John 10:1-10
“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. [1]
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Who are the thieves and robbers in my life?
Jesus uses two different metaphors to describe His identity: He’s a shepherd and He’s a sheep gate. But in both cases He is contrasting Himself with the thieves and robbers. In the first metaphor, the thieves and robbers don’t enter by the gate, but sneak into the sheep pen by devious means. And in the second one, the thieves are only interested in stealing, killing, and destroying. In contrast, Jesus is the shepherd that leads the sheep by His voice, which they recognize. Jesus is the gate through which we enter and so have salvation and life to the full.
So who are the thieves and robbers? Jesus identifies them as “all who came before me,” no doubt referring to the religious leaders who were more interested in themselves than in leading the flock according to God’s will. But their failure to lead, their selfishness, is not just a matter of the sheep not being led the right direction. They are actually leading the sheep to death. So Jesus was no doubt referring to false teachers of the past as well as those of His present, perhaps including the listing Pharisees.
But how do I apply this in my life today? Who are the thieves and robbers? Simply any voice that would distract me from my shepherd’s voice. Did you note that both metaphors call for the same action by the sheep? Listen to my voice! My sheep hear my voice! So anything or anyone that would lead me from hearing the shepherd’s voice is a thief and a robber. What is that in my life? There are many voices around me and in me that seek to distract me from my Shepherd.
The application is simple. And so my prayer is simple. I pray that I hear the Shepherd’s voice today. That I follow only my Shepherd’s voice today. And so that in my day today, I experience the life to the full that He desires me to live.
[1] The New International Version. 2011 (Jn 10:1–10). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
