Prayer: Abba Father – we return to Your Word today in awe at the power contained within. Open our eyes that we may see Jesus as He’s revealed in Scripture. He is The Light in a dark world and He offers to open our eyes and remove us from the realm of Spiritual darkness. Soften our hearts to humbly accept His offer. Let us see the truth that You reveal in these chapters. We ask You for this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
The Good Shepherd and His Sheep
10 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.
Points to ponder: In this section Jesus is talking to Pharisees. He has already told them who He is… His miracles, signs, and wonders testify to His deity. They cannot or will not understand Him. Now, in this chapter Jesus uses a very familiar symbol – a shepherd and his sheep – to further detail His identity. All the Jews knew that David was the shepherd boy – a man after God’s own heart and chosen to be the King of Israel. And that King David was given a promise by God that one of his own descendants would sit on an everlasting throne. [2 Samuel 7:16]
Jesus establishes Himself as a mediator here… there is a ‘gatekeeper’… there is a ‘shepherd’… and there are ‘sheep’. Think of mankind being kicked out of the Garden so they couldn’t eat from the Tree of Life after their disobedience in eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. (Genesis 3:24)
That gate is the barrier that God put in place to guard the Tree of Life. Anyone who thinks they can get back into the garden… into the presence of God… in any way other than the gate, Jesus calls criminal. He also claims that the gatekeeper opens the gate for Him – nice.
First, He calls His sheep out of somewhere. Then, when they are all gathered, He goes before them through the gate and His sheep follow Him because they know His voice.
Fun Fact – this is a real and amazing natural phenomenon… sheep do know and listen to the voice of their shepherd.
(Next time someone wants to use the word ‘sheeple’ as an insult towards you, enjoy the moment. At least you know who you are following.)
The Pharisees still don’t get it, so Jesus will develop this further.
7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
Points to ponder: Jesus compares Himself with the thieves and robbers that came before Him… the ones that the sheep did not listen to. He then compares Himself with a hired hand that cares nothing for the sheep. Jesus is the good shepherd while the hired hand cares nothing for the sheep – for when a threat appears to the flock, the hired hand abandons them while the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He’s still talking to the Pharisees here – those entrusted with the Word of God.
This is one of those passages that clearly warn us to have discernment regarding religious leaders. If their motivation is too self-focused, they come to steal, kill, and destroy. Ouch. Jesus’ sheep will not listen to them.
We are called to regularly meet with our fellow believers – followers of Jesus. But unless we are hearing from the Good Shepherd, we are in the wrong flock. Pray for you church leaders. Hold them accountable to the Word of God – it’s a life or death situation.
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
19 The Jews who heard these words were again divided. 20 Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?”
21 But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
Points to ponder: We read His Words and our minds start to complicate what He’s saying. It’s not really rocket science though… it’s just grating on our sense of ‘self’. He’s claiming deity and ultimate authority and our only response should be humble acceptance… still we sense inner rebellion stirring.
I love the reminder at the end… whatever you think of Jesus, remember, He opened the eyes of the blind? (Are we refusing to open our eyes and see who He clearly is?)
Further Conflict Over Jesus’ Claims
22 Then came the Festival of Dedication [Hanukkah] at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”
25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
Points to ponder: We really have no excuse. We either believe Jesus gives us eternal life or we don’t. If we believe that Jesus gives us eternal life, then nothing can take that away from us. If we believe that Jesus gives us eternal life, then we also believe that there is no other option for eternal life. That’s wildly offensive to many people in today’s culture.
31 Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”
33 “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”
Points to ponder: So… what ‘mere man’ opens the eyes of the blind?
34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”’ [Psalm 82:6]? 35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? 37 Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” 39 Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.
40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, 41 and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true.” 42 And in that place many believed in Jesus.
Points to ponder: Israel has a special, supernatural existence – lower-case gods. Entrusted with the very Word of God. While the Pharisees are very enamored with that status being applied to themselves; they are clearly offended with any claim by Jesus – a Jew, Himself – testifying for Himself, with miraculous signs. The chapter ends with many believing in Jesus in a place away from the Pharisees.
The Death of Lazarus
11 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”
4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”
Points to ponder: For anyone that still has to ask, ‘Why does a good God let bad things happen to good people?’, Jesus gives a hint here… it is for God’s glory… Remember Isaiah 55:8-9 and Romans 8:28… we do not know the future, God does. It’s His plan that is playing our in time. We read Scripture to get to know God so we trust Him.
Jesus loved Lazarus, Martha, and Mary.
8 “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?”
9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. 10 It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.”
11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.”
12 His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.
14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
16 Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
Points to ponder: Again, why did Jesus let Lazarus die? So God would be glorified and we would believe.
Jesus Comforts the Sisters of Lazarus
17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.
21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
Points to ponder: Martha knows her theology, it does not provide comfort in her grief.
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
Points to ponder: Again, Martha’s words sound like she’s reading them from a textbook. She knows the truth, she has not yet been transformed by the truth, as we see in the next section where she calls Jesus, ‘teacher’. She has dropped the title ‘Lord’.
28 After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.
32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
35 Jesus wept.
Points to ponder: Yes, Jesus wept. This world is broken and His heart breaks. (I am still stuck on the use of ‘Come and See’ by Mary here as she leads Jesus to the tomb. All the other ‘Come and See’ verses in the Gospel were welcoming people to Jesus. ☹ John 1:38,39, John 1:46, John 4:29)
36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”
37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”
Points to ponder: It is natural to want Jesus to ‘fix’ everything for us in this world. It is supernatural to understand that He won’t and to have peace with that understanding.
Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead
38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said.
“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”
40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
Points to ponder: The only King James version of scripture I know… he stinketh. 😊 And if opening the eyes of a man born blind wasn’t enough… Jesus raises Lazarus. Calls him out of the tomb, by name… calls for his friends to free him and help him back into life.
Let us not leave this section without reviewing Jesus’ amazing identity claim here: I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Another fun paradox to think about… even though we all die, those who believe in Jesus will live.
Remember how this started… Jesus loved Lazarus and his sisters. He still let Lazarus die; He still made the sisters experience such a great loss. And He still made Martha confront what she believed about Jesus. It is often during the times of difficulty in this life when we grow closer to understanding who Our Lord really is. He loves us enough to orchestrate what is necessary to draw us closer to Him.
The Plot to Kill Jesus
45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.
“What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”
Points to ponder: Whaaatttt??? Quite the understatement… performing many ‘signs’. Quite the arrogant overconfidence… if we let him go on… He just raised a dead man and they thought they were permitting Him!
49 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”
51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. 53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life.
54 Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.
55 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. 56 They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple courts they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the festival at all?” 57 But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him.
Points to ponder: Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, so naturally the religious leaders are threatened and decide they must kill Him. Clearly they don’t believe His claim to be The Resurrection.
Summary: In these chapters we begin to see a lot of hints about life and death. From chapter 10 we learn that Jesus, Our Good Shepherd, goes first to open the gate back to the presence of God – back to eternal life. He calls His own; they know His voice and follow Him. In chapter 11, we see that Jesus has the authority to do this – to take His own out of the grip of death and bring them back into His presence. 💖
And still… not all will believe.
🙏 Lord, thank You for Your Word. Each glimpse of your truth fills me with awe. I am so thankful to hear Your voice and to know that I am Yours. There are so many on my heart that I lift up to you – I love them, but not even close to how much You love them. Open their ears so they too can hear Your voice. I ask this in Your mighty name. Amen.