10

The door here is best understood as the legitimate way to enter the sheepfold. Anyone trying to lead, protect, or teach sheep apart from God’s ordained way and instead climbeth up some other way. Like an animal sneaking in, they don’t have good intentions.

The sheepfold represents the existing covenant community of God, Israel, whom Scripture repeatedly identifies as the LORD’s flock (Ps 95:7; 100:3; Mic 2:12). This is not the church, we are still in the Old Covenant here and Jesus is speaking to Jews. Jesus speaks to Jews about sheep already within a fold, ruled by corrupt shepherds, and presents Himself as the only legitimate.

A thief and a robber is a false or bad shepherd. We can see God condemn false leaders as bad shepherds throughout the Old Testament:

1. They robbed the sheep:

   “Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.” Ezekiel 34:2-4

2. Bad shepherds described as predators or partners with thieves

   “Whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: and they that sell them say, Blessed be the LORD; for I am rich: and their own shepherds pity them not.” Zechariah 11:4–5

   1. Some are also called foolish and idol shepherds (Zechariah 11:15–17)

3. Bad shepherds contrasted with God Himself

   “His watchmen are blind…Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand…” Isaiah 56:10–11

4. Exposed sheep to harm:

   “Because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd…” Ezekiel 34:8

A shepherd of the sheep must enter in via a legitimate manor. If a leader, even in the Old Testament, was a man of God they would be seeking God in faith looking towards Jesus the Messiah. They would be entering the door, not climbing up some other way. Jesus is explaining He is coming in the right manor not for himself, like a selfish shepherd in the past who would rob the sheep:

1. “I am come in my Father’s name…” John 5:43

2. “Neither came I of myself, but he sent me.” John 8:42

Jesus “enters by the door” = He comes by God’s authorization, not by self-appointment.

Although not directly referenced here, we can apply this to the New Covenant. A pastor (shepherd) that entereth in by the door is one that has received Jesus. He is the only one qualified to shepherd sheep. How do we know this is speaking of pastors? The Bible tells us:

1. The Greek word translated pastors is ποιμένες (poimenas), meaning shepherd:

   “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers.” Ephesians 4:11

2. Elders are explicitly commanded to shepherd

   “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed (shepherd) the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” Acts 20:17,28

3. Peter equates elders with shepherds under Christ

   “The elders which are among you I exhort…Feed (shepherd) the flock of God which is among you…And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory…” 1 Peter 5:1–4

In ancient times, the porter (gatekeeper) was usually a hired person or a family member tasked with guarding the entrance to the sheepfold. He knew the shepherds personally and would allow them to enter, giving him access to lead and care for the sheep.

Two groups of sheep: “The sheep” and “his own sheep”

Historical key point: Multiple shepherds and flocks

1. Sheepfolds were communal enclosures, often used by multiple families or shepherds.

2. Each shepherd would bring his own flock, but all sheep slept together inside the fold at night for protection.

3. At dawn, each shepherd called his own sheep to lead them out to pasture.

4. Sheep knew their own shepherd’s voice and would follow only him.

5. If a stranger or a shepherd of a different flock called them, they would not respond, sheep are very attentive to the specific voice they recognize.

Insight: When Jesus says he calleth his own sheep, He pictures a shepherd calling his particular flock out from among many other sheep that hear his voice in a shared fold. This sets up, and anticipates, the later spiritual distinction He makes in the chapter between those who truly belong to Him and those who do not (see especially John 10:26–27). The communal fold image supports the idea that there is a broader group (“the sheep” in general) and a narrower group (“His sheep” who recognize and follow His voice), but the sharp theological distinction is made explicit later in the passage.

The sheep here are said to hear the shepherd’s voice. Normally, sheep have a shepherd and will listen to his voice when called. Jesus is using this earthly picture to make a spiritual point for the Jews to whom He is speaking.

Spiritually speaking, they:

1. Did not have a faithful Shepherd, instead leaders that failed them (Mark 6:34)

2. Were considered lost sheep (Matthew 15:24)

Jesus is emphasizing the same truth as in John 6:45: those in Israel who do not harden themselves against God’s words, but instead hear and learn from the Father, will be among His sheep and will recognize the Son’s voice. Other passages underline this pattern of refusing or receiving God’s word: Zechariah 7:11–12; Nehemiah 9:29; Deuteronomy 18:18–19.

Jesus continues using the earthly example of sheep and a shepherd. Just as a shepherd protects his sheep, the sheep of the shepherd, his own sheep, respond in specific ways: they follow him and recognize his voice.

