"Christ, the Door of the Sheep; John 10:1-10"

Some of what will be addressed in this study may pose as a stumbling block for those who have not received that calling of the Father, from the dark, into His marvelous light. This would be the call into the light of Christ and his earthly work. To the elect believer in Christ the writings of John are held in awe of what God inspired men might accomplish. Some of the questions asked and answered will include; "To whom is our Lord speaking, What was the immediate occassion for his speaking on this matter, Why does he make reference to a sheep-fold, What is meant by climbing up some other way into it, What is signified by the door, Which sheep-fold is in view here and Who does the porter bring before us?"

Before we get too involved we should look to the 1st verse and consider the two words, "Verily, verily", and just what they properly insinuate. Verily is derived from the Greek word amen which means, trustworthy or firm in intent...amen has its origin in the Hebrew word "aman" which means to render as firm and faithful, steadfast and sure. With Jesus speaking here we read,"Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door into the sheep-fold but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber".  The ocassion for Christ's words here are traced back to the 9th chapter of John and the act of the pharisees who had cast out the once blind begger whom Christ had healed.  The mention of the sheep-fold here in vs-1 views these pharisees in a pastoral light or as those with the duties of a pastor/shepherd. The reference to "Thieves and robbers" and as "climbing up some other way" denounces them however as "false pastors or shepherds" and rebukes them for their unlawful conduct. With those words "Verily, verily I say unto you" Jesus contrasts himself from the pharisees as being the One true shepherd and the One who has the right to accuse them.

The reason that many stumble at the rendering of these 10 verses of scripture is their own failure to consider the light in which it is delivered and an inability to distinguish between the three doors spoken of:  The door into the sheep-fold, the door of the sheep and the door of Salvation.  If you will go back and read chapter 9, you will find that Jesus has given sight to one who has been blind since birth.  This act of healing aroused the dual spirit of anger and jealousy of the pharisees  so that when the begger confessed that it was Jesus who had healed him, and would not back down, they cast him out of the synagog.  After this you read from vs-34-38  that Jesus sought the begger out and revealed himself to him as the Son of God, drawing forth the confession, "I believe". What transpired here is that the begger made evidence by his words to be one of the sheep for he had responded to the voice of the shepherd. Then in vs-39 Jesus declares, "For judgement, I am come into this world that they which see not, might see; and they which see might be made blind."   Then blindly, the pharisees asked Christ, "are we blind also"?  The answer was clear. "if they were blind they could not see whether or not they were sinners  but since they insisted that they could see they are confessed sinners and their sins remained with them". It was their own self confident complacency  which proved them to be blind sinners and would remain so. It was unto them and their inheritance/heritage that this parable in John 10 was delivered.

It may help us in this study if we had a better understanding of what a sheep-fold was in that period of time.  In Palestine the pastoral areas were infested with wild beasts and in each village there was located a large protected area or sheep-fold which was a common property of the residents. It was an area surrounded by a wall approximately 12-ft high and the shepherds would lead their flocks up to the door/gate through which the sheep would pass and be left in the care of the porter.  The porter would lay at the door at night and be on guard against thieves, robbers and wild animals. The next morning the porter would let the shepherds in one by one where they would claim or call out the name of all that belonged to him. The sheep would respond to his voice and he would lead them to pasture. Are things beginning to sound familiar?

He that would enter the sheep-fold by deceitful ways is a thief and a robber and he that would enter in by the door is the true shepherd. This shows a contrast then between false and true shepherd or betwen the pharisees (false) and Jesus Christ (true).  We must not jump the gun here and compare the door in vs-2 with the door in vs-9.  The vs-2 door signifies the lawful way of entrance to the sheep-fold for the shepherd so that he may claim those sheep which are his. The Word says "But he that entereth by the door is the shepherd of the sheep". This parable simply states that Christ presents himself to his elect Israelite sheep in a lawful manner and in strict accord with scripture for he answered all the requisets of scripture; Gal4:4, Luke 1:31, Isa 40:11 and hebrews 13:20.  Jesus submitted himself to all of the conditions established and set forth by God the Father who built the house. Christ answered to all that was written of the Messiah and he took the path of God's will in presenting himself to God's elect. He had been born of a virgin of the tribe of Judah of the covenant people of the House of Israel.  He had been born under the law, circumcised on the eighth day and at the purification of  Mary he was presented to Yahweh in the Temple...Gal 4:4 Luke 2:21-22.

