I Am The Door and True Shepherd

1
I Am The Door and True Shepherd

• Series Jesus claim to deity

2
Introduction

• Thus far in this series of lessons dealing with
  Christs claims to deity we have looked at the
  following
• He claimed I Am the Bread of Life the giver
  of life.
• He claimed I Am the Light of the world.

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Introduction

• In two separate but continuing encounters the
  apostle John records Jesus claim of deity yet
  again
• Jesus first taught two allegorical truths that
  left his listeners in a state of confusion.
• He then followed his figure of speech with claims
  to being both the door as well as the good (true)
  shepherd.
• Through the combination of His teaching and
  claims, Jesus redundantly claimed deity to the
  stumbling of many Jews.

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The Teaching

• Background
• Seemingly, two separate occasions 1) Feast of
  tabernacles. Jn. 72, 10, 37 Jn. 9, 935-41 (the
  blind man) Jn. 101-21 and 2) Feast of the
  Dedication. Jn. 1022ff
• Physical setting temple. 1) north wall would be
  Sheep Gate, 2) east wall would be Solomons porch.

5
The Teaching

• Jesus teaching John 101-6
• The false shepherd. V. 1, 5
• The good (true) shepherd. V. 2-4
• This figure of speech was not understood
• They understood the physical realm of this
  message.
• They did not understand what the significance of
  the message was until Jesus made a connections
  between the allegory and Himself. V. 7ff

6
The Claims

• I am the Door of the sheep. Jn. 107-10
• The sheep who belong to God will listen to none
  but the true shepherd.
• Jesus claimed to be the way (door) to the true
  shepherd.

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The Claims

• I am the True Shepherd. Jn. 1011-21
• Not only was Jesus the door unto the good/true
  shepherd, He was the Good Shepherd!
• That would lay down His life for His sheep.
• Who knows His sheep (again, cp. Vs. 7-10) and is
  known by them. Vs. 14-15
• He has other sheep (Gentiles) who will hear Him
  unto their salvation. V. 16
• As the Good/True Shepherd Jesus was intimately
  linked to the Father. Vs. 17-18

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The Claims

• SUMMARY Jesus is claiming to be both 1) the
  door, and 2) the good shepherd. At the same
  time!
• The peoples reactions. Jn. 1019-21
• He (Jesus) was insane. Why listen to Him?
• Paraphrase God must be with Him, not a demon,
  because a demon cannot open the eyes of the
  blind, can he?

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The Claims

• Jesus asserts His deity (two months later). Jn.
  1022-30
• People (naysayers) want a clear answer from
  Jesus. Jn. 1022-24
• Jesus said His works testified of Him, but they
  did not accept His works (signs). Jn. 1025
• Further, they would not accept His words, because
  they were not His sheep. Jn. 1026-28
• Jesus claims interdependency and equality with
  the Father. Jn. 1029-30

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The Claims

• SIDE NOTE Jesus ultimately applies the Jews use
  of gods (without blasphemy) to His use as the
  Son of God by which they accused Him of
  blasphemy. Jn. 1031-39
• Jesus used the 82nd Psalm which Jews regarded
  as part of inerrant Word of God which uses the
  word gods on behalf of men (who act as judges
  on Gods behalf).
• Further, these gods were mere men who were
  corrupt as shepherds over Israel.
• If the Jews could refer to these corrupt men as
  gods, how much more from Jesus who was
  without sin!

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Conclusion

• Jesus like the Father claimed to be the True
  shepherd that gives and sustains life.
• Are you willing to accept that He is God come
  in the likeness of men to give up His life
  that you may have it eternally?

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