A second time, Jesus emphasizes hearing. First, the sheep hear, and then they follow, the same pattern seen throughout Scripture in the explanation of the gospel (John 6:45). These sheep recognize and respond to the Shepherd’s voice.

Spiritual parallel:

Many among the Jews refused to hear God’s voice, as Scripture often records their stubborn refusal to listen:

1. Jeremiah 6:10; 7:13; 11:10; 17:23; 25:4; 44:5

2. Zechariah 7:11–12

3. Nehemiah 9:29

Just as sheep do not follow the voice of a stranger, so those who are spiritually receptive respond to God’s voice and turn away from false teachers and prophets.

In ancient times, to prevent thieves, predators, or wild animals from entering, a shepherd would sometimes lie down across the entrance of the fold. Essentially, the shepherd became the living door, physically blocking access while still being able to call and care for the sheep.

The Bible repeatedly uses the sheep image for people in their lost condition as well as for those who are saved. Before salvation, Jews and Gentiles alike are described as sheep who have gone astray (Isaiah 53:6; 1 Peter 2:25), like sheep without a shepherd (Mark 6:34), as lost sheep in need of restoration (Matthew 15:24), and as not being of His sheep while in unbelief (John 10:26). Jesus even addressed the Twelve, including Judas, as "sheep" (Matthew 10:16). This shows that being called a “sheep” in Scripture is not restricted only to those already in Christ:

1. Spoken to every single Jew “all we” and “every one”, not just elect ones

   1. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:6

2. Peter’s predominantly Gentile audience

   1. “For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.” 1 Peter 2:25

3. Unbelievers can still be described under the sheep metaphor, not only those already saved

   1. Sheep just not in the "my sheep" group (but they could be if they believed). Jesus links their unbelief with not being “of my sheep”.

      “But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.” John 10:26

   2. Israel is called lost sheep

      “... I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Matthew 15:24

   3. Large crowds of non‑believers are likened to sheep, not just a select few:

      “And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd...” Mark 6:34

These passages show that people in unbelief can still be described under the sheep metaphor. In John 10, Jesus distinguishes “my sheep”—those who hear His voice and follow—from others who do not believe (John 10:26–27). Some try to read a “goat” category into this chapter from Matthew 25 (which describes the dividing of nations at judgment), as if unbelievers here are goats with no relation to the sheep image at all, but John’s language only contrasts those who are “of my sheep” and those who are not. Context determines how words are used; for example, “saved” does not always mean eternal salvation of the soul in every verse of the Bible.

The sheep here, are those among God’s people who truly sought Him by faith in the Old Testament and did not ultimately follow the false prophets, the thieves and robbers.

God told His people not to listen to these “false shepherds”:

1. “Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain…But if they had stood in my counsel… they should have turned them from their evil way.” Jeremiah 23:16–18

Isaiah, a true sheep, listened to the Lord rejecting the prevailing leadership voice:

1. “The LORD spake thus to me with a strong hand…Say ye not, A confederacy…Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself…” Isaiah 8:11–13

The prophet Micaiah son of Imlah, another sheep, refuses to align with 400 false ones.

1. “As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak.” 1 Kings 22:13–14

Notice the label “the sheep” here. This phrase, in this verse, is not yet specifying whether they are the “my sheep” of verses 26–27 or emphasizing their lost/astray condition; the focus is simply that the genuine sheep did not heed the voice of false prophets (shepherds). From the context, we can understand “the sheep” as those who had ears to hear the truth and therefore did not ultimately follow thieves and robbers (false prophets), even when many in Israel did.

Jesus puts no prohibition on who can enter; He says that any man who enters through Him shall be saved and will find pasture. This fits the wider New Testament witness that God desires all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:3–4, 2 Peter 3:9).

This verse restates and expands verse 7 (“I am the door of the sheep”), making clear that Jesus Himself is the only way into God’s salvation. Whoever comes to God must come through Him, and those who do “go in and out, and find pasture,” picturing security and spiritual nourishment.

The “thief” here represents the false shepherds and teachers who, instead of caring for God’s people, exploit and harm them, stealing, killing, and destroying. In contrast, Jesus comes as the true Shepherd to give life, and that life “more abundantly,” not merely rescuing from danger but providing salvation and rich, full spiritual life.

