John 10:1

ἀμὴν�. This double affirmation, peculiar to this Gospel (see on John 1:51), never occurs at the beginning of a discourse, but either in continuation, to introduce some deep truth, or in reply. This verse is no exception. There is no break between the Chapter s, which should perhaps have been divided at John 9:34 or 38 rather than here. The scene continues uninterrupted from John 9:35 to John 10:21, where we have a reference to the healing of the blind man. Moreover John 10:6 seems to point back to John 9:41; their not understanding the allegory was evidence of self-complacent blindness. This chapter, therefore, although it contains a fresh subject, is connected with the incidents in chap. 9 and grows out of them. The connexion seems to be that the Pharisees by their conduct to the man had proved themselves bad shepherds; but he has found the Good Shepherd: they had cast him out of doors; but he has found the Door: they had put him forth to drive him away; the Good Shepherd puts His sheep forth to lead them. We are not told where these words are spoken; so that it is impossible to say whether it is probable that a sheepfold with the shepherds and their flocks was in sight. There is nothing against the supposition. Be this as it may, Jesus, who has already appropriated the types of the Brazen Serpent, the Manna, the Rock, and the Pillar of Fire (John 3:14; John 6:50; John 7:37; John 8:12) here appropriates the type of the Shepherd (Psalms 23; Ezekiel 34; Zechariah 11).

διὰ τῆς θύρας. Oriental sheepfolds are commonly walled or palisaded, with one door or gate. Into one of these enclosures several shepherds drive their flocks, leaving them in charge of an under-shepherd or porter, who fastens the door securely inside, and remains with the sheep all night. In the morning the shepherds come to the door, the porter opens to them, and each calls away his own sheep.

τ. αὐλὴν τ. πρ. The fold of the sheep. Comp. ἡ θύρα τ. πρ. (John 10:7).

ἀλλαχόθεν. Literally, from another quarter; here only in N.T.

ἐκεῖνος. S. John’s characteristic use: comp. John 1:18; John 1:33; John 5:11; John 5:39; John 6:57; John 9:37; John 12:48; John 14:12; John 14:21; John 14:26; John 15:26.

κλέπτης … λῃστής. Everywhere in this Gospel (John 10:8; John 10:10; John 12:6; John 18:40) and in 2 Corinthians 11:26 κλέπτης is rightly rendered ‘thief’ and λῃστής ‘robber’ in A.V. But elsewhere (Matthew 21:13; Matthew 26:55; Matthew 27:38, &c. &c.) λῃστής is translated ‘thief.’ The λῃστής is a brigand, more formidable than the κλέπτης: the one uses violence and is sometimes chivalrous, the other employs cunning, and is always mean.