And in that place many believed in Jesus. This may be similar to the incident in Samaria when the woman brought many to Jesus but they believed because of the words of Jesus, not due to the words of the woman (John 4:42), but her words were what brought the people to Him. Here, the …
Category Archives: Chapter 10
John 10:41
and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a miraculous sign, all that John said about this man was true.” There was a difference between Jesus and John. Here we see John praised but at the same time, his subordination to Jesus is stressed. John came proclaiming, but Jesus brought power. …
John 10:40
Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptising in the early days. Here he stayed The Jews drive Jesus away and He goes back to the place where He was baptized and received the earthly commission of God. This seems to be a time of rest, peace, and …
John 10:39
Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp. His arguments have cooled the Jews and they have dropped their stones to the ground, but their intentions are still the same; their methods of achieving them are all that have changed. They now try to seize Him in order to put Him on …
John 10:38
But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” words vs. works = Barclay notes that, “A word is something about which a man can argue; but a deed is something about …
John 10:37
Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does. Jesus is not playing word games with the Jews and He is not in fear for His life and trying to work His way out of danger. What He is trying to accomplish here is the conversion of these men. He is not condemning …
John 10:36
what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? “set apart” = hagiazo = to be separated from profane things and dedicated to God, to be sanctified. “sent” = apostello = …
John 10:35
If he called them ‘gods’, to whom the word of God came— and the Scripture cannot be broken— “broken” = luo = to loose any person (or thing) tied or fastened, such as shoes, chains, or bonds. Thus to loose what has been built together; to dissolve, to destroy or do away with. “the scripture …
John 10:34
Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are gods’? Jesus is quoting (Psalm 82:6). Strictly speaking, “the Law” refers to the Pentateuch, the first 5 books of the Bible, but the term was widely used to refer to the entire Old Testament. Psalms 82:6 “I said, ‘You are …
John 10:33
“We are not stoning you for any of these,” replied the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” “blasphemy” = blasphemia = slander, detraction, speech injurious to another’s (especially God’s) good name. The English definition is “profane or mocking speech, writing, or action concerning God or anything regarded as …
John 10:32
but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” “great” = kalos {kal-os’} = beautiful or excellent. This is the same word Jesus used when speaking of the “good” shepherd. It denotes the attractiveness of goodness. The works He did came …
John 10:31
Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, “picked up” = bastazo = to take up with the hands in order to carry or bear. There were no loose stones in Solomon’s Colonnade so the Jews went to get some ammunition with which to stone Jesus. Since there was constant remodelling work being done …
John 10:30
I and the Father are one.” Jesus is not asserting identity, but total unity. He and the Father are not one in person, but in essence and in nature. Jesus is claiming to be God, but not claiming to be the Father. What a great reinforcement to the fact that God’s sheep are safe in …
John 10:29
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no-one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. “no-one can . . .” = Our Shepherd is all-powerful and it is impossible for anyone to take us away from Him. Earthly shepherds may be killed or incapacitated, but we are in the …
John 10:28
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no-one can snatch them out of my hand. “eternal life” speaks of the quantity of life: it will never end. It starts when we accept it and continues on forever after that. Note that this is a gift and cannot be earned or paid for. …
John 10:27
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. “listen” = “hear” (KJV) = to use the faculties for hearing, not just to possess such faculties. There is a sense of listening and acting upon what is heard. “I know them” is unexpected; we would expect to see “they know Me,” …
John 10:26
but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. “But” is very strong. They are in the habit of not believing.
