John 10

 

 1 Verily, (1) verily I say unto you, He that entereth not in by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up another way, he is a thief and a robber.

 

(1) Seeing that by Christ only we have access to the Father, there are neither other true shepherds, than those which come to Christ themselves, and bring others thither also, neither is any to be thought the true sheepfold, but that which is gathered to Christ.

 

 2 But he that goeth in by the door, is the shepherd of the sheep.

 

 3 To him the (a) porter openeth, and the sheep hear his voice, and he (*) calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

 

(a) In those days they used to have a servant always sitting at the door, and therefore he speaketh after the manner of those days.

(*) That is, there is mutual agreement and consent of faith between the pastor and the sheep.

 

 4 And when he hath sent forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

 

 5 And they will not follow a stranger, but they flee from him, for they know not the voice of strangers.

 

 6 This (b) parable spake Jesus unto them, but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.

 

(b) This word (parable) which the Evangelist useth here, signifieth a dark kind of speech, when words are taken from their natural meaning, to signify another thing to us.

 

 7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

 

 8  (2) All (*) that (c) ever came before me, are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.

 

(2) It maketh no matter, how many, neither how old the false teachers have been.

(*) He meaneth all the false prophets who led not men to Christ, but from him.
(c) These large terms must be applied to the matter he speaketh of. And therefore when he calleth himself the door, he calleth all them thieves and robbers which take upon them this name of Door, which none of the Prophets can, for they shewed the sheep, that Christ was the door.

 

 9  (3) I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall (d) (*) go in, and go out, and find pasture.

 

(3) Only Christ is the true Pastor, and that only is the true Church, which acknowledgeth him to be properly their only Pastor; To him are opposite thieves which feed not the sheep, but kill them; and hirelings also, which forsake the flock in time of danger, because they feed it only for their own profit and gains.
(d) That is, shall live safely; so used the Jews to speak, as Deuteronomy 26:6; and yet there is a peculiar alluding to the shepherd's office.

(*) He shall be sure of his life.

 

 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy; I am come that they might have life, and have it in abundance.

 

 11  (*) I am that good shepherd; that good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep.

 

(*) Isaiah 40:11; Ezekiel 34:23 .

 

 12 But a hireling, and he which is not the shepherd, neither the sheep are his own, seeth the wolf coming, and he leaveth the sheep, and fleeth, and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

 

 13 So the hireling fleeth, because he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

 

 14 I am the good shepherd, and (*) know mine, and am known of mine.

 

(*) Christ knoweth his because he loveth them, careth and provideth for them.

 

 15  (*) As the Father (e) knoweth me, so know I the Father; and I lay down my life for my sheep.

 

(*) As the Father cannot forget him, no more can he forget us.

(e) Loveth me, and approveth me.

 

 16  (4) (♣) Other sheep I have also, which are not of this fold; them also must I bring, and they shall hear my voice; and (*) there shall be (f) one sheepfold, and one shepherd.

 

(4) The calling of the Gentiles.

(♣) To wit, among the Gentiles, which then were strangers from the Church of God.

(*) Ezekiel 37:22 .
(f) The certain mark of the Christian Church throughout all the world, which hath one head, that is Christ, the only keeper and only shepherd of it.

 

 17  (5) (♣) Therefore doeth my Father love me, because (*) (g) I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

 

(5) Christ is by the decree of the Father, the only true shepherd of the true Church, for he willingly gave his life for his sheep, and by his own power rose again to life.

(♣) Christ even in that he is man, hath deserved his Father’s love and everlasting life, not to his flesh only, but to us also which by his obedience and perfect justice are imputed righteous, Romans 5:19; Philippians 2:7 .

(*) Isaiah 53:7 .
(g) He speaketh in the time that now is because Christ's whole life was as it were a perpetual death.

 

 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and have power to take it again. This (*) commandment have I received of my Father.

 

(*) Acts 2:24 .

 

 19  ¶ (6) Then there was a dissension again among the Jews for these sayings,

 

(6) The gospel discovereth hypocrisy, and therefore the world must needs rage when it cometh forth.  

 

 20 And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad. Why hear ye him?

 

 21 Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can the devil open the eyes of the blind?

 

 22 And it was at Jerusalem the (*) feast of the (h) Dedication, and it was winter.

 

(*) Which was institute, that the people might give thanks to God for their deliverance and restoring of their religion and Temple, which Antiochus had corrupted and polluted.

(h) The feast of the Dedication was instituted by Judas Maccabeus and his brethren, after the restoring of God's true religion, by the casting out of Antiochus his garrison.

 

 23  (7) And Jesus walked in the Temple, in (*) Solomon’s porch.

 

(7) The unbelievers and proud men, accuse the Gospel of darkness, which darkness indeed is within themselves.

(*) Which was built again after the patron of that which Solomon built.

 

 24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long doest thou (*) make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.

 

(*) Or, holdest our mind in suspense.

 

 25  (8) Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believe not; the works that I do in my Father’s Name, they bear witness of me.

 

(8) The doctrine of the Gospel is proved from heaven by two witnesses; both by the purity of the doctrine, and by miracles.            

 

 26  (9) But ye believe not, (i) (*) for ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

 

(9) It is no marvel that there do but a few believe, seeing that all men are by nature untamed beasts; yet notwithstanding God hath his, which he turneth into sheep, and committeth them unto his Son, and preserveth them against the cruelty of all wild beasts.
(i) He giveth a reason why they believed not, to wit, because they are none of his sheep.

(*) The cause wherefore the reprobate cannot believe.

 

 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

 

 28 And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand.

 

 29 My Father which gave them me, is (*) greater than all, and none is able to take them out of my Father’s hand.

 

(*) Whereby we learn how safely we are preserved against all dangers.

 

 30 I and my Father are one.

 

 31  (*) (10) Then the Jews again took up stones, to stone him.

 

(*) John 8:59 .

(10) Christ proveth his dignity by divine works.       

 

 32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my (k) Father; for which of these works do ye stone me?

 

(k) Through my Father's authority and power.  

 

 33 The Jews answered him, saying, For the good work we stone thee not, but for blasphemy, and that thou being a man, makest thyself God.

 

 34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your Law, (*) I said, Ye are (♣) gods?

 

(*) Psalm 82:6 .

(♣) Meaning of Princes and rulers, who for their office sake are called gods, and are made here in earth as his Lieutenants; wherefore if this noble title be given to man, much more it appertained to him that is the Son of God equal with his Father.

 

 35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God was given, and the Scripture cannot be (l) broken,

 

(l) Void and of none effect.

 

 36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest, 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, then though ye believe not me, yet believe the works, that ye may know and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

 

 39  (11) Again they went about to take him, but he escaped out of their hands,

 

(11) Christ fleeth danger, not of mistrust, nor for fear of death, nor that he would be idle, but to gather a Church in another place.

 

 40 And went again beyond Jordan, into the place where John first baptized, and there abode.

 

 41 And many resorted unto him, and said, John did (*) no miracle, but all things that John spake of this man, were true.

 

(*) Whereby they gathered that Christ was more excellent than John.

 

 42 And many believed in him there.