Jesus' description of the sheep in John Chapter 10 has attracted our attention, because some cessationists claim that the sheep are those who have the Gospel call issued to them, but they are not saved. So, they are not Christians responding to the voice of the Shepherd, but rather they are lost sheep who are being offered salvation.
Alternately, cessationists will claim that the sheep are indeed Christians, but the Shepherd's voice refers to the Scriptures. They believe that God does not speak to Christians, because we have the complete revelation of God in the form of the Bible. Thus, no prophecy, impression, or "leading of the Holy Spirit" is possible today.
Cessationists make these claims in order to avoid the possibility that Jesus speaks to Christians (contemporary prophecy), an idea they reject.
Charismatics, however, appeal to the verses as proof that Jesus speaks to Christians today. They believe the gift of prophecy continues today. See here and here or our more detailed discussion of prophecy.
We believe that each of these positions are incomplete at best, and misleading at worst. In each case, one's doctrinal predisposition interprets the verse. This is problematic and leads to error.
Our first task must be to ascertain Jesus' audience. The previous chapter, chapter 9, is the account of Jesus healing the blind man (vs. 7), who was subsequently dragged before the Pharisees for questioning vs.13). After they questioned him (vs. 15 and 17) and his parents (vs. 19) they mocked him for believing in Jesus (vs. 28), then they threw him out (vs. 34). Jesus later finds the man and asks him if he believes (vs 36).
Now we come to vs. 40-41:
Jn. 9:40-41 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."
So here in chapter 9 we discover that Jesus begins a discourse in response to some Pharisees who were hanging around, which continues into chapter 10. The chapter break is unfortunate, because Jesus is still talking to the Pharisees in chapter 10. Thus his remarks are directed to the Pharisees.
Also, we need to note that there is more than one "figure of speech" in this passage.
With this in mind, let's continue:
Jn. 10:1-6 “I tell you the truth, the man 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 man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. 3 The watchman 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 they did not understand what he was telling them.
This is the first "figure of speech." Notice first it is the watchman who hears His voice and he lets in the Shepherd. We could possibly interpret this to mean that the watchmen are the Pharisees, and they are supposed to know the Shepherd's voice, especially since He is standing right in front of them. Remember, He just accused them of being blind (9:41). So maybe the Pharisees are incompetent watchmen.
In verse three Jesus refers to the sheep as "his own." So we discover that the sheep are already sheep. They follow Him because they know the sound of His voice as He leads them about. Thus they are already His and are following His voice. And, because they know the voice of the shepherd they will never follow a stranger's voice.
These Pharisees did not understand His figure of speech. Remember, they're blind. Jesus is really talking about who are His and who are saved. They didn't understand what He was talking about. In fact, they thought that they were just fine because they were Jews, God's chosen people. A lot of Jesus' ministry was to counter this idea. We believe John chapter 10 is this, at least partly.
The next excerpt:
7-16 Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He 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 who owns 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.
Now beginning in verse seven Jesus changes the "figure of speech." This is the second one. He is the gate, ie., He is the only way into the pen. Before it was the Shepherd entering the pen, now the sheep are coming into the pen through the one true gate to be saved. Once they are in the pen (that is, they are saved), these sheep can now go in and out in safety to find pasture.
Beginning in verse 11, the "figure of speech" again changes. This is number three. He's the Shepherd again, the one who would give His life for the sake of the sheep. When wolves attack, He has no regard for his own life, because a good shepherd protects the sheep at all cost. The hired hand has no care at all for the sheep, so he will abandon them when danger comes.
The "figure of speech" shifts again in verse 14. This is number four. Now Jesus combines concepts. He is the shepherd, a restatement of the prior "figure of speech," and His sheep knows him, a restatement of the first and second one. The one principal statement He does not recall is the the "gate" metaphor. This means the main thrust of all these figures of speech is not salvation, but rather Him being the one true shepherd of the sheep that belong to Him and follow Him alone, recognizing only His voice.
He leads His sheep to pasture, and in and out of the sheep pen. They are His. They know His voice. The Pharisees are either blind watchmen or the one who climbs over the wall to steal the sheep, though we would not exclude the Enemy as a possibility, climbing over the wall to steal sheep.
Jesus refers to other 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.
So Jesus has been talking about His sheep, but then mentions other sheep to bring in. Since Jesus is talking to Pharisees and other Jews as well (10:19), it is clear that His sheep is Israel and this entire chapter is primarily about Israel.
24-28 The Jews gathered round him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no-one can snatch them out of my hand.
Israel is the sheep:
Ps. 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
Ps. 100:3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Ps. 95:7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.
Israel heard Jesus' actual voice, He was literally calling out to His own people for them to come and enter the gate. Israel was already sheep as God's chosen nation, but He wanted them to come into the sheep pen (salvation).
And Israel is not the only one to receive the invitation. He has other sheep. We are those other sheep.
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