Today, I am reading and commenting on  John 10-11.

When Jesus talks about being the good shepherd here He actually combines two metaphors (or, perhaps John combines them).  First, He talks about how those who do not enter the sheep pen through the gate are robbers and thieves; that the shepherd of the sheep enters through the gate.   The shepherd calls his sheep by name and they follow him because they know his voice.  Jesus clarifies this by saying that He is the gate.  While Jesus was talking about Himself as the Shepherd who calls each of us by name, He also gives us about the people He sends to lead His Church.  If they do not enter through the Gate, which is Jesus, they are thieves and robbers who have come to kill and steal and destroy.  The leaders whom Jesus has sent to us have three characteristics: they come to us through Jesus and point us to go through Him, they know each of those whom Jesus has sent them to lead by name (more on this in a moment), we will hear Jesus’ voice in what they say.  That second point is more for those who believe that they have been called by Jesus to be leaders, although we should bear it in mind when we feel like we should follow someone: do they know our name, or are we just a member of the crowd to them.  And, if we feel called to lead some of God’s people, do we make the effort to learn their names.  If we don’t, we either aren’t called, or we are failing in our calling.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.