Bible Commentaries
John 10

Verse 1

John 10:1

Jesus revealed to them, through the familiar imagery of a shepherd, that he is the only way to the Father (John 10:7, John 14:6).

Verse 2

John 10:2

Jesus comes to us (John 5:45). Jesus has no hidden agenda. He comes to us clearly and His intentions are pure and transparent. The purpose and aim of Christ is for us to do the will of His father (Mark 3:35, John 4:34, John 5:30, John 6:38). It is the will of God that we turn to Him, live for Him and lead others to Him (Romans 12:2, Galatians 1:4, Colossians 4:12, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4, Hebrews 10:36, 1 Peter 2:15, 1 Peter 4:1-2).

Verse 3

John 10:3

The “porter” is a “warden” or “watcher of the gate.” ^G2377

We may be penned up here in this life, corralled by our circumstances and conditions, fenced in by what we perceive as our limitations, but Jesus is our warden, and He is able to release us into freedom (John 8:36). He knows the way out (John 14:6), and He is able to deliver us (Judges 10:15, 1 Chronicles 16:35, Psalms 79:9, Daniel 3:17, 2 Corinthians 1:10, Galatians 1:4).

Verse 4

John 10:4

Jesus will send us out of our safe pastures and into the dangerous world (Matthew 10:16, Mark 6:7, Luke 10:2-3, John 13:20, John 20:21), but we don’t go without guidance. Our shepherd (John 10:11) goes before us and shows us the way (John 10:14). We follow Him and the way He taught us (John 14:6). We hear and are familiar with His voice (John 10:27). We do what He tells us to do (John 7:17).

Verse 5

John 10:5

If one studies physical money extensively, he will learn the intricate details of it and become an expert. Even the texture of it will be familiar to the expert, and he will be able to discern quickly any counterfeit from real currency. All of the expert’s senses will be tuned toward the “real deal.” Similarly, we need to become so familiar with Jesus that we can easily discern His ways. Be a sheep of Jesus and know His voice, discern His touch, and follow His promptings. When another Jesus (2 Corinthians 11:3-4), a counterfeit Jesus, tries to lead you astray, run from him and do not follow him.

Verse 6

John 10:6

There are times, even when we know the Lord’s voice and discern that the word we received is from Him, that we hear His voice but we fail to understand the message.

Verse 7

John 10:7

Jesus began to clarify what He had been saying (John 10:1-5) by telling them that He was the door (John 10:9, John 14:6, Ephesians 2:18).

Verse 8

John 10:8

Those familiar with the voice of the Lord, those that have a close personal relationship with God, are not fooled by false messiahs (see notes on John 10:5).

Verse 9

John 10:9

Jesus is the door (John 10:1, John 10:7). He is the only true way to the Father (John 14:6). Coming to the Father by Jesus results in salvation from our sins (John 3:17, Acts 4:10-12, Acts 16:31, Romans 5:9, Romans 10:9), and any one finding themselves in Christ will be at rest (Matthew 11:28-29, Hebrews 3:18, Hebrews 4:3, Hebrews 4:9-11).

Verse 10

John 10:10

The enemies of the sheep are enemies, because they seek to harm the sheep for their own reasons. They are predators, wolves and lions looking for something to devour (1 Peter 5:8). They are thieves plotting to rob (Revelation 12:4) the Good Shepherd (John 10:14) of His flock. Our enemy is the great thief, the devil (Ezekiel 22:25, Zechariah 3:1, Matthew 13:39, Ephesians 6:11). The devil seeks to devour the flock of God. He only hurts us, because by hurting us he hurts God.

Jesus cares for His flock (John 10:11), because the flock is His and belongs to Him only (John 10:12). He is willing to die for the flock (John 10:15). God, the Father so loved us too that He gave Jesus for us (John 3:16). This is why the devil seeks to harm us, the sheep, because by causing us pain (the ones God so greatly cares for) he indirectly hurts God. The devil has no power against God, nor can he ever hope to have a direct victory over the Lord, but if he can destroy the ones that God loves, he causes God pain.

