Summary of passage: Jesus declares he is the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for His sheep. A hired hand cares nothing for his sheep. He knows his sheep and the sheep know him just as God knows him and vice versa. Jesus will bring other sheep. He freely lays down his life and takes it up again as God has commanded. Many Jews still insisted he is demon-possessed and did not believe. But many believed.
Questions:
8 ) Part personal Question. My answer: Lay down his life for his sheep. Jesus’ crucifixion. Eternally grateful.
9) Part personal Question. My answer: Gentiles. God calls all and wants all to be with Him.
10) Personal Question. My answer: Jesus is God.
Conclusions: Would have liked to explore the Gentiles more. Pretty weak questioning today.
End Notes: “I am the Good Shepherd” (Another I am statement–the 4th of 7 that are unique to John’s Gospel and point to Jesus’ unique, divine identity and purpose) is clear to the Jews–He is the one to care for them.
“Lays down his life” is perpetually. Jesus is always giving us life.
Jesus here declares he is for the Gentiles as well (the other sheep) and he will bring them together as one. All the sheep will hear, answer and obey, the shepherd.
Lost in translation: early translations of the Bible had “one fold” instead of “one flock”. A fold of sheep is only a part of the flock. Here, some churches used this mistake to justify exclusiveness.
Jesus can raise himself from the dead–what separates him as God and us as man.
That Christ would die for his people runs through this section of John’s Gospel. Both the love and the plan of the Father are involved, as well as the authority he gave to the Son. Christ obediently and voluntarily chose to die; otherwise, no one would have had the power to kill him (Luke 23:46).
Jesus, again, divides humanity (John 7:43; 9:16)–as it will be during the Last Days.
Both words and deeds validate Jesus. Here Jesus was saving souls and telling people he’s gonna die for them and he’s accused of demon-possession? What demon would ever do such a thing?
