Jesus: The Gate for the Sheep

Hello everyone.

I will continue with my examination of Jesus' "I Am" statements with some thoughts about his statement, "I am the gate for the sheep."  This statement come from a conversation that Jesus is having with the Pharisees and also contains the next "I Am" statement, "I am the good shepherd."  It seems that Jesus always has very interesting conversations with the Pharisees and they usually end with Jesus getting the better of them.  This conversation is interesting on a number of levels.  One reason that I find it interesting is that Jesus is talking about being a good shepherd to the men who were supposed to be spiritually shepherding Israel, and yet when he talked to them about spiritual things they did not understand what he was talking about.

Look at at John 10:1-6 and you will see Jesus talking about entering the sheep pen through the gate and that those who enter through some other way are thieves and robbers.  He talks about how the sheep recognize the voice of the shepherd and will follow it, but will not follow the voice of a stranger.  Verse 6 says, "Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them."  So, since they were unable to understand what Jesus was telling them, he spoke more plainly.  Verse 7-10 says, "Therefore Jesus said again, "Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them.  I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.  They will come in and go out, and find pasture.  thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

There are many things we could learn from what Jesus is saying here.  For example, if Jesus is calling the supposed spiritual leaders of Israel, "thieves and robbers," we could look at the Pharisees as examples of what not to be like.  However, today's focus is on Jesus and how he is like the gate for the sheep.  So let's ask ourselves, "What is a gate?" Well, a gate is an entrance, a way in.  In this case, it is a way into the sheep pen.  This is good.  I want to be in Jesus' sheep rather than out.  But even better than that I notice that when you are in Jesus' sheep pen, he offers life, and that life is to the full.  I don't about you, but I find the offer of a full life appealing.

Now to be honest, I don't have a lot of experience in dealing with sheep and so I need help understanding what a full life for a sheep would be.  So I turn to Psalm 23 where David is the sheep and the Lord is his shepherd.  So this perhaps what offers to the sheep in his sheep pen:
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures. (Comfort)
he leads beside quiet waters, (Peace)
he refreshes my soul (More peace)
He guides me along right paths for his name sake. (Guidance, direction)
Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me. (Protection)
Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (Discipline)
You prepare table before me (My needs are met)
in the presence of my enemies (More protection)
You anoint my head with oil. (Cool things that a sheep has no right to expect.)
My cup overflows (More of everything)
Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life (Goodness and love, lasting relationships)
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Promise of eternal life)

That's a pretty good offer for a sheep.  A wise sheep would enter through Jesus the gate into that sheep pen and never leave it. 

Tom