But the one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.But one who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
6 sermons cite this verse
… I tell you the truth. The man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate but climbs up by some other way is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. You want to know how you're a member of the flock tonight? Because you listen to his voice. You understand that in terms of a nuclear family, don't you? Of all the voices that you might hear shouting in a street or on a college campus, there are only one or two voices that will arrest you. and there is only one voice that you might identify as your Father's voice. And the way that you hear that voice will be different from the way anyone else hears the voice. And in listening for it and in responding to it, we declare ourselves to belong. Well, then, says Pilate in verse 38, What is truth? I must confess I've heard a number of sermons on this phrase where people have told me they're going to preach on just three words, what is truth? And then they went in like the man who jumped on his horse and galloped off in all directions. And so I want to beware of it. The question that occurs to me and perhaps to you is simply this—when Pilate asks the question, is he a searcher or is he a cynic? …
… was the shepherd. Whoever else tried to plunder was a thief and a robber. Verse 2, but he who enters by the door is the shepherd. Verse 3, to him, to the shepherd, the doorkeeper opens and the sheep hear his voice. That is the voice of their shepherd. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. The fourth verse says, when he puts forth all his own, notice all of them, none of them are left, then he goes before them and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They simply will not follow a stranger. That voice they do not know. Now, this figure of speech in the word means allegory. This allegory Jesus used as he spoke to them and they didn't understand the meaning. It doesn't mean they didn't understand the picture. It means they didn't understand why he talked about it. It was an empty story, familiar scene that had an unfamiliar message. And so with great care, Jesus interpreted his own allegory, beginning at verse 7. …
So you probably know this. We know that this is for UMD, for CSS. This is the last week of classes. One more week of classes. And then I just think about this. Like think about the road that brought you here. Like the road that brought you to this moment, the road that brought you to this season, or even like, you know, we're in the fourth Sunday of Easter. Three weeks ago, some of many of you, 55 people in this community became Catholic. and the road that brought you to the Catholic Church, or if that was the past, like just to think about the fact that wherever you're right now, there was some road that led you to this moment. Whether you're in school, out of school, it doesn't matter. Whether you've always been Catholic or just it's kind of a new thing for you. There was this road that brought you here. And this is one of those things that always happens. Whenever we're like, okay, this is the road that brought me here, there's a new question that comes up. …
… most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, Jesus is the door, but climbs up some other way, the same as a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens. Some have referenced the doorkeeper as a reference to the Holy Spirit, be that as it may. To him the doorkeeper opens and the sheep hear his voice and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them and the sheep follow him for they know his voice. Listen everybody, this is critical, yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers. Verse 6, Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which he spoke to them. Jesus is announcing, I am the doorway, and I am the shepherd, and my sheep know my voice, and I know theirs, and they will follow me. And oh, by the way, a stranger, strange doctrine, they're not going to follow. …
… who climbs up some other way, he's a thief and a robber. When he enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. The stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from Him, because they do not know the voice of strangers. This figure of speech, Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them. So Jesus said to them again, "'Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who come before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. …
… by the door but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. Now Jesus begins this discourse by making contrasts. And the first contrast that He makes is between the one who enters the door of the sheepfold and those who climb over the fences and try to sneak in the sheepfold by some other way. For those who try to sneak in the sheepfold, Jesus identifies as thieves and robbers. Now remember, this comes right on the heels of this discussion about the man born blind. And some look at this text and say that Jesus is referring to the thieves and robbers as being false messiahs or to the devil. I don't think so. It's far more pointed than that. He's addressing those whom God had called to be the shepherds over His flock, to the clergy of His day. And Jesus is contrasting these ones who have cast out the man born blind, who was a sheep in the flock of God, and Jesus is calling them thieves and robbers. …