John 10:25
Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, “believed” (KJV) is actually in the present tense and should be rendered “believe” as it is in the NIV. Jesus has already told them that he is the Son of God, the Son …
John 10:24
The Jews gathered round him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” “round him” = they hemmed Him in. This was an act of intimidation to get the answers they wanted from Jesus. They were actually blaming Jesus for their unbelief. This is what sinners …
John 10:23
and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. “porch” (KJV) should be “colonnade” as it is in the NIV. It was a series of columns with a roof, which was welcomed as protection from the weather. It was here that people came to meditate and pray, and it was here that rabbis …
John 10:22
Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, feast of dedication = “Dedication” in Hebrew is “Hanukkah”. This is the latest of the Jewish festivals and it occurs annually on the 25th of the Jewish month Chisleu, which corresponds to our late November – mid December. It was founded by Judas Maccabeus …
John 10:21
But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” “But others” defended Him. There is a minority that have been touched by what Jesus has been saying. Truth has penetrated their hearts to one extent or another and they come …
John 10:20
Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?” Those against Christ made accusations that He, the Son of God, was possessed by a demon and that He, the Truth incarnate, was crazy. What horrible and completely false things to say. Perhaps the saddest word in this verse is “many.” …
John 10:19
At these words the Jews were again divided. This is not the first time recorded in John that the words of Jesus have caused division (John 7:43, 9:16). God’s Son dod not come to earth to try to appease everyone and fit into our way of thinking; He came to tell us the truth and …
John 10:18
No-one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” “power” (KJV) = “authority” (NIV) = exousia = power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases; the power of …
John 10:17
The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life— only to take it up again. The death of Jesus is thoroughly linked with His resurrection. He dies in order that He may be raised again. His death is not defeat, but victory.
John 10:16
I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. “not of this sheep pen” means not found within Judaism. Jesus did not come exclusively for the Jews; He came to save the …
John 10:15
just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. To what degree are we to know our Shepherd? Even as He knows His Father and His Father knows Him. This is mainly speaking of a degree of intimacy beyond our wildest dreams! And yet it …
John 10:14
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— Jesus is speaking of intimacy here. He knows His sheep; He knows each one of them, individually. He doesn’t just know the flock, He knows each sheep. And His knowledge of His sheep is deep and full and complete. But there …
John 10:13
The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. The motivation of the hireling is wages, not the sheep themselves.
John 10:12
The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The shepherd who has been hired for the job and does not own the sheep, has complete responsibility for the sheep …
John 10:11
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. “good” = kalos = beautiful or excellent. There are two words in the Greek for good, this one and agathos which describes the moral quality of a thing or person. Jesus used kalos to describe Himself. Temple observes that “it …
John 10:10
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. “the thief” = is anyone who would prey upon the sheep. Ultimately it is satan. 1 Peter 5:8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring …
John 10:9
I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. God’s Old Testament entrance into His fold was His love, grace, and mercy, and this has now found fulfillment in Christ. “All the Old Testament institutions, prophecies, and promises, so far as they referred …
John 10:9
I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. God’s Old Testament entrance into His fold was His love, grace, and mercy, and this has now found fulfillment in Christ. “All the Old Testament institutions, prophecies, and promises, so far as they referred …
John 10:8
Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. “gate” = There were sheepfolds out on the hills which were just open spaces enclosed by four walls. There was one doorway, but no door. The shepherd would lie across the doorway making it impossible for wild beasts to …
John 10:7
Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. “gate” = There were sheepfolds out on the hills which were just open spaces enclosed by four walls. There was one doorway, but no door. The shepherd would lie across the doorway making it impossible for wild beasts to …
John 10:6
Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them. The Greek word (paroimian) translated as “parable” in KJV is not so translated anywhere else in the Bible and is not the same word which is translated as parable elsewhere (parabolh). The NIV better translates it as “figure of …
John 10:5
But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognise a stranger’s voice.” There are accounts given of travellers to Palestine dressing in the garb of the shepherd and trying their best to imitate his voice and call, but the sheep only run away. Jesus …
John 10:4
When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. “brought out” literally means to thrust out. If a sheep is reluctant to leave, the shepherd makes sure that they do so anyway. “all his own” = This is inclusive; he …
John 10:3
The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. the watchman opens = The type of fold spoken of here is a communal fold close to town in which several flocks would be kept for the night under the …
John 10:2
The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. Shepherds in Palestine are quite different from those in Western lands. In Palestine, the shepherd was never off duty while the sheep were grazing. The ground is rough and stone-filled so there is very little grass which creates a need to keep …
John 10:1
“I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. Jesus gave an allegory of a shepherd and his sheep to those listening. This would have been very recognizable to the hearers, for throughout the …