Charles Spurgeon Commentary John 10:9-14

"I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and go out, and shall find pasture. The thief cometh not, but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy: I came that they may have life, and may have [it] abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep. He that is a hireling, and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, beholdeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth, and the wolf snatcheth them, and scattereth [them]: [he fleeth] because he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know mine own, and mine own know me," — John 10:9-14 (ASV)

I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

This good Shepherd proves himself to be so by his actions.

Remember, brothers, how carefully he watches his sheep from the tower of the flock, not one of them ever being absent from his eye for a single moment. How graciously he guides those sheep, leading them always by a right way that he may bring them to safety at last. How plentifully does he pasture his flock, making them lie down in green pastures beside the still waters. And oh! how gloriously does he defend his flock, dashing into the thickest of their foes, snatching the lamb out of the jaws of the lion and out of the paw of the bear.

And we must not conclude this list of his deeds without remembering how readily he has bought that flock, and how well he has washed that flock, in blood flowing from his own veins, that he might present them all at last, not one of them being lacking, nor one of them impure, but each of them like sheep that come up fresh from the washing. "I know my sheep." It is not as if salvation was left to haphazard.

He knew them before they were created. Having foreordained, he foreknew. He knew them when they did not know themselves, when they were wallowing in the mire like swine; he still knew them.

He knows them now—unknown to fame, unregistered, perhaps, in the books of the visible Church: "I know my sheep wherever they may be." Then notice the next sentence, for this is the practical way by which you may judge whether you are his or not: "I am known of mine."

They know him as their only hope and trust; they know the sweetness of fellowship with him. They know the power of his arm, the efficacy of his blood, the faithfulness of his heart. They know the preciousness of his cross, and the glory of his crown.