Albert Barnes Commentary John 10

Truly, truly. (See Barnes on John 3:3).

I say to you. Some have supposed that what follows here was delivered on some other occasion than the one mentioned in the last chapter. However, the expression truly, truly, is one which is not used at the commencement of a discourse, and the discourse itself seems to be a continuation of what was said before.

The Pharisees professed to be the guides or shepherds of the people. Jesus, in the close of the last chapter, had charged them with being blind, and consequently unqualified to lead the people.

He proceeds here to state the character of a true shepherd, to show what a hireling was, and to declare that He was the true shepherd and guide of His people.

This is called a parable (John 10:6), and it is an eminently beautiful illustration of the office of the Messiah, drawn from an occupation well known in Judea. The Messiah was predicted under the image of a shepherd (Ezekiel 34:23; Ezekiel 37:24; Zechariah 13:7).

Hence, at the close of the discourse, they asked Him whether He was the Messiah (John 10:24).

Into the sheepfold. The sheepfold was an enclosure made in fields where the sheep were collected by night to defend them from robbers, wolves, etc. It was not commonly covered, as the seasons in Judea were mild. By the figure here we are to understand the Jewish people, or the church of God, which is often likened to a flock (Ezekiel 34:1–19; Jeremiah 23:1–4; Zechariah 13:1).

By the door, here, is meant the Lord Jesus Christ (John 10:7, 9). He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). And, as the only proper way of entering the fold was by the door, so the only way of entering the church of God is by believing on Him and obeying His commandments.

The particular application of this passage, however, is to religious teachers, who cannot enter properly on the duties of teaching and guarding the flock except by the Lord Jesus—that is, in the way which He has appointed. The Pharisees claimed to be pastors, but not under His appointment. They entered some other way. The true pastors of the church are those who enter by the influences of the Spirit of Jesus, and in the manner which He has appointed.

Some other way. Either at a window or over the wall.

A thief. One who silently and secretly takes away the property of another.

A robber. One who does it by violence or bloodshed. Jesus here designates those pastors or ministers of religion who are influenced not by love to Him, but who seek the office from ambition, or the love of power, or wealth, or ease; who come, not to promote the welfare of the church, but to promote their own interests. Alas! In all churches there have been many—many who for no better ends have sought the pastoral office. To all such Jesus gives the names of thieves and robbers.

He that entereth by the door. This was the way in which a shepherd had access to his flock. In John 10:7 Jesus says he is the door. In this place he refers to those who by him—that is, in accordance with his spirit and law—become ministers of religion.

Is the shepherd of the sheep. Christ does not here refer to himself, for he is the way or door by which others enter; but he refers to all the ministers of the gospel who have access to the church by him. In the original, the article "the" is lacking before the word shepherd—“is a shepherd.” By his entering in this manner he shows that he is a shepherd—one who cares for his flock, and does not come to kill and destroy.

To him the porter openeth. The porter is the doorkeeper. It seems that the more wealthy Jews who owned flocks employed some person to take charge of the flock. At first all shepherds attended their flocks personally by day and by night, and this continued to be commonly the practice, but not always.

The sheep hear his voice. The voice of the shepherd. A flock will readily discern the well-known voice of one who is accustomed to attend them. The meaning is, that the people of God will be found disposed to listen to the instructions of those who are appointed by Christ, who preach his pure doctrines, and who show a real love for the church of God. There is scarcely any better test of fidelity in the pastoral office than the approbation of the humble and obscure people of God, when they discern in the preacher the very manner and spirit of the doctrines of the Bible.

He calleth his own sheep by name. It was customary, and is still, we are told by travelers, for shepherds to give particular names to their sheep, by which they soon learned to regard the voice of the shepherd. By this our Savior indicates, doubtless, that it is the duty of a minister of religion to seek an intimate and personal acquaintance with the people of his charge; to feel an interest in them as individuals, and not merely to address them together; to learn their private wants; to meet them in their individual trials, and to administer to them personally the consolations of the gospel.

Leadeth them out. He leads them from the fold to pasture or to water. Perhaps there is here intended the care of a faithful pastor to provide suitable instruction for the people of his charge, and to feed them with the bread of life. See a beautiful and touching description of the care of the Great Shepherd in Psalm 23:1-6.

He putteth forth. Or leads them out of the fold.

He goeth before them. He leads them, and guides them, and does not leave them. A shepherd spent his time with his flocks. He went before them to seek the best pastures and watering places, and to defend them from danger. In this is beautifully represented the tender care of him who watches for souls as one that must give account.

A stranger, and so on. This was literally true of a flock. Accustomed to the voice and presence of a kind shepherd, they would not regard the command of a stranger. It is also true spiritually. Jesus by this indicates that the true people of God will not follow false teachers—those who are proud, haughty, and self-seeking, as were the Pharisees.

Many may follow such teachers, but humble and devoted Christians seek those who have the mild and self-denying spirit of their Master and Great Shepherd. It is also true in reference to those who are pastors in the churches. They have an influence which no stranger or wandering minister can have.

A church learns to put confidence in a pastor; he knows the wants of his people, sees their danger, and can adapt his instructions to them.

A stranger, however eloquent, pious, or learned, can possess few of these advantages. For churches to be committed to the care of wandering strangers—those who have no permanent relation to the church—is no wiser than for a flock to be committed to a foreigner who knew nothing of it and had no particular interest in it. The pastoral office is one of the wisest institutions of heaven. The following extract from The Land and the Book (Thomson) will show how strikingly this whole passage accords with what actually occurs today in Palestine:

"This is true to the letter. They are so tame and so trained that they follow their keeper with the utmost docility. He leads them forth from the fold, or from their houses in the villages, just where he pleases. As there are many flocks in such a place as this, each one takes a different path, and it is his business to find pasture for them. It is necessary, therefore, that they should be taught to follow, and not to stray away into the unfenced fields of corn which lie so temptingly on either side. Anyone who thus wanders is sure to get into trouble. The shepherd calls sharply from time to time to remind them of his presence. They know his voice and follow on; but if a stranger calls, they stop short, lift up their heads in alarm, and, if it is repeated, they turn and flee, because they do not know the voice of a stranger. This is not the fanciful costume of a parable; it is simple fact.

I have made the experiment repeatedly. The shepherd goes before, not merely to point out the way, but to see that it is practicable and safe. He is armed in order to defend his charge, and in this he is very courageous.

Many adventures with wild beasts occur not unlike that recounted by David, and in these very mountains; for, though there are now no lions here, there are wolves in abundance; and leopards and panthers, exceedingly fierce, prowl about these wild wadies. They not unfrequently attack the flock in the very presence of the shepherd, and he must be ready to do battle at a moment's warning.

I have listened with intense interest to their graphic descriptions of downright and desperate fights with these savage beasts. And when the thief and the robber come (and come they do), the faithful shepherd often has to put his life in his hand to defend his flock. I have known more than one case in which he literally had to lay it down in the contest. A poor faithful fellow last spring, between Tiberias and Tabor, instead of fleeing, actually fought three Bedouin robbers until he was hacked to pieces with their khanjars, and died among the sheep he was defending."