CHAPTER 10. _ The Good Shepherd and the hirelings_. This paragraph is a continuation of the conversation which arose out of the healing of the blind man. Instead of being introduced by any fresh note of time, it is ushered in by ἀμὴν ἀμὴν, which is never found in this Gospel at the commencement of... [ Continue Reading ]
Ἀμὴν … λῃστής. The αὐλή, or sheepfold, into which the sheep were gathered for safety every night, is described as being very similar to folds in some parts of our own country; a walled, unroofed enclosure. The θύρα, however, is not as with us a hurdle or gate, but a solid door heavily barred and cap... [ Continue Reading ]
to John 10:21. _The good and the hireling shepherds_.... [ Continue Reading ]
On the other hand, ὁ δὲ εἰσερχόμενος … προβάτων, “but he that entereth by the door is shepherd of the sheep”. The shepherd is known by his using the legitimate mode of entrance. What that is, He does not here explicitly state. The shepherd is further recognised by his treatment of the sheep, τὰ ἴδια... [ Continue Reading ]
The application of the parable was sufficiently obvious; but ταύτην … αὐτοῖς. παροιμία [παρά, οἶμος, out of the way or wayside] seems more properly to denote “a proverb”; and the Book of Proverbs is named in the Sept [73] αἱ παροιμίαι or παροιμίαι Σαλωμῶντος; and Aristotle, _Rhetor._, 3, 11, defines... [ Continue Reading ]
In contrast to Jesus, πάντες … λῃσταί, “all who came before me,” _i.e._, all who came before me, claiming to be what I am and to give to the sheep what I give. The prophets pointed forward to Him and did not arrogate themselves His functions. Only those could be called “thieves and robbers” who had... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐγώ … εὑρήσει. With emphasis He reiterates: “I am the door: through me, and none else, if a man enter he shall be saved, and shall go in and out find pasture”. Meyer and others supply “any shepherd” as the nominative to εἰσέλθῃ, which may agree better with the form of the parabolic saying, but not s... [ Continue Reading ]
The tenth verse introduces a new contrast, between the good shepherd and the thieves and hirelings. ὁ κλέπτης … ἀπολέσῃ. The thief has but one reason for his coming to the fold: he comes to steal and kill and destroy; to aggrandise himself at the expense of the sheep. θύσῃ has probably the simple me... [ Continue Reading ]
In these verses Jesus designates Himself “the Good Shepherd” and emphasises two features by which a good shepherd can be known: (1) his giving his life for the sheep, and (2) the reciprocal knowledge of the sheep and the shepherd. These two features are both introduced by the statement (John 10:11)... [ Continue Reading ]
ὁ μισθωτὸς δὲ [δὲ is omitted by recent editors] … πρόβατα. In contrast to the good shepherd stands now not the robber but a man in some respects better, a hireling or hired hand (Mark 1:20), not a shepherd whose instincts would prompt him to defend the sheep, and not the owner to whom the sheep belo... [ Continue Reading ]
ὁ δὲ μισθωτὸς φεύγει, not, as in John 10:12, ὁ μισθ. δὲ, “because the antithesis of the hireling was there first brought forward and greater emphasis was secured by that position”. Meyer. Klotz, p. 378, says that δὲ is placed after more words than one “ubi quae praeposita particulae verba sunt aut a... [ Continue Reading ]
The second mark of the good shepherd is introduced by a repetition of the announcement: ἐγώ … καλός. And this second mark is not stated in general terms applicable to all good shepherds, but directly of Himself: ἐγώ εἰμι … καὶ γινώσκω τὰ ἐμά, καὶ γινώσκομαι ὑπὸ τῶν ἐμῶν. There is a mutually reciproc... [ Continue Reading ]
This reciprocal knowledge is so sure and profound that it can only be compared to the mutual knowledge of the Father and the Son: καθὼς … πατέρα. He then applies to Himself what had been stated in general of all good shepherds in John 10:11; and John 10:16 might suitably have begun with the words “A... [ Continue Reading ]
But the mention of His death suggests to Him the wide extent of its consequences. ἄλλα πρόβατα ἔχω, “other sheep I have”; not that they are already believers in Him, but “His” by the Father's design and gift. _Cf._ John 17:7 and Acts 18:10. They are only negatively described: ἃ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τῆς αὐλῆ... [ Continue Reading ]
At this point the exposition of the functions of the good shepherd terminates; but as a note or appendix Jesus adds διὰ τοῦτο, “on this account,” _i.e._, because I lay down my life for the sheep (John 10:15 and following clause) does my Father love me. The expressed ἐγώ serves to bring out the spont... [ Continue Reading ]
