J Q S 1-. The Door. The Parable.
T -1. The Thieves and the Robbers. "
U 2-5. The Shepherd. "
R 6. Parable heard, but not understood
S 7-9. The Door. Interpretation.
T 10. Thieves and Robbers. "
U 11-18. The Good Shepherd. "28 A.D.
1 Verily, verily, I say to you, he that enters in not by means of the door into the fold of the sheep, but mounts up [over the fence] from another quarter,
that one is a thief (who uses craft) and a robber. (One who uses violence)
2 But he that enters in by the door is a (i.e. one of many) shepherd of the sheep.
3 To him the door-keeper opens; and the sheep hear [and understand] his voice: and he calls his own sheep according to their name, and leads them out.
4 And when he shall have put forth his own sheep, he goes in front of them, and the sheep follow him: because they know intuitively his voice. (From birth, not from having been taught.)
5 And a stranger will they by no way follow, but will flee away from him: for they know not the voice of strangers."
6 This parable (see "and we", &c. [1:14]. A wayside saying. Gr. paroimia. Not parable, which is parabole) spoke Jesus to them: but they did not get to know what it meant which He spoke to them.
7 Therefore said Jesus to them again, "Verily, verily, I say to you, that I am the door for the sheep. (of the sheep, not the fold)
8 All whoever came before Me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. (The true Shepherd could not come till God's purpose was ripe in the fullness of the times [Gal. 4:4]. Moses and the prophets were not "thieves and robber". None of them claimed to do more than point, as John the Baptist did, to the coming One. All others were deceivers.)
9 I represent the door: by Me if any one enter in (a contingency which would be proved by the result), he shall be saved, and shall go in and shall go out (used for life in general), and shall find pasture.
10 The thief comes not, except in order that he may steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I came in order that they might have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. (i.e. life in abundance.)
11 I am the Shepherd, the good One (connect this with death, and Ps. 22; connect the "great" Shepherd with resurrection [Heb. 13:20], and Ps. 23; and connect the "chief" Shepherd with glory [1 Pet. 5:4], and Ps. 24): the good Shepherd lays down His soul on behalf of the sheep.
U V 11. Laying down His life.
W 12. Other shepherd
X 14,15. His and His Father's knowledge.
W 16. Other sheep.
V 17,18. Laying down His life.
12 But the hired servant, and not being the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, views [with fixed gaze] (i.e. with terror and fascination) the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and flees: and the wolf catches them (or snatches them away), and scatters the sheep.
13 The hireling flees, because he is an hireling, and is himself not concerned about the sheep.
X h 14-. I am this good shepherd,
i -14-. and know My sheep,
k -14. and am known of Mine.
k 15-. As the Father knows Me,
i -15-. even as I know the Father:
h -15. and I lat down My life for the sheep. 14 I am the good Shepherd,
and get to know My sheep,
and am known my Mine.
15 According as the Father knows Me,
I also know the Father:
and I lay down My life for the sheep.
16 And other sheep I have, which are not out of this fold (= a place in the open air, as in v. 1, not the same word as in next clause): them also it behooves Me to bring, and they will hear My voice; and there shall become one flock, and one Shepherd.
17 On account of this does My Father love Me, because I lay down My soul, that I might take it again.
18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down from Myself. I have authority to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received from My Father."
19 There arose a division therefore again among the Jews (Kenites) on account of these words.
20 And many of them said, "He has a demon, and is mad; why do you hear him?"
21 Others said, "These are not the words of one that is possessed by a demon. Surely a demon is not able to open the eyes of the blind is he?" (Never before could anyone before Christ)
P l1 22-24. The Jews. Question.
m1 25-30. The Lord. Answer.
l2 31. The Jews. Stoning.
m2 32. The Lord. Answer.
l3 33. The Jews. Stoning.
m3 The Lord. Answer.
22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication (Gr. emkainia = renewal, i.e. the cleansing of Ezra's temple after its defilement by Antiochus Epiphanies' 25th Chisleu [= December], 164 B.C.. See Ezra 6:16. Cp. 1 Macc. 23:16), and it was winter.
23 And Jesus was walking in the temple in Solomon's porch. (According to Josephus, this was a relic from Solomon's temple [cp. Acts 3:11; 5:12])
24 Then the Jews (Kenite fragments. "Jews" has 2 meanings: 1 = tribe of Judah. 2 = a Judean, geographical location. Judah didn't do this, these were Kenites pretending to be of the tribe of Judah) encircled Him, and said to Him, "How long do You make us to doubt (Gr. = raise our souls, i.e. hold us in suspense, or excite our expectations)? If You be the Christ, tell our souls plainly."
25 Jesus answered them, "I told you (He had not spoken to them as He did in 4:46; 9:35-37, but the works were evidence enough to those who had eyes to see), and you believed not: the works that I do in My Father's name, they bear witness concerning Me.
26 But you believe not, because you are not of My sheep (see 8:47), as I said to you.
27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me:
28 And I give to them eternal life; and they shall by no means to the age perish, and not any one shall snatch them out of My hand.
29 My Father, which gave them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. (They are not strong enough. You dwell in God's hand)
30 I and My Father are One." (God became flesh)
31 Then the Jews (Kenites) took up stones again to stone him. (Don't blame this on our brother Judah)
32 Jesus answered them, "Many good works have I shewed you from My Father; for which of those works do you stone Me?"
33 The Jews (Kenites) answered Him, saying, "For a good work we stone You not; but for blasphemy (see Lev. 24:16); and because that You, being a man, make Yourself God." (= Yahaveh)
34 Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, 'You are gods?' (property of, i.e. belong to God, ownership. Quoted in Ps. 82.6)
35 If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came, and the scripture is not able to be broken; (it cannot lie.)
36 Say you of Him, Whom the Father has sanctified (= set apart for a holy purpose), and sent into the world, You blaspheme; because I said, I am the Son of God?
37 If I do not the works of My Father, believe Me not.
38 But if I do, even if you believe not Me, believe the works: that you may know, and believe, that the Father is in Me, and I in Him."
Q Y A 39. Desire to take Him.
B 40-42. The Lord escapes.
Z 11:1-46. The Seventh Sign. The raising of Lazarus.
Y A 47-53. Counsel to take Him.
B 54-. The Lord escapes.39 Therefore they sought again to arrest Him: but He went forth out of their hand,
40 And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first was baptizing; and there He abode. (This was in December, and He remained away until April, visiting Bethany [11:1] in the interval, and spending the later part of the time at the city Ephraim [11:54].)
41 And many came to Him, and kept saying, "John did no sign: but all things that John spoke of this Man were true. (Miracles were not necessarily the credentials of a prophet [Deut. 13:1-3])
42 And many believed on Him there (Emphatic, in contrast with His treatment in Jerusalem. He brings ministry of God back to life again.)