Jesus died for all, “the sheep” vs “my/his sheep”

It is important to note John does not record Jesus saying the shepherd giveth his life “for his sheep” (as in verse 14) here but instead it reads “the sheep”. The sheep metaphor is not limited to covenant Israel, as Peter makes clear by applying it to his largely Gentile audience, but is a term Scripture can use for people of any ethnicity:

1. 1 Peter 2:25 “For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.”

And as noted earlier, before salvation, Jews and Gentiles alike are described as sheep who have gone astray (Isaiah 53:6; 1 Peter 2:25), like sheep without a shepherd (Mark 6:34), as lost sheep in need of restoration (Matthew 15:24), and as not being of His sheep while in unbelief (John 10:26). Jesus even addressed the Twelve, including Judas, as "sheep" (Matthew 10:16). Taken together with John’s later statement, this shows that Jesus’ death is for all, not only for the narrower group He calls “my sheep” (v. 14), but for all “the sheep”, for the sins of the whole world:

1. 1 John 2:2 “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

Key observation: Jesus speaks twice of giving His life “for the sheep” (vv. 11, 15), and yet right in between He uses the phrase “my sheep” (v. 14) in reference to those who know Him and are known by Him. This clearly shows that His death is offered for all the sheep broadly, while “my sheep” are those who actually respond in faith, believe and are saved (v. 26).

The good shepherd

Jesus, unlike the bad leaders Israel had in the past, is a good shepherd. He was sent specifically to this fold of sheep, the lost sheep of the house of Israel, who needed a true shepherd.

He presents Himself as the One sent by God, not self‑appointed like the historical bad leaders of Israel who robbed them. He is giving proof (John 10:25; 14:11) that He is sent by the Father and only speaks what He is told (John 5:43; 8:42), and in great love and kindness explains that they can trust Him. He is so selfless of a shepherd that He will even die for them:

1. “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Matthew 15:24

2. “And I will set up one shepherd over them…” Ezekiel 34:23

Jesus’ dual roles

How can Jesus both “enter by the door” and “be the door”? God prophesied that He would set up one shepherd over His people,

1. “And I will set up one shepherd over them…” Ezekiel 34:23

and Jesus, as that shepherd, comes in full agreement with the Father’s will, He “enters by the door.” At the same time, He Himself is the One that people must enter through,

1. “This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter.” Psalm 118:20

the One through whom people must enter to be saved.

When someone believes upon Jesus, He then knows them and they know Him. Only then, not before, are you in the “my sheep” group He references here. The Bible equates salvation with being "known" by God: before salvation, a person remains in "the sheep" group (v. 11), but faith brings you into "my sheep":

1. Galatians 4:8-9 “Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God...”

2. 1 Corinthians 8:3 “But if any man love God, the same is known of him.”

3. Mattew 7:21-23 “Not every...shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord...And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

   1. To clarify John 6:40 states the will, so if you do His will (believe), He will know you “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life...”

"The sheep" returns, Jesus died for all

Notice the pattern: v. 11 says He lays down His life "for the sheep," v. 14 defines "my sheep" as those with mutual knowledge (those saved), and now v. 15 returns to "the sheep" again. This confirms Jesus speaks of dying for the sheep broadly (not a pre-selected "my sheep" subset), while "my sheep" (v. 14, 26-27) are those who enter that saving relationship through faith. You're either in "the sheep" group (for whom He died) or "my sheep" (those who know and follow Him).

“Other sheep" are future believers of all nations

John 17 clarifies these "other sheep": they are those who will believe through the apostles' word, becoming part of His flock. These are Gentiles (and others Jesus hadn’t reach yet in His earthly ministry) not yet believers, therefore not yet in His fold, many hadn't heard the gospel, and some weren't even born yet:

1. Future sheep

   John 17:20 “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;”

2. Some of those same sheep, post-believing

   1 Peter 2:25 “For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.”

“Other sheep I have” reflects foreknowledge, not pre-selection

When Jesus says, “other sheep I have,” this should be understood in light of His divine foreknowledge. He knows the end from the beginning. He did not elect, select, or irresistibly choose these sheep beforehand; rather, He knows which Jews and Gentiles will later believe through His own and the apostles’ evangelistic work. Scripture makes it clear Jesus knows who will believe on Him:

1. John 6:64 “Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray Him.” See also John 13:11.

2. John 2:24–25 “Jesus knew all men… He knew what was in man.”

Thus, Jesus speaks of future believers prophetically, calling them sheep who will belong to His fold based on foreknowledge of their response.

