John 10:1
Summary for John 10:1-42: 10:1-42 a Chapter 10 b continues the series of festival sermons (see study note on 5:1–10:42). Here, the setting is Hanukkah (the Festival of Dedication), the timing of which is crucial to understanding the story (see study note on 10:22).Summary for John 10:1-21: 10:1-21 c This illustration of a shepherd and his sheep assumes a Middle Eastern understanding of shepherding and draws on Old Testament tradition deeply embedded in first-century Jewish culture. God was the shepherd of Israel (Gen 49:24 d; Pss 23 e; 78:52-53 f; Isa 40:10-11 g). Spiritual and political leaders of Israel were also shepherds of God’s people, the flock of God (Isa 56:9-12 h; Jer 23:1-4 i; Ezek 34 j). Jesus’ sermon builds on the occasion of Hanukkah (see John 10:22 k) to address the theme of shepherds, using this festival as an opportunity to reflect on Israel’s leaders (“shepherds”) in light of Ezek 34 l. Jesus presents himself as the good shepherd (John 10:11-14 m). 10:1 n A wilderness shepherd would build a sheepfold, a pen with low stone walls topped by thorny branches, to hold his sheep at night and protect them from danger.
• The pen had one gate (or opening in the wall) that was closed with branches. Any invasion of the pen was a threat to the flock.
• A bad shepherd was like a thief and a robber. He exploited the sheep for his own interests and did not care for or nurture them. Bad shepherds took the sheep’s milk and wool for themselves and butchered the sheep without providing for the animal’s safety (Ezek 34:3 o; see Isa 56:11 p; Jer 23:1-4 q). This was Jesus’ most stinging indictment of the Jewish leaders.
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