Beth-El Baptist Church

09/09/2007

Greg Tomlinson


How can Jesus enter in by the door and be the door?


This passage can be a great source of confusion to people because in John 10, Jesus claims that he not only enters into the door, but that he is the door. It is difficult to understand how anyone can be both of these at the same time.


  1. What is Jesus talking about when he says that he enters the door?

John 10:1-6


Notice very clearly that the one who enters the door in this section is the shepherd. He is the owner of the sheep and he is responsible for them and for their care. The door is the opening to where the sheep are kept. The door is guarded and protected by a porter or doorkeeper. The idea behind this porter is that he is protecting the door itself and only allows the those who are authorized to enter in. This is why those that came before, who claimed that they were the rightful shepherd or leader of the sheep are considered “thieves” who quietly steal and “robbers” who use more aggressive tactics.


2 Peter 2:9 Matthew 7:15-20


  1. Where can I find out more about Jesus being the one who “enters the door”?

John 1:12-13; 5:21-24; 10:11-18; 12:31-32 Matthew 7:21-23; 28:18

Isaiah 22:21-22 Revelation 1:17-18; 21:24-27

Romans 9:15-16 Ephesians 1:10-13

Ezekiel 34:11-16 Jeremiah 23:3-4


In this context, the one who enters the door is the one that has final authority regarding those who enter into and depart out of the flock. No one leaves the flock, except when the Shepherd of the sheep lead the sheep out. It is Jesus who decides, based upon his own will, who will and will not be a part of his sheepfold.


  1. Who are the other types of shepherds who claim ownership that Jesus is talking about?

Luke 11:42-52 Ezekiel 34:8-10

Jeremiah 23:1-2 2 Timothy 3:1-7; 4:1-4

2 Peter 2:1-3 Matthew 24:5


There are many different false shepherds out there. One thing that they all truly have in common is that they are seeking to attract people to themselves and not to Jesus. They are more interested in people following them or their teachings rather than following Jesus. The doctrines that they teach are scandalous with respect to Jesus Christ and obedience to his commands. They may teach 'health' and 'wealth' or other forms of 'prosperity'. They may teach about 'spiritual power' but they will not teach of truth and righteous and judgment. Part of their real plan is to deny Jesus as the Christ which is the King of eternal glory, who is Yahweh in the flesh.



  1. What is Jesus talking about when he says that he is “the door”?

John 10:7-10


In this passage, Jesus describes himself as the “door of the sheep”. This means that he is the only way into the sheepfold. It is Jesus who guards the door into eternal life (salvation) and only lets those in who properly belong to him. The position of being the door is a double protection. He first protects his flock from being infiltrated by someone else's sheep and he protects his flock from being taken or led astray by some other shepherd. One point from history to keep in mind is that the shepherds would often sleep in the doorway of the sheep pen. This kept the sheep in and the wolves out because they would have to go through the shepherd to get to the other side.


John 14:6 Matthew 7:13-14



  1. Where can I find more information about Jesus being “the door”?

Matthew 17:5 1 Corinthians 3:10-11

Acts 4:11-12 1 Peter 5:1-4


It is clear that the scriptures teach that the only way into the presence of God, identified here as the sheepfold, is through the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus never left people with an option of by him or by some other means. Either Jesus is the only way into heaven or he is not any way into heaven. Any other possibility is logically impossible because that would mean that Jesus is a liar but we know that Jesus is not a liar because of his resurrection from the dead.


Romans 1:4 Acts 2:22-24


  1. What are some of the other ways that people claim that they can enter into eternal life?

Galatians 3:1-4 Acts 15:24

2 Corinthians 10:12 2 Peter 3:3-5

1 Kings 18:21 Matthew 7:13


There are many ways that people claim as entrance into eternal life or the heavenly life. Some claim there is no hell and destruction so do whatever you want to do. Others will point to some other god other than Yahweh (Jesus). It does not matter what other people claim to be acceptable ways into the presence of God. All that really matters is what God says is the way into his presence and he has told us that the way into his presence is through Jesus Christ.


John 3:36 1 Corinthians 4:3-4


Summary:


The understanding of the use of the door by Jesus is quite straight forward. By Jesus claiming to be the only one allowed to enter through the door, he is identifying himself as the one who owns the sheep and the one is is responsible for protecting and caring for them. Jesus is identifying himself as the good shepherd. When Jesus claims that he is the door, this is not a contradiction, but an extension of his role as the good shepherd. It is Jesus who is responsible for identifying his sheep, for gathering them, and allowing them into his sheepfold. He is promising to keep out the sheep of someone else as well as the ravenous wolves who come to destroy.