1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2-3 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4-5 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.8-10 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:1-10 English Standard Version

Chapter 9 ended with Jesus saying: “For judgement I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” John tells us that some of the Pharisees near Jesus heard this, and said to Him: “Are we also blind?” Jesus replied: “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see’, your guilt remains.” So today's reading is very likely a follow up to those words. Jesus used the picture of a door to illustrate the difference between a true shepherd of the sheep, and others whose only intention was to steal them.

The word 'door' can be used in its most obvious sense, but can also mean a gate, or a place of entrance or exit. Then, as now, doors and doorways were to allow legitimate people entry, and keep those with bad intentions out. The picture Jesus used suggests that a sheep pen in those days could be used for more than one flock of sheep. There would be a doorkeeper on watch who would open the door to a shepherd he recognized, and the shepherd would call his sheep out by name from among the other sheep. The sheep in turn would recognize the voice of their shepherd and respond to his call.

Besides anything else intended by this figure of speech Jesus used, what a lovely picture it is of the gospel! An old hymn by Horatius Bonar says “I heard the voice of Jesus say, 'Come unto me and rest; lay down, O weary one, lay down your head upon my breast.' I came to Jesus as I was, weary and worn and sad; I found in Him a resting place, and He has made me glad.” That's the testimony of a man or woman who, upon hearing the message of the gospel, recognized that Jesus Christ was the shepherd they needed in this world, and for the world to come. And so they came to Him just as they were, with all their sinful past and baggage, and believed on Him for forgiveness, and for reconciliation to God.

Jesus then likens Himself to being not only the one who came through the right door to call His sheep, but also the right door through which people need to go through in order to be saved from sin, rather than to have their life stolen by thieves and robbers – I.e. Pharisees who were blind to God's truth. What are three things Jesus said would follow in the lives of those who were saved by coming to God through Him? (vs 8-10)

They would be like sheep which are taken out to good pastures, and returned again to the safety of the fold. When a person is saved, they continue under the tender loving care of Christ. He feeds them with what they need to grow. Secondly, they experience life. The Bible speaks of a Christian as someone who has been 'born again'. The Greek word for 'again' also means 'from above'. A Christian is someone who has been made anew by God. The old life we were first born with has passed away.

Thirdly, they experience this new life in abundance. It's a life where there is no short supply of the Shepherd's care, and of the pastures He leads them in. While thieves come to steal, Jesus came to give life that is full of the peace and joy that God gives to those who have come through the right door.