Jesus says the future sheep “shall hear my voice”

The entirety of the Bible emphasizes hearing in order to be saved (John 6:45, Romans 10:14). Their becoming sheep in the future occurs after and upon hearing, and Scripture shows that all people are given the opportunity to hear but may choose to refuse:

1. Romans 10:17–18 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.”

2. Deuteronomy 18:18–19 “I will raise them up a Prophet...he shall speak unto them..And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.”

Jesus tells us that “the works that I do...bear witness of me.” These works were supposed to get a person to believe He is the Messiah sent from God as Scripture tells us and shows some do believe:

1. The works should lead to believe

   1. John 14:11 “Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.”

   2. John 5:36 “...the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.”

   3. The Old Testament repeatedly said the works would declare the Messiah: Isaiah 35:5-6; 61:1 and Luke 4:21

2. Some explicitly believed because of the works

   1. John 2:23 “Many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.”

   2. John 7:32 “Many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?”

   3. John 11:45 “Then many of the Jews which came to Mary… believed on him”

The works of Jesus proved who He was and the blame is placed on the individuals here, they “believed not”.

Unbelief and "not of my sheep" go together

This verse shows unbelief and not belonging to "my sheep" are linked. The passage doesn't call them "goats", it simply states they are not, at this time, among those Jesus calls "my sheep." As Jesus stated earlier, if they had believed Moses, they would have believed Him and therefore would have been of His sheep:

1. John 5:46–47 “For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?”

It is simple, since they never followed the Father in the Old Testament through Moses, they reject His Son in the New Testament. The Father and Jesus are one. If a person followed the Father and believed Him, they would follow and believe His Son.

These Jews were still "sheep" generally, but didn't believe

The non-believing Jews here remain sheep in the general, covenantal sense (Isaiah 53:6; Matthew 15:24; Mark 6:34). However, had they believed, they would have been among those referred to as “My sheep” in the salvific sense. The Jews’ refusal to believe was prophesied in Isaiah 6:9–10, as Matthew 13:14–15 explains:

“...By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed...lest at any time they should...be converted, and I should heal them.”

God judicially hides the truth through parables, so that they cannot “hear” and believe, in order to bring about His redemptive plan. However, after Jesus’ death and resurrection, God sends Peter in Acts 2 to give the Jews, that killed their Messiah, an opportunity to believe.

But some did believe

At the same time, some outside of the disciples did believe, showing belief was always possible for those with the right heart (Luke 8:15), a personal responsibility (Hosea 10:12, Jeremiah 4:3, Hebrews 3:8):

1. “Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.” John 4:42

2. “Many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?” John 7:31

How to become one of "my sheep"? Hearing and entering the door

It ultimately comes down to hearing, a theme repeated throughout the entire Bible. Scripture tells us that, as in the case of Pharaoh, human hardening precedes judicial hardening (Exodus 9:12, after his own hardening Exodus 8:15), the Jews hardened themselves first (Isaiah 6—“this people’s heart is waxed gross, their ears are dull of hearing,” etc.). Jesus then makes it clear earlier in this chapter that if one can hear, then:

1. “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture” John 10:9

   1. Any man, Jew or Gentile, can become of His sheep and find pasture

   2. One becomes His sheep by believing, that is, by entering through Him (John 14:6)

This also explains Jesus’ statement about “other sheep” in John 10:16, paralleling those who will believe through the disciples’ preaching (John 17:20). They are already called sheep (not yet saved), yet they must still hear and then believe, after which they become part of one flock (all the other believers) under one Shepherd, Jesus.

Foundational: Jesus' "my sheep" defined by response, not hidden decree

1. Jesus defines His sheep by their response: hearing (hear my voice) and following (they follow me):

   Jesus does not define His sheep by a hidden decree, but by a recognizable response. In both cases, sheep are identified by hearing the Shepherd’s voice, not by an abstract status prior to response.

   1. “Those who hear my voice, know me, and follow me” John 10:27

   2. “...other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice” John 10:16

2. Jesus speaks with the same voice as the Father

   John 14:10; 12:49–50; 7:16; 8:26; 17:8 all show that the Father raised up Jesus and put His words in Jesus’ mouth, fulfilling:

   Deuteronomy 18:18–19 “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren...will put my words in his mouth...whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.”

   To hear Jesus, therefore, is to hear the Father.

3. Therefore, those who heard the Father recognize and come to the Son

   Jesus explicitly explains this is how people come to Him:

   ”Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.” John 6:45

Thus, those who listened to the Father’s voice sent through Moses and the Prophets were prepared to recognize and respond to Jesus, since He speaks with that same divine voice. Those who had “ears to hear” identified Jesus as the promised Prophet (John 6:14;7:40). Accordingly, Jesus’ sheep are those who hear the Father’s instruction and therefore recognize the Son when He speaks.

