Jesus explains how to discern between true shepherds from the false ones
John 10
Jesus explains how to discern between true shepherds from the false ones
Jesus Himself is the door of the sheepfold, vs 9. Those who enter through Him for salvation and point to the Word of God as the ultimate authority for all that they do and say, both by their lives and their words too, are the true shepherds. However, those who climb in some other way are thieves and robbers, who come in to kill steal and destroy the sheep. Nevertheless, those who are truly the Lord’s sheep, will only recognize and follow the voice of the true shepherds.
These shepherds know their sheep by name, and lay down their lives for the sheep, always leading by their good example, and therefore, such sheep find pasture and abundant life in following such shepherds. The true sheep will never follow a stranger, because they don’t recognise His voice, as he preaches and lives a life that contradicts the Word of God, vs 1-11. The false shepherds true colours are seen when the sheep are in danger on account of the appearance of a ‘wolf’! For it is then that they abandon the sheep and look out only for their selfish interests! Thus the sheep are attacked and scattered, vs 12,13!
Jesus Himself, the Chief Good Shepherd, knows His sheep and are known by them too as the one who has laid down His life for them on His own accord, and who is now bringing in His sheep from other folds too, so that there will be One shepherd and one flock, vs 14-18. Do we lay down our lives and gather with Him on the basis of His Word, as led by the Holy Spirit, or do we abandon and scatter like the false shepherds do, for the sake of selfish ambition? Many who found it difficult to accept His Words, because He claimed to be the Son of God, attributed His teachings to be pure madness and as originating from Satan! However, their twisted thoughts and words could not deny the amazing signs and miracles wrought through His hands which made the blind see and raise the dead too, vs 19-25! Jesus said that the real reason for their unbelief was because they were not His sheep in the first place, vs 26! For His sheep listen, know and follow the Good Shepherd and He gives them eternal life and none can snatch them from His hand and His Father’s hand, for the Father and He are one, and thus, such sheep would never perish, vs 27-30.
When Jesus rightly claimed to be God’s Son, the Jewish leaders were angered to the extent that they picked up stones to stone Him, and even tried to seize Him, for they were simply unwilling to believe either Him or His deeds done by the power of the Holy Spirit, but He escaped from their clutches, vs 31-39! As led by the Holy Spirit, He then went back to the place where John was baptising, and many believed in Him there, while testifying that although John performed no miraculous sign, yet everything John said about Jesus was true, vs 40-42!
Therefore, all those who fail to believe in Jesus and enter through Him into eternal life, prove that they are not His sheep. For His sheep know, listen to and follow Him. While every good shepherd follows the Chief Shepherd in laying down his life for the sheep and protecting them from the ‘wolf’.
As for the sheep who follow the true shepherd, they will live lives abundantly and they shall never be in want, Psalm 23:1, for they will follow the shepherd wherever He leads and will go in and out and find pasture! Amen.
Rowena Thomas
Mumbai, India.