John 10

1 Verely verely I saye vnto you: he that entreth not in by ye dore into the shepefolde but clymeth vp some other waye: the same is a thefe and a robber.

2 He that goeth in by ye dore is the shepeherde of ye shepe:

3 to him the porter openeth and the shepe heare his voyce and he calleth his awne shepe by name and leadeth them out.

4 And when he hath sent forthe his awne shepe he goeth before them and the shepe folowe him: for they knowe his voyce.

5 A straunger they will not folowe but will flye from him: for they knowe not the voyce of straungers.

6 This similitude spake Iesus vnto them. But they vnderstode not what thinges they were which he spake vnto them.

7 Then sayde Iesus vnto them agayne. Verely verely I saye vnto you: I am the dore of the shepe.

8 All even as many as came before me are theves and robbers: but the shepe dyd not heare them.

9 I am the dore: by me yf eny man enter in he shalbe safe and shall goo in and out and fynde pasture.

10 The thefe cometh not but forto steale kyll and destroye. I am come that they myght have lyfe and have it more aboundantly.

11 I am ye good shepeheerd. The good shepeheerd geveth his lyfe for ye shepe.

12 An heyred servaut which is not ye shepeherd nether ye shepe are his awne seith the wolfe comynge and leveth the shepe and flyeth and the wolfe catcheth them and scattereth ye shepe.

13 The heyred servaut flyeth because he is an heyred servaunt and careth not for the shepe.

14 I am that good shepeheerd and knowe myne and am knowe of myne.

15 As my father knoweth me: even so knowe I my father. And I geve my lyfe for the shepe:

16 and other shepe I have which are not of this folde. Them also must I bringe that they maye heare my voyce and that ther maye be one flocke and one shepeherde.

17 Therfore doth my father love me because I put my lyfe from me that I myght take it agayne.

18 No man taketh it from me: but I put it awaye of my selfe. I have power to put it from me and have power to take it agayne: This comaundment have I receaved of my father.

19 And ther was a dissencion agayne amoge the Iewes for these sayinges

20 and many of them sayd. He hath the devyll and is mad: why heare ye him?

21 Other sayde these are not the wordes of him that hath the devyll. Can the devyll open the eyes of the blynde?

22 And it was at Ierusalem ye feaste of the dedicacion and it was wynter:

23 and Iesus walked in Salomons porche.

24 Then came the Iewes rounde aboute him and sayde vnto him: How longe dost thou make vs doute? Yf thou be Christ tell vs playnly.

25 Iesus answered them: I tolde you and ye beleve not. The workes yt I do in my fathers name they beare witnes of me.

26 But ye beleve not because ye are not of my shepe. As I sayde vnto you:

27 my shepe heare my voyce and I knowe them and they folowe me

28 and I geve vnto the eternall lyfe and they shall never perisshe nether shall eny man plucke the oute of my honde.

29 My father which gave the me is greatter then all and no man is able to take them out of my fathers honde.

30 And I and my father are one.

31 Then the Iewes agayne toke up stones to stone him with all.

32 Iesus answered them: many good workes have I shewed you from my father: for which of them will ye stone me?

33 The Iewes answered him sayinge. For thy good workes sake we stone ye not: but for thy blasphemy and because that thou beinge a man makest thy selfe God.

34 Iesus answered them: Is it not written in youre lawe: I saye ye are goddes?

35 If he called the goddes vnto whom the worde of God was spoken (and the scripture can not be broken)

36 saye ye then to him whom the father hath sainctified and sent into the worlde thou blasphemest because I sayd I am the sonne of God?

37 If I do not the workes of my father beleve me not.

38 But if I do though ye beleve not me yet beleve the workes that ye maye knowe and beleve that the father is in me and I in him.

39 Agayne they went aboute to take him: but he escaped out of their hondes

40 and went awaye agayne beyonde Iordan into the place where Iohn before had baptised and there aboode.

41 And many resorted vnto him and sayd. Iohn dyd no miracle: but all thinges that Iohn spake of this man are true.

42 And many beleved on him theare.

John 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.