The devil, that king of robbers, comes only to mankind then with the intention of hurting God by stealing our peace (John 14:27, John 16:33, Romans 14:19, Romans 15:13, 2 Corinthians 13:11, Ephesians 6:15, Philippians 4:7, Colossians 3:15, Hebrews 12:14, James 3:18, 1 Peter 3:11, Revelation 6:4), killing our joy (Ezra 6:22, Nehemiah 8:10, Esther 9:22, Psalms 16:11, Psalms 27:6, Psalms 32:11, Psalms 35:27, Psalms 51:12, Psalms 126:5, Proverbs 12:20, Isaiah 12:3, Isaiah 35:10, Isaiah 51:11, Isaiah 61:3, Isaiah 61:7, Jeremiah 31:13, Habakkuk 3:18, Matthew 25:21-23, John 15:11, John 16:22-24, John 17:13, Romans 14:17, Galatians 5:22, James 1:2, 1 Peter 1:8, 1 John 1:4, and destroying our relationships (Malachi 2:15-16, 1 John 3:14, 1 John 4:20-21).

Verse 11

John 10:11

King David, when he was but yet a young shepherd boy tending his father’s flock of sheep did willingly put his own life on the line to fight predators (1 Samuel 17:34-36). David was a good shepherd (Ezekiel 34:23). Likewise, Jesus was willing to give his own life to save His Father’s sheep ... (John 10:15, John 10:17). He didn’t want any to be lost to the enemy (Matthew 18:11, Luke 15:4-7, Luke 19:10, John 17:12, John 18:9). The Lord is our shepherd (Psalms 23:1).

Verse 12

John 10:12

Many organizations today have profit sharing plans and stock purchase options and the like to promote a sense of ownership in the company and the company’s results. They have learned what Jesus said over two thousand years ago is true. If one owns an interest in something, one is more likely to protect the thing and ensure that it flourishes. An owner will give of himself to shield the thing he owns. An employee doesn’t feel the same motivation as the owner. After all, the owner’s things don’t belong to the employee. “They aren’t my sheep. It isn’t worth dying over.”

Verse 13

John 10:13

See notes on John 10:12.

Verse 14

John 10:14

See notes on John 10:12. Jesus owns the sheep. They are His. He has an invested interest in the wellbeing and safety of what is His. He is a good shepherd, because He is willing to do whatever it takes to ensure the care of His flock (see notes on John 10:10). He is familiar with them, and they know Him. They come to Him for food (John 6:33-51) and help.

Verse 15

John 10:15

As Jesus is familiar with the flock He tends and the flock is familiar with Him (see notes on John 10:14), Jesus and the Father are very familiar with each other. Jesus is willing to protect and defend the sheep from harm with His own life, if necessary. So too, the Father is willing to give His own son for the sheep (John 3:16-17).

Verse 16

John 10:16

Jesus came first to the Jewish people (Matthew 10:5-6, Matthew 15:24), but later the gospel would go out to other pastures (the gentiles ... Acts 13:46, Acts 18:6, Acts 28:28), and then there would be one big flock (Romans 12:5, 1 Corinthians 10:17, 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, 1 Corinthians 12:20, Colossians 3:15) that is neither Jew nor gentile but all of them believers and followers of the great shepherd (Romans 1:16, Romans 15:5-13, Galatians 3:28, Colossians 3:11), Jesus (Isaiah 63:11, Hebrews 13:20, 1 Peter 2:25).

Verse 17

John 10:17

We know that Father God, as any good father would, loves His Son regardless of what the Son does (Luke 3:22). Our Heavenly Father, who is perfect (Deuteronomy 32:4, 2 Samuel 22:31, Psalms 18:30, Matthew 5:48) and the embodiment of love (1 John 4:8, 1 John 4:16), loves unconditionally and would have rescued His Son from any harm should the Son requested it (Matthew 26:53). Additionally, Jesus said that the Father loved us as He loves His Son (John 17:23), and we have done nothing deserving of God’s love. He loved us while we were yet sinners (Romans 5:8).

