This morning I felt like I should read from John's Gospel, and specifically the ninth chapter. This is the story of the man-born blind, that Jesus heals and then the ensuing conversations with the Pharisees and the formerly blind man. I love the interaction and find it so amazing how the Pharisees refused to believe that Jesus was from God (See John 9:13-34 for the whole interaction). What I am focused on this morning are the last two verses from chapter nine and then the first several verses from chapter ten, for they are directly related. Here are the verses - John 9:40-41 NIV:
[40] "Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”
[41] Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains."
Continuing on to John 10:1-18 NIV:
[1] “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. [2] The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. [3] The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. [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. [5] But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice.” [6] Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.
[7] Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. [8] All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. [9] I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. [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.
[11] “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. [12] The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own 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. [13] The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
[14] “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me--- [15] just as the Father knows me and I know the Father---and I lay down my life for the sheep. [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. [17] The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life---only to take it up again. [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.”
Now when we read these last verses of Jesus saying He is the good shepherd, we generally don't read it with the exhaustive knowledge of the Old Testament that the Pharisees had, so we don't necessarily correlate Jesus' claims with old testament names for God, but the image of God as the Shepherd of Israel was spoken by Jacob (Gen 48:15). Moses asked God to choose his successor and called him a shepherd for the people (Num 27:15-17) Saul was called to shepherd the people of Israel (2 Sam 5:2). David called himself the Shepherd and the people the sheep (2 Sam 24:17). In Psalms 23, 28 and 80 God is referred to as the Shepherd over Israel, and in Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Zecharaiah God speaks of himself as the Shepherd over them. This was no agricultural image, it was Jesus claiming to be one with God and the Shepherd of the Jews (King). We like to think of the shepherd and sheep imagery as a nice analogy, but Jesus was using the language that the Pharisees understood to clear up any questions they had about who He was or where He came from.
Finally, they would have also known that the Sheep Gate (in the wall around Jerusalem) was the responsibility of the High Priests (See Neh 3:1). Jesus appears to be talking about their priestly duty, of leading the people, speaking to the people and leading them correctly to God. The people were responding to His voice and as such He was being shown as a proper shepherd (king) and they should have been opening the gate for Him, as their responsibility was to the sheep gate, which also had to do with their priestly duty of offering the sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins. Instead, they were trying to bar the gate. He takes that imagery one step further and says He is the gate, which I guess could be Him saying He was fulfilling their priestly duty, fulfilling the sacrifice and the way to the Father. Taking the imagery a bit further I found this next bit online describing the verses in Nehemiah as a foreshadowing of Jesus at http://www.kotipetripaavola.com/Jerusalemgatesspiritualmeaning.html
"The high priest Eliashib with his brethren, and priests built the Sheep Gate and set up its doors. This is first gate mentioned. The spiritual meaning of the Sheep Gate is that the high priest was building it and that through the Sheep Gate lambs and sheep were brought to the temple, in which they were offered. The Lord and the Messiah (Christ) Jesus (Yeshua) is the High Priest of New Covenant, who is the Lamb, who was offered for the sake of our sins. Spiritual meaning of Sheep Gate is death and offering the Lamb (the Lord Jesus), which death, blood and resurrection bring us forgiveness of sins and redemption. The high priest was setting up the doors of the Sheep Gate, which means that He is the Door of the sheep. Through the Lord Jesus a man will be saved from the power of death-, sin and eternal damnation to eternal life."
"Building of the wall and gates begins from the Sheep Gate in Nehemiah 3, because everything begins from the offering of the Lamb (the Lord Jesus). This is a spiritual meaning, because of salvation and God's kingdom a man will enter through the offering and blood of the Lamb (The Lord Jesus). It is very significant that Eliashib means in Hebrew God restores. All things in the Bible are accurate in their places and have important meanings. It is not an accident that the high priest whose name was Eliashib was building up the Sheep Gate. Jerusalem and the wall and gates were destroyed, so needed Eliashib (HaKohen HaGadol) the high priest who sets up the doors of the Sheep Gate. Same also satan and sin has destroyed the heart of a man and so there is a need for New Covenant High Priest, Jesus Christ (Yeshua the Messiah), who is the Door of the sheep and who can save and restore men back towards the image of God. When men from the grace of God, repent their sins and believe in the Lord Jesus, then a man can receive the salvation. The Sheep Gate proclaims forgiveness of sins through the blood of the Lamb (Jesus Christ). The Sheep Gate proclaims grace of redemption (grace of God), which a man can encounter through the blood of the Lamb (the Lord Jesus). The Sheep Gate has been clear exemplary in the redemption of the Lord Jesus, who is the Door of the sheep."
Wow, talk about deeper meaning! I certainly didn't expect my reflection on Jesus saying he was the Good Shepherd to include all this. Lastly, as I was thinking about this whole exchange, I was realizing that Jesus was actually having mercy on the Pharisees. I have often read the exchange about the man born-blind and Jesus' response to them as a rebuke, but the truth is that He takes that opportunity to reveal Himself and His role more clearly. He uses language that they can understand, in the hopes that their ears will hear! He doesn't condemn them for their close-mindedness, instead He spends time opening their eyes (to hopefully cure their spritual blindness), speaking to them in imagery that should lead them to understanding exactly who He is. It seems to me that He was providing them every opportunity to understand, He was truly being the Good Shepherd!
So, this morning I am encouraged that Jesus is indeed the Good Shepherd, and He is the sheep gate, and He is the Lamb of God! I am encouraged by the deep and beautiful meaning and intricate ways God provided the fulfilment of His word, and ties the Old Testament and Prophets together in Jesus! Finally I am encouraged that the Lord speaks and enables me to hear His voice! He is my Good Shepherd, and I can entrust myself to Him!
Thank You Lord for Your promise and blessing and provision in my life! Amen!
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