"To him the porter openeth"...vs-3.  This word porter signifies door keeper and the only other mention of porter in the book of John is in 18:16-17. There is a definite contrast here between porters, here in ch-18 Peter stood at the door of the High priest where Christ had been taken by the jewish palace guard of the sanhedrin. By all that is made evident here the woman who was the door keeper (porter) had no sympathy for Christ while the porter of vs-3 is clearly none other than the Holy Spirit. In John 18 the door is opened so that a sheep might gain access to the shepherd while in John 10, the door is opened so that the shepherd might have access to the sheep and the sheep run to him for they are his sheep. In John 18 the sheep skulks and runs away for he is a sheep among wolves while in John 10 the sheep follow off after the shepherd.  There are some who say that the porter in John10 was John the baptist who prepared the way of the Lord and formally introduced the shepherd to Israel..Luke 1:31. Yet, in the wider application,  we have to recognize the Holy Spirit  as he who officially vouched for the credentials of the messiah and presents the Saviour to the elect.  "To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice; and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out".  There are three distinct things which mark the true shepherd, He entered the fold by the door and not over the walls as a thief or robber; He entered through the door  because the porter recognized him as the shepherd and opened the door to him; He proved himself when his sheep recognized his voice and responded to him.  These three things having been met by Christ in his relation with Israel offer true evidence that he is the one true shepherd and they are His sheep. 

The door was the one appointed entrance into the fold, and this rendering in John 10 means that Jesus/Messiah came by the way that Old testament prophecy had said. The prophets had borne witness to Christ, the porter had presented him to the sheep as their shepherd, a forerunner had hearlded him and introduced him to his people.  When the true shepherd was made known his sheep recognized his voice; He knew them and called them by name and that call was for them to follow him. When they did follow Jesus they took their place among the despised and rejected outside of judaism. That same call of the shepherd is in effect today and when you hear your shepherds voice you must denounce the judaism of today...the Judeo-Christian  One World, One Race & One religion New World Order. The term Judeo-Christian is a wedding of two entirely different entities. We can only compare it to the gulf that seperates Saint from sinner, godly from ungodly for there is no resemblance between the two (or there should not be).

The pharisees proved that they were the enemies of God and Christ when they launched a tirade against the healed begger, they proved themselves to be thieves and robbers. In hearing the voice of the true shepherd that begger found security, sustenance and salvation. The jews having cut him off from the synagog imagined him to be hopeless and helpless, not understanding that in Christ he had entered into that true place of  blessing.  It was the grace of God which employed even his worst enemies in order to accomplish his will for his people and we see this in this begger.

" To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out". Note with care here that it was not just the sheep that he called, for there were many sheep in the fold. It was his own sheep which he calls by name and leads out. It was the sheep that were given to him in eternity  John 6:37-39, Rom 8:28-30, I Cor 2:7-10 Eph 1:1-5 and I Tim 1:7-9. These sheep who are known by name to Christ are the elect of God among that seed out of the Race of Adam. The identification and calling had no place among the pharisee jews who sought constantly to discredit and dishonor Christ. And please, don't raise the roof with me about anti-semitism, because you don't have a leg to prop that up with. Read John10:26 and  see that Christ tells these jews that they cannot believe because they are not his sheep. Then in vs-28 Jesus says that he grants to his sheep eternal life, what do you think he has in store for these pharisee jews?

Jesus Christ began his ministry inside the fold of Judaism for it was there that his sheep had languished. Now they had to be seperated from the edomites and other Turko-mongol types that had seized the Temple and instituted Ba'al worship in place of the worship of the one true and ever living God. That old religion is with us today and is recognized as modern judaism with its blend of theosophy, sorcery, alchemy and mystical occultism. They still teach for today the commandments of men which was gleaned from the ancient Babylon Mystery religion and finds itself preserved in the Talmud. Jesus called each one of his sheep by name and brought them out of babylon. Jesus knows his sheep in this earth today, each and everyone, by his name. He knew you in eternity, he knew Matthews name when he saw him Matt 9:9. He knew Zacchaeus when he called him down from the sycamore tree Luke 19:5. He knew Peter and Phillip..John 1:42-43 and Nathanael John 1:45-49 is a clear cut case where Christ knew him from all eternity. 

John 20:11-16 relates that Mary Magdalene went to the tomb of christ and found the stone removed. The man standing there, who she presumed was a gardner, said one word, "Mary". Jesus called one of his sheep by name and she immediately replied "Master". It has been this way with god's elect down through time. There is a general call for all of Israel for it is written "All israel shall be saved".. Rom 11:25-26. Then to each of Christ's sheep comes a particular call that is inward, invincible and effectual as he is led from the ways of the world and into the sheep-fold of Christianity. The sheep are called not because of anything in them either foreseen or actual. They are called solely by his sovereign will and purpose. The sheep hear because he gives them ears to hear. And people this call is effectual on  none outside the sheepfold; "But ye believe not because you are not of my sheep:..John 10:26. If they are not sheep then they must be goats which Christ speaks of in Matthew 25:31-46. (we have among us in the church world today those who believe in the free-will of man to accept or reject the call of our heavenly father. There is but one reason and one alone that causes man not to come to Christ and that is found in John 6:44, "No man can come to me except the father which hath sent me draw him" and we must also apply John 6:64-66 here as well.