Obviously, the fact that Jesus was willing to die is not the only reason the Father loves Him. It is, however, the supreme promulgation of His love.

Verse 18

John 10:18

Jesus was saying that He would physically die (John 10:17), but it won’t be because somebody took His life from Him (John 19:10-11). His death will be a willing sacrifice, and it would be on His terms. He would decide to give up His life (Luke 23:46), and He has the power to overcome the consequences (1 Corinthians 15:55). Notice how He gave up His physical life (Psalms 31:5), and He announced His life’s end (John 19:30). The power to control His own destiny was given to Him by God the Father (Matthew 28:18, Romans 13:1).

Interestingly, in John 19:11, Jesus said that God gave Pilate the power over Him. When did Pilate get the power and authority? It was in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus prayed, “nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt,” that Jesus handed back over the power to the Father (Matthew 26:39). Jesus gave the power our Heavenly Father gave Him back to the Father, and God the Father gave the power to do with Jesus as he pleased to Pilate.

Verse 19

John 10:19

See notes on John 7:43 and John 9:16.

Verse 21

John 10:21

Some were convinced that Jesus was teaching the truth, although it was hard to understand (Matthew 13:14, John 6:60). Further supporting their faith were the obvious miracles that they knew from scripture would be evidence of God’s involvement (Isaiah 35:5-6, Matthew 11:3-6).

Verse 22

John 10:22

See 1 Kings 8:63-66 and 2 Chronicles 7:5-10 on the Feast of Dedication.

The Feast of Dedication was a religious celebration to commemorate the dedication of the temple and alter (Haggai 2:18), and it was observed in the ninth month of the Jewish calendar,^* although the actual temple dedication occurred on the seventh month (2 Chronicles 5:3). Heavy rains would typically occur from the seventh month through the ninth month (Ezra 10:9, Ezra 10:13, Song of Solomon 2:11), and winter began on the ninth month (Jeremiah 36:22).

The dedication of the second temple is found in Ezra 6:14-25, and that ceremony took place in the first month (Ezra 6:19).

*Flavius Josephus, The Complete Works of Josephus (Kregel Publications, 1960), 260.

Verse 23

John 10:23

Sometime between the end of His comments in John 10:18 to this verse, Jesus left the Jews (see notes on John 1:19) to argue amongst themselves (John 10:19-22), and He took a quiet walk in the temple grounds through Solomon’s porch (1 Kings 7:6).

Verse 24

John 10:24

Jesus had left the people in order to enjoy some time alone in the House of God (see notes on John 10:23), but the people interrupted His solitude to press Him with their concerns. They wondered if He is the Christ. They wished He would just tell them plainly whether He was claiming that title. Perhaps they still wouldn’t believe, but at least they’d know for sure where Jesus stood on the matter. They had doubts, but they blamed Jesus for their doubts.

Have you ever wished that God would plainly reveal Himself to you? If you could only see a vision of God, as others have done in the Bible, then you would definitely believe. Such a vision would alleviate all your doubts. We all have doubts. Not being sure of everything is ... human. It is natural for us to doubt. Doubting our knowledge and understanding of how things are leads to discoveries that improve our lives and promotes progress. To doubt is natural, but when it comes to God, never believe your doubts or doubt your beliefs.

Verse 25

John 10:25

He had told the people, in several different ways and on more than one occasion, that He was the one (see notes on John 8:54). John 8:24 is just one example of Jesus plainly saying “I am he.” In John 5:18, we see that the Jewish leadership sought to kill Jesus, because He had said things that implied He was equal with God. Jesus had even inferred He was the Son of God (John 3:14-17, John 5:19). Later He plainly admitted to being the very Son of God in John 8:54 and John 9:35-37. So, He had told them, but they hadn’t believed Him.