οὐδεὶς … ἐμαυτοῦ. He did not succumb to the machinations of His foes. To the last He was free to choose another exit from life; Matthew 26:53. He gave His life freely, perceiving that this was the Father's will: ἐξουσίαν … μου. Others have only power to choose the time or method of their death, and... [ Continue Reading ]
As usual, diverse judgments were elicited, and once more a division of opinion appeared, Σχίσμα οὖν πάλιν ἐγένετο … Many thought Him possessed and mad, as in Mark 3:21; _cf._ οὐ μαίνομαι of Paul, Acts 26:24. Others took the more sensible view. These words they had heard were not the wild exclamation... [ Continue Reading ]
_The result of this discourse briefly described_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Ἐγένετο δὲ τὰ ἐγκαίνια. The ἐγκαίνια (Ezra 6:16) was the annual celebration of the reconsecration of the Temple by Judas Maccabaeus after its defilement by Antiochus Epiphanes (1Ma 1:20-60; 1Ma 4:36-57). ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις. The feast might be celebrated elsewhere, and the place may be specified because... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sayings of Jesus at the Feast of Dedication_.... [ Continue Reading ]
For the sake of shelter Jesus was walking with His disciples [περιεπάτει] in Solomon's Porch, a cloister on the east side of the Temple area (Joseph., _Antiq._, xx. 9, 7) apparently reared on some remaining portions of Solomon's building.... [ Continue Reading ]
Here the Jews ἐκύκλωσαν αὐτόν, “ringed Him round,” preventing His escape and with hostile purpose; _cf._ Plutarch's _Them._, xii. 3. Their attitude corresponded to the peremptory character of their demand: Ἕως πότε τὴν ψυχὴν ἡμῶν αἴρεις; Beza renders αἴρεις by “suspendis, _i.e._, anxiam et suspensam... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore He replies: “I told you and ye believe not. The works which I do in my Father's name, these witness concerning me.” These works tell you what I am. They are works done in my Father's name, that is, wholly as His representative. These show what kind of Christ He sends you and that I am He.... [ Continue Reading ]
“But you on your part do not believe” the reason being that you are not of the number of my sheep. Had you been of my sheep you must have believed; because my sheep have these two characteristics, (John 10:27) they hear my voice and they follow me: (John 10:28) and these characteristics meet a twofo... [ Continue Reading ]
These strong assertions He bases, as always, on the Father's will and power. ὁ πατήρ μου … ἐσμεν. “My Father who has given me these sheep is greater than all: and therefore no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. But this is equivalent to my saying no one can snatch them out of my hand, for... [ Continue Reading ]
Ἐβάστασαν οὖν … αὐτόν. In chap. John 8:59, ἦραν λίθους, so now once more, πάλιν, they lifted stones to stone Him.... [ Continue Reading ]
Jesus anticipating them says: Πολλὰ … με; “Many excellent works [‘praeclara opera,' Meyer] have I shown you from my Father; for what work among these do ye stone me?” Which of them deserves stoning? (Holtzmann). As it could only be a work differing in character from the καλὰ ἔργα which deserved ston... [ Continue Reading ]
The irony is as much in the situation as in the words. The answer is honest enough, blind as it is: Περὶ … Θεόν. “For a praiseworthy work we do not stone Thee, but for blasphemy, and because Thou being a man makest Thyself God.” For περί in this sense _cf._ Acts 26:7. The καὶ ὅτι does not introduce... [ Continue Reading ]
On this occasion He merely shows that even a man could without blasphemy call himself “Son of God”; because their own judges had been called “gods”. Οὐκ ἔστι γεγραμμένον ἐν τῶ νόμῳ ὑμῶν, “Is it not written in your law, I said ‘ye are Gods'?” In Psalms 82 the judges of Israel are rebuked for abusing... [ Continue Reading ]
εἰ οὐ ποιῶ … πιστεύσατε. “If I do not the works of my Father, do not believe me: but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works.” That is, if you do not credit my statements, accept the testimony of the deeds I do. And this, not to give me the glory but “that ye may know and... [ Continue Reading ]
Ἐζήτουν … αὐτῶν. His words so far convinced them that they dropped the stones, but they sought to arrest Him. The πάλιν refers to John 7:30; John 7:44. But He escaped out of their hand, and departed again beyond Jordan to the place where John at first was baptising, _i.e._, Bethany. _Cf._ John 1:28,... [ Continue Reading ]
There He was still busy; for πολλοὶ ἦλθον πρὸς αὐτόν, “many came to Him and said,” that is, giving this as their reason for coming, that “although John himself had done no miracle, all he had said of Jesus was found to be true”. The reference to John is evidently suggested by the locality, and proba... [ Continue Reading ]