There are those in the world today who are under-shepherds of christ and we may identify them with a certainty by the fruits they bear. A true under-shepherd gains access to the sheep by divine appointment and not by trickery and theft as do the Pharisees. The message he brings belittles mans actions and uplifts the work of Father Son and Holy Spirit in salvation. He has the welfare of the sheep at heart and concerns himself with their interests. He does not force issues on the sheep for the Holy spirit sets before him an open door of ministry. He will go to the hinterlands to seek out that one sheep which is appointed unto him and show as much love and compassion to the one as he would to the many. Acts 20:28, I Peter 5:1-2, Jere 3:15 & 23:4 Isa 62:6 and John 21:17.

John 10:5 "And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of starngers".  Those who are truly called will not succumb to false doctrine. If a man of the world hears two preachers, one speaking truth the other lies, he can not discern between them. The sheep is given the gift of discernment...sometimes he is just a little slow in using it. Matthew 24:24 tells us of false prophets who show great signs and wonders and would, if possible, deceive the very elect. Those two words, if possible say that the elect are not fooled, and the reason is that they are indwelled by God the holy Spirit.  In vs-6 Jesus is speaking to the goats because they can't see, hear or know the shepherd. They have no discernment and cannot rightfully divide the word of truth. It hasn't changed, all of the education and theological training that can be made available to the goats does not change him from being a goat. We still have the pharisees with us today and they are still totally incapacitated to perceive God,s Word. The Holy Bible even when opened is still a sealed book to those who are not called.

Read vs-7, here the Word distinguishes between the door of the sheep and the door of the sheep-fold. The door of the sheep-fold was the way by which Christ entered and breached the judaic Ba'al system to claim those sheep who were his. The door of the sheep was Christ Jesus himself, by which the elect of Israel passed out of judaism! Christ did not come into the world to build up and preserve the system of judaism which was prevalent in Judea at that time. He came to establish the ground rules and prepare the inhabitants for that coming Kingdom of God in this very earth. Just as in Moses day Ex :33, Christ removed the Tabernacle outside of a congregation of rebellion and pitched it without the camp, or outside of the jurisdiction of the pharisees. In Moses day those who really sought God had to leave the camp and in Jesus' day those whom he called had to leave the sheepfold of the jews. And here it is today folks, Christ Tabernacles outside of the great organized world church system and those of the elect whose hearts cleave unto him must go "outside the camp" to commune with him. They will be called out by God the holy Spirit and they will leave the traditions of men for the gospel of God. They will receive an anointing of God the holy spirit which is far above the ego bulding praises of man.

When the Shepherd calls you will hear! 

We must use care in vs-8 with that word all. All of the shepherds in Israel were not thieves and robbers, many were like Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah and so on. Well we ask who is being spoken of here? In this instance it was those Scribes and Pharisees who are being denounced in a very severe manner, which is reserved for false teachers. Christ gave them eight warnings in Matthew 23:13-33, eight warnings of "Woe unto you"  which is really bad news for them. They stand accused of shutting up the kingdom of heaven against man and being devourers of widows houses. They are branded as proselytizers of men, he calls them blend guides and fools and legalists. Christ accuses them as children (progeny) of them which killed the prophets and last but not least he calls them serpents and a generation/race of vipers. Read II Cor 11:13, II Peter 2:17 and jude 12-13. I advise you,  take care dear soul whose ministry you are sitting under.

"I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved". Jesus is the door into the presence of God, the only door that has to do with our salvation. By our human nature we stand alienated from God, our sin stands as a barrier which bars us from his Holy presence. Praise Him beloved, praise him who is both God and Man, Jesus Christ, for he has bridged that gulf which we are unable to. He is that open door to our salvation..Eph 2:13. There was but one door into the ark into which Noah and his made refuge. There was but one door into the Tabernacle which was the dwelling place of Yahweh God. And there is but one door into the presence of the Father Acts 4:12 "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved".

Know this, a door is not to be looked upon and admired, it is to be used. If you as an elect child of God are still having a problem with working out your Salvation, don't knock at the door, walk right in for Jesus has already opened it to you. "Enter in and be ye Saved".

Pastor Rick Giesenschlag

Christ"s  Church  Militant

Copyright (C) 2004 a.d.