Even if one didn’t believe Him, surely the works that He did (Matthew 4:24) testified to the fact that He was anointed by God (John 3:2, John 5:36, John 7:31, John 10:38, John 14:11, Acts 2:22, Acts 10:38). After all, He did the works in the name of God, the Father, and not to glorify Himself. The sad truth is, despite the miracles, they still didn’t believe (John 12:37).

Verse 26

John 10:26

See notes on John 10:25 and John 10:4.

In John 6:37, John 6:65, we read that the Father chooses the sheep that will be numbered among the flock and gives them to the Great Shepherd, Jesus (Ephesians 1:4, 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14, 1 Peter 1:2). So, when Jesus said that He had come to save the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matthew 15:24), it is to seek and find those that the Father has chosen (John 8:47, John 12:37-40, Romans 11:7-8). There is a choosing, an election, and those chosen are the elect of God (Romans 9:11, Romans 11:5, Romans 11:28, 1 Thessalonians 1:4, 2 Peter 1:10). Even if these Jews to whom Jesus is speaking were of the House of Israel and descendants of Abraham, they were not of God’s elect. They are not of the flock given to Jesus by the Father, and He tells them so (John 8:21).

For more study on the elect see; Isaiah 42:1, Isaiah 45:4, Isaiah 65:9, Isaiah 65:22, Matthew 24:22, Matthew 24:24, Matthew 24:31, Luke 18:7, Romans 8:33, Colossians 3:12, 2 Timothy 2:10, Titus 1:1, 1 Peter 1:2, 1 Peter 5:13, 2 John 1:1, 2 John 1:13.

Verse 27

John 10:27

God, the Father’s, elect (see notes on John 10:26) are the sheep given to Jesus (John 6:39, John 10:29, John 17:2), and they are the ones that recognize the Spirit of Jesus’ voice even now. The chosen sheep belong to God and are known of the Lord (2 Timothy 2:19). They listen and obey the prompting of their shepherd (John 17:6-11).

Verse 28

John 10:28

See notes on John 1:29, John 10:27.

No one can deceive a disciple of Christ into leaving Christ, if the follower is listening to the Shepherd (Deuteronomy 33:3, 2 Timothy 1:12). To leave Christ is to be separated from God, and the thought of separating from God is repugnant to a Christian. Separation from God is spiritual death (see notes on John 5:24) and a return to our putrid ways before the Spirit changed us (Proverbs 26:11, 2 Peter 2:21-22). True followers desire and are thankful to be in Jesus’ hand, or connected with Christ, which is spiritual life. Those that are spiritually alive will not perish (see notes on John 3:15-16) in the second death Revelation 21:8).

Verse 29

John 10:29

God is able (Matthew 3:9, Romans 11:23, Romans 14:4, 2 Corinthians 9:8), and there is no greater nor none other able enough to overcome the will of the Father (John 6:39-40).

Verse 30

John 10:30

Jesus was saying that the Father and the Son are united in every way (John 1:1, John 5:23, John 14:9, John 16:15, John 17:21, 1 John 5:7).

Verse 31

John 10:31

This is not the first time the desire to stone Jesus caused people to pick up rocks intended to be flung in His direction (see notes on John 8:59).

Verse 32

John 10:32

Jesus framed the situation in the positive, and He showed to us His approach towards events He encounters. From this verse, we see how positive God is. We see how He looks for the good and how optimistic He is. He could have come from the negative and asked, “What have I done so wrong that you would stone me?” Additionally, He asked them to look at the positive. He asked them to focus on the good rather than the negative, as they understand it.

Verse 33

John 10:33

All too often the tendency of our nature is to focus on what we judge to be wrong. In their judgment, Jesus was guilty of gross blasphemy, because He talked as if He were God’s own son. The thing was, He is God’s own son. He spoke rightly and truly and said only those things that would help, according to the will and nature of the Father (see notes on John 8:38).

