The Ministry Of Jesus. John’s Gospel
Jesus the Good Shepherd.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that does not enter into the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that enters in by the door is the Shepherd of the sheep. To Him, the porter opens and the sheep hear His voice: and He calls His own sheep by name, and leads them out. And when He puts forth His own sheep, He goes before them, and the sheep follow Him: for they know His voice and a stranger they will not follow but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. This parable Jesus spoke unto them: but they did not understand what things they were which Jesus spoke unto them.
Then Jesus said unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the Door of the sheep. All that ever came before Me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the Door: if any man enters in by Me, he shall be saved and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I have come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.
I am the Good Shepherd, the good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But he that is a hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and flees and the wolf catches them and scatters the sheep the hireling flees because he is a hireling, and does not care for the sheep. I am the Good Shepherd, and I know My sheep, and I am known of Mine. As the Father knows Me, even so, I know the Father: and I lay down My life for the sheep.
And other sheep I have, who are not of this fold: these also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice, and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. Therefore does My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again. No man takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have the power to lay it down, and I have the power to take it again. This commandment have I received of My Father.
There was a division, therefore again, among the Jews for these sayings. And many of them said, He has a devil, and is mad; why hear you Him? Others said These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind? John 10 vs 1-21.
The Unbelief of the Jews.
And it was the feast of the dedication at Jerusalem and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch. Then came the Jews round about Him, and said how long will You make us doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and you do not believe the works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, Who gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.
Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him, Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from My Father; for which of those works do you stone Me? The Jews answered Jesus, saying, For a good work we do not stone You, but we do, for blasphemy and because that You being just a man, You make Yourself God. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, You are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; Say you of Him, whom the Father has sanctified, and sent into the world, You blasphemes because I said, I am the Son of God?
If I do not the works of My Father, then do not believe Me, But if I do, though you do not believe me, believe the works: that you may know, and believe, that the Father is in Me, and I in Him. Therefore they sought again to take Jesus: but He escaped out of their hand, and went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there Jesus abode. And many came to Him and were saying, “John indeed did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.”And many in that place believed in Jesus. John 10 vs 22-42.