“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 hands of an omnipotent Shepherd and have absolutely nothing to fear.

Pink observes that “The ‘hand of Christ’ (verse 28) is beneath us, and the ’hand’ of the Father is above us. Thus are we secured between the clasped hands of Omnipotence!” We are eternally safe and secure in the hands of God.

“My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all” is rendered in many of the early manuscripts as “That which my Father hath given unto me is greater than all”. If the latter reading is correct, then the meaning would be that what the Father has given to Jesus (His sheep) is greater in the eyes of God that anything else. His motivation in giving us eternal life and protecting us is His great love for us.

Pink again notes that “No stronger passage in all the Word of God can be found guaranteeing the absolute security of every child of God. Note the seven strands in the rope which binds them to God. First, they are Christ’s sheep, and it is the duty of the shepherd to care for each of his flock! To suggest that any of Christ’s sheep may be lost is to blaspheme the Shepherd Himself. Second, it is said ‘They follow’ Christ, and no exceptions are made; the Lord does not say they ought to, but declares they do. If then the sheep ‘follow’ Christ they must reach Heaven, for that is where the Shepherd is gone! Third, to the sheep is imparted ‘eternal life’: to speak of eternal life ending is a contradiction in terms. Fourth, this eternal life is ‘given’ to them: they did nothing to merit it, consequently they can do nothing to demerit it. Fifth, the Lord Himself declares that His sheep ’shall never perish,’ consequently the man who declares that it is possible for a child of God to go to Hell makes God a liar. Sixth, from the Shepherd’s ’hand’ none is able to pluck them, hence the Devil is unable to encompass the destruction of a single one of them.” Seventh, (my adaption) the Father’s hand is also actively involved in keeping the sheep safe and nobody nor nothing can take them away from Him.