Faith brings you into "my sheep" (ties to v. 26)

In verse 26 we see that in order to be one of Jesus’ sheep, in the “my sheep” group you must believe. When you believe Jesus is the Son of God, you are one of His sheep.

A sheep of Jesus will follow Him

Jesus only gives us one type of person that follows Him, a believer. Defined as one who hears (John 6:45) and is known (Galatians 4:8-9) by Jesus. We can also keep in mind the Corinthian church, who for a time appeared to be worse than the world (1 Corinthians 5:1) and did not appear to follow Jesus yet Paul assumes they are brethren (1 Corinthians 1:2). God is long suffering, and if you are His child, He eventually will chastise you if you don’t repent and bring you into line with His will to follow Him (Hebrews 12:6).

Not every outward follower is considered one of "my sheep"

Judas “followed” Jesus outwardly but was not part of the “my sheep” group; like the Pharisees in verse 26, he lacked true belief (John 6:64). Jesus called him a devil from the start (John 6:70), even before sending him out with the others in ministry (Matthew 10).

Three unbreakable promises to "my sheep"

Jesus gives "my sheep" (v. 27) three ironclad guarantees in one continuous statement:

1. “I give unto them eternal life”

2. “shall never perish”

3. “neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand”

These form one unbreakable chain, eternal life includes never perishing and being unplucked from His hand. You cannot possess eternal life yet later perish, since "never perish" is inherent to the gift.

1. Eternal life is eternal, by definition “endless, perpetual, continual, etc”. If it could be lost, it was never truly eternal life.

2. ”neither shall any man” includes yourself, no one, not even you, can pluck yourself from His hand.

Same guarantee in John's other epistles, believers are secure forever

1. 2 John 1:2 “for the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.”

2. 1 John 2:17 “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

   1. God’s will is that people believe: John 6:40 “And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

The Father already had sheep

First, when Jesus says, “My Father gave them me”, we must read it within the shepherd–sheep and fold picture that runs through the entire discourse here in John 10. In the Old Testament, God (YHWH) is repeatedly identified as the Shepherd, and Israel is His flock (Psalm 78:52; 80:1; 95:7, Isaiah 40:11).

Second, Scripture consistently holds together both physical (covenantal) and spiritual realities. Not all Jews are true Jews (Romans 2:28–29); not all Israel is truly Israel (Romans 9:6), and likewise not all sheep are sheep in the same sense. Within the flock of Israel, Scripture distinguishes between those who merely belong covenantally (sheep or lost sheep of Israel) and those who truly belong by faith (my sheep and other sheep). Peter, speaking to Gentiles, also uses the same language describing them as lost (astray) sheep showing us that all men are considered sheep in need of the true Shepherd:

1. 1 Peter 2:25 “For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.”

To become Jesus’ sheep means a person is: 1. hearing and then 2. learning from the Father (John 6:45), rather than mere covenantal association. As Jesus says, “He who is of God hears God’s words” (John 8:47). Yet most within the covenant community of Israel refused to hear (Zechariah 7:11–12) and therefore did not believe. So Scripture speaks of sheep within Israel (and beyond) in two distinct categories:

1. Lost Sheep - Refuse to hear

   Belong to the flock covenantally, yet spiritually lost through unbelief

   1. Called “lost sheep” (Matthew 10:5–6; 15:24)

   2. Described as “sheep not having a shepherd” (Mark 6:34, 1 Peter 2:25)

   3. Said to have “gone astray” (Isaiah 53:6, 1 Peter 2:25)

   4. Don’t hear (Zechariah 7:11–12, John 8:47)

2. Faithful Sheep - Hear and believe

   Sheep (faithful Israelites and Gentiles, see Romans 4:11–12; Hebrews 11:31) who heard and learned of the Father, not mere covenantal identity

   1. In a true flock (Acts 20:28–29)

   2. Say, “Lord is my shepherd” (Psalm 23:1)

   3. Marked by faith (Romans 9:6–8; John 1:11–13, Romans 2:28–29)

   4. Defined by hearing and learning (John 6:45; 8:47)

In summary, faithful believers (Israel and beyond) already belonged to the Father by faith. He then gave them to Jesus, the Messiah Shepherd. They weren’t "lost sheep," without a Shepherd but true believers ready for the Son. Hebrews 11 confirms that figures such as Abraham, Joseph, Moses, and even the Gentile Rahab belonged to God by faith, not by covenantal association.

