall prosper. He escaped, not because he was afraid to suffer, but because his hour was not come. And He who knew how to deliver himself, knows how to deliver the godly our of their temptations, and to make a way for them to escape. Persecutors may drive Christ and his gospel our of their own city or country, but they cannot drive him or it out of the world. When we know Christ by faith in our hearts, we find all that the Scripture saith of him is true.