New Testament Commentary - John 10

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 10 Jesus is the good Shepherd—He gainded power over death from his Father—He promises to visit his other sheep—He proclaims: 'I am the Son of God.'
1 VERILY, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the ^asheep. 3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his ^avoice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and ^bleadeth them out.		1^a D&C 128:20; 2^a Mark 9:2 (2-13); Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19); TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;
4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they ^aknow his ^bvoice. 5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of ^astrangers. 6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.		1^a D&C 128:20; 2^a Mark 9:2 (2-13); Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19); TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;
7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the ^adoor of the sheep. 8 All that ever came before me ^aare thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door^a: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.	9^a I am the door When we die and are draw by that light which is the light of Christ, we are so taken home to that God who gave us life (Ether 3:16 (14-16), that is Jesus Christ/Jehovah, who so ordered that our second estate life wherein the spirit of man is so placed into this earthly tabernacle, and we will stand before him in his presence, and there we may recognize Jesus, who is the 'door' of our entry into a state of happiness or paradise if we are so prepared here to receive it (Alma 40:11-12).	1^a D&C 128:20; 2^a Mark 9:2 (2-13); Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19); TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;
10 The thief cometh not, but for to ^asteal, and to kill, and to destroy^a: I am come that they might have ^blife^b, and that they might have it more ^cabundantly. 11 I am the good ^ashepherd: the good ^bshepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and ^aleaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.	10^a The thief cometh not, but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy All others than the true Church of Jesus Christ are in the business of 'death' and 'damnation'. The Catholics from their very beginning levels of their doctrine of child baptism are in the business of damning children to hell and not offering to them life and salvation. Many Churches take the position that either you must join them or be damned to hell forever more. And perhaps the worse of the lot is those who preach salvation by merely a single action or statement of belief. But there in lies the least degrees of glory of all, for faith without works is dead, oh vain men. Even the angels of the devil do believe and recognize Jesus to be the Christ and they are cast out into outer darkness despite of it. 10^b I am come that they might have life The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the Gospel of Life and Salvation. All are to be 'saved'. All are to be 'redeemed' and to gain life, immortality. Eevery knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is the Christ. It is not a matter of who will be resurrected and who will not, for all will be. The matters is as to when and unto what glory. As the true church of Jesus Christ we are in the business of 'life' and 'salvation'. We do not teach that men will be damned in hell forever more. True there is a spirit prison for those who are unrighteous and unrepentant. But they will eventually be turned but perhaps not to the great kingdom of glory but unto a lesser realm. But indeed all will be 'saved'. The real extent of the law and righteous living is unto what degree of glory will a man be raised to. We do not say to others that they will be damned if they do not join our church. We just wait until they are dead and then we baptise them. All will be baptised and receive of the ordinances of salvation. We are about that work, that every nation, kindred, tongue and people may be saved and redeemed, qualified according to the ordinances of salvation. And from there it is up to them as to what degree of glory they may be judge to receive.
13 The ^ahireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. 14 I am the good ^ashepherd, and ^bknow my ^csheep, and am known of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so ^aknow I the Father: and I lay down my ^blife for the sheep.
16 And ^aother ^bsheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and *there shall be ^cone fold, and* one shepherd^a**.	*16^a there shall be one fold, and* one shepherd** While there were two kingdoms of the Hebrews, the Kingdom of Judah and the Kingdom of Israel—and each had their separate traditions and beliefs as to the Messiah, the Shepherd of Israel—the two nations would be joined together as one and there would be but One Shepherd of Israel. There would not be a Messiah ben Joseph and a Messiah ben David. He would be but one and the same Messiah, the Son of God, even Jesus Christ. This has a very extended meaning and understanding which is set forth in Ezekiel chapter 37 where it speaks of two records becoming one, and there being two nations and kingdoms made one. And also that there would be but one shepherd and king of the people even that King David of the latter day who is Jesus Christ (See Messiah ben David ~ Messiah ben Joseph).
17 Therefore doth my Father ^alove me, because I ^blay down my life, that I might ^ctake it again. 18 No man ^ataketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have ^bpower to lay it down, and I have ^cpower to take it again. This commandment have I ^dreceived of my Father.
19 ¶ There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings. 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 a devil open the eyes of the blind?
22 ¶ And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. 23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's ^aporch. 24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.
25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye ^abelieved not: the ^bworks that I do in my Father's ^cname, they bear witness of me^a. 26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
27 My ^asheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they ^bfollow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which ^agave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and my Father are ^aone. 31 Then the Jews took up ^astones again to stone him.
32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for ^ablasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself ^bGod.
34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are ^agods^a? 35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; 36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath ^asanctified, and ^bsent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the ^cSon of God? Children of the Most High Jesus Christ both uses the reference to where in the Old Testament it clearly states that man is the offspring of God (see also Acts 17:28-29), that 'all are children of the most High' (Psalms 82:6). That is to say that the LORD of our Lord, God the Eternal Father of Spirits, is in fact that literal parent of all the sons and daughters of men. He is the Father of all the spirits of men. And Jesus uses this understanding to refute the charge of the Pharisees that it was blasphemy for him to claim to be Son of God, for all are sons and daughters of God. And the further inference is that if the Pharisees deny Jesus the claim of being a son of God, then they have denied scripture, their own 'law', which 'cannot be broken'. It is clear from this logic sequence that Jesus Christ is using the arguement that 'all' are the children, sons and daughters, of the Most High God, thus he can claim to be Son of God also. Now two things are also here beyond the obvious declaration that we all are sons and daughter of God the Father. One is that if there is a 'Most High God', then the logic of such a comparision would also suggest other 'gods' less than he. But that is also clearly established here, for the scriptures do state that 'We are gods.' Thus when it furthe speaks of the One True God, it is not speaking of the exclusiveness of that 'One True God' as being the One and Only God in that there are no other Gods. But it must speak in another muturally exclusive since. That that turns out to be the Jesus Christ is the only name under heaven given by which man may be saved. In this he is the the one and only true God, though certainly there are other Gods and gods in existance. Exclusiveness is not only to be in the sense that there are no others, but exclusive in certain aspects while there are also others who do not hold that same exclusiveness. Thus here is another case which substantiates that there are multiple gods and at the same time one of which is also the One and Only True God in some particular sense. And the other is that if we are the children of the Most High God (Psalms 82:6), if we are the 'offspring' of God, which is used to argue that God and the Godhead, is and are living Gods, and not of gold, silver, stone or some other devised art of man (Acts 17:28-29); then indeed we were like unto the Father's 'Firstborn' (Collosians 1:15), the implied other born children of that Heavenly Father before the world was and our temporal and natural life here, are all the rest of 'us'. We are Children of God and of that race of God.	34^a I said, Ye are gods "I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High." (Psalms 82:6) Jesus here is plainly declaring himself to be that God who in the Old Testament had made the statement that 'men are gods, children of the most High.' What clearer statement is there that Jesus is the same as the Great Jehovah? What clearer statement is there that we are the sons and daughters of God the Father of Spirits and are of the race of God with the potential to become even as the gods are? Of course one will say this is but a song of David and is not to be taken so literally. Where did David's Psalms come from but from the writings of the prophets, which many of those original writings are not lost unto us?
37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. 38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, ^abelieve the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the ^bFather is in me, and I in him. 39 Therefore they ^asought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,
40 And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode. 41 And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true. 42 And many believed on him there.