A Tour Through John, Lesson 20

<p>For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ <a href="https://www.douglasjacoby.com/tour-john-lesson-20/" target="_blank"><strong>website.</strong></a></p><p>10:1 “Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.</p><ul><li>Calling the sheep "by name" (v.3) does not mean that shepherds had individual names for each sheep.<ul><li>Rather, each shepherd used a different call.</li><li>When flocks were commingled, they were separated once as the sheep followed the call of <i>their</i> shepherd.</li></ul></li><li>Concerning hearing God's voice (v.4), how do I distinguish what I <i>know </i>through scripture from what I sense God may be trying to tell me through life situations?<ul><li>Do I believe he could be leading me through objective sensations?</li><li>(For more on this, click <a href="http://douglasjacoby.com/articles/5525" target="_blank">here</a> or <a href="http://douglasjacoby.com/articles/5392" target="_blank">here</a>.)</li></ul></li><li>In regard to verse 6, "figure of speech" (<i>paroimia</i>) is translated <i>parabolé</i> in the LXX. The two are functionally equivalent.</li><li>Since the crowd did not understand the illustration (v.6), Jesus tries a more explicit approach (v.7ff).</li></ul><p>7 So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be s