See notes on John 10:32.

Verse 34

John 10:34

Jesus quoted Psalms 82:6, in which David, inspired by the Holy Ghost (2 Peter 1:20-21), called the sons of men “children of the most High” and “gods.” Interestingly, in Psalms 82:5, David made it clear that he was speaking to humans that “will not understand” and “walk on in darkness.” These to whom Jesus was speaking would not understand (John 10:39, and see notes on John 10:32), and they were walking in darkness (John 9:40-41).

Verse 35

John 10:35

See notes on John 10:34. It is God’s word to say we are children of God, and God’s word cannot be a lie (Isaiah 45:23, Isaiah 55:11, Matthew 24:35, Luke 16:17). However, Jesus used the words, “Scripture cannot be broken.” Jesus is the Word (see notes on John 1:1-5). He is the living Word or scripture in Human form (John 1:14). Since Jesus is the Word in human form and Scripture cannot be broken, Jesus cannot be broken (see notes on John 19:36).

Look in this verse and see how scriptures are threads of truth going seemingly in many directions, and for awhile it appears to make a visible pattern. However, even with our greatest efforts at concentration, we are incapable of keeping up. Unfortunately, our perception is clouded by our limited understanding. The intricate design, woven together by the Spirit of God using the threads, is so incredibly complex and rich and beautiful that we are humbled in the realization that we know little of nothing (1 Corinthians 13:12). If one had the ability to step back from our limited scope enough to see the entire holy and perfect blanket that scripture becomes, one would view not only the image of Jesus, but Jesus Himself.

Verse 36

John 10:36

The Father has sanctified Jesus. The word “sanctified” was translated from the Greek word hagiazô ^G37 (pronounced hag-ee-ad’-zo), and it means, “to make holy, that is, (ceremonially) purify or consecrate, (mentally) to venerate.” Thayer’s Greek Definitions adds, “… to separate from profane things and dedicate to God.” So, the Father has separated Jesus from anything stained with guilt and sin. God the Father made Jesus holy, and He regards Him with respect and reverence.

If God has sanctified Jesus, how could Jesus be guilty of any sin, much less blasphemy against the One that holds Him in such high esteem? Is it because He said, I am the Son of God?” How could it be blasphemy though to agree with scripture (Psalms 82:6, John 10:34-35)? The problem is that they do not understand the scriptures properly (Matthew 22:29) or God’s power (Mark 12:24-27) and willingness (Hebrews 3:10) to save.

Verse 37

John 10:37

If Jesus acted ungodly or rebelled against God, there would then be reason to suspect what He says. The reason for their unbelief is that their hearts were hardened against Him (John 12:37-40).

Verse 38

John 10:38

He appealed to their reason, because their hearts were hardened against Him (see notes on John 10:37). The works Jesus had done did cause some to believe (John 3:2, John 10:41). Unfortunately for others though, in some cases entire cities, the works didn’t move them to faith at all (Matthew 11:20-24).

See notes on John 10:25.

Verse 39

John 10:39

See notes on John 10:31.

Exactly how Jesus “escaped” was not revealed to us. However, He repeatedly demonstrated the ability to avoid seizure before His time (Luke 4:29-30, John 7:30, John 7:44, John 8:59).

Verse 40

John 10:40

The encounter with a curious but agitated crowd had escalated into an angry mob in Jerusalem at the temple (John 10:22-24). Jesus had gone there in the first place to be alone in Solomon’s Porch. This time, Jesus puts more distance between Himself and His distracters (John 3:26), and there He stayed for awhile. He retreated to Bethabara (John 1:28).

Verse 41

John 10:41

Jesus’ good works (Acts 10:38) moved many people to belief (Matthew 4:23-25), and His miracle working power still does. They even believed what The Baptist had told them (John 3:29-36), because of the works.

Verse 42

John 10:42

See notes on John 10:41.