This giving included the 12 disciples (John 17:6,9,11,12) but seems to be broader as belief is how you are considered a sheep of Jesus (v. 26) and many others believed too (7:40–43; 9:35–38; 11:45–46).

Father Drew All Israel ("Lost Sheep"), But Only Listeners Became "His Sheep"

The Father drew all of Israel (His "lost sheep"), but only faith-responders became His true spiritual sheep. Refusers stayed covenant sheep, included outwardly but lost spiritually.

1. The Father genuinely drew and spoke to His people:

   Hosea 11:4, Jeremiah 31:3, Hebrews 1:1, John 5:37-38

2. Many refused to hear and resisted His drawing:

   Hosea 11:5, Zechariah 7:11-12, Nehemiah 9:29, John 5:38

3. Refusers are called sheep but “lost” and “without a shepherd”

   Matthew 15:24, Mark 6:34

4. Therefore, not all Israel were the Father’s sheep in the saving sense

   Romans 9:6, Hebrews 3:19, Romans 10:3

The Father entrusts His flock to the Son by transferring authority

John consistently presents Jesus’ ministry as the result of a divine entrustment from the Father to the Son. Authority, judgment, mission, and people are all placed into the Son’s hands. The Father’s “giving” of the sheep is not the creation of faith but the transfer of shepherding authority to the Messianic Shepherd over the faithful flock. Jesus is revealing Himself to Israel as the Good Shepherd (John 10:11), the one to whom the Father now entrusts His flock:

1. All things are given into the Son’s hands

   Matthew 11:27 – “All things are delivered unto me of my Father”

   John 3:35 – “The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.”

   John 13:3 – “The Father had given all things into his hands”

2. Authority is given

   John 5:27 – ”And hath given him authority to execute judgment”

   Matthew 28:18 – “All authority is given unto me”

3. Judgment is committed to the Son

   John 5:27 – ”And hath given him authority to execute judgment”

   John 5:22 – “The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son”

4. The twelve disciples were given

   John 17:6 “the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me;”

5. The sheep, broadly, are given to the Son

   John 10:27-29 – ”My sheep hear my voice...My Father, which gave them me”

6. Future: The role of drawing will soon be exercised by the Son

   John 12:32 – “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all unto me.”

This cannot be solely the disciples that were given.

Jesus calls this group His sheep and states that others will come: “And other sheep I have” (v. 16), who will join these sheep He already has to become one fold. Others also believed He was the Messiah, such as Martha of Bethany (John 11:21–27), the man born blind (John 9:35–38), and many Jews who believed after seeing Lazarus restored to life (John 11:45–46). Therefore, these also were His sheep. It would not make sense to say the ones the Father gave—the sheep of Jesus here—were only the disciples, since many others believed along with them and would thus be included.

Sheep are eternally secure in Jesus

In John 10:28–29, Jesus emphasizes the absolute security of His sheep by repeating the same truth from two perspectives.

His own hand

John 10:28 ”...neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”

and He then reinforces this by grounding their security in the Father:

John 10:29 “...no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.”

The phrase “greater than all” is comprehensive, and the phrase “no man” is intentionally universal. Together, they exclude every possible agent capable of removing a believer from God’s hand. The security Jesus describes is not probabilistic but absolute.

Some object by suggesting that a person may remove himself. However, such a reading introduces a category explicitly excluded by Jesus’ language. If no man can remove the sheep, and the Father is greater than all, then this necessarily includes the sheep themselves. Otherwise, the implication would be that the believer possesses a power greater than God, something the text does not allow.

Thus, Jesus’ statement leaves no room for exceptions. No person, no authority, no external force, and no self-action, can overturn what God secures. In context, this is not presented as a possibility but as a guaranteed outcome: “they shall never perish.”

Jesus is quoting from Psalm 82:6-7:

“I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.”

At the beginning of Psalm 82, the context makes clear who these gods are:

Psalm 82:1-2 “God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods. How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.

In context, the gods are rulers or authorities who have been given responsibility to judge and govern, yet are condemned by God for unjust judgment.

Who else are called gods in scripture?

1. New Testament:

   1. Satan: “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not...” 2 Corinthians 4:4

   2. Rulers: “...we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)” 1 Corinthians 8:5

2. Old Testament (The underlined term in each passage is the Hebrew ʾelohim, the same word used in Psalm 82):

   1. Judges: “…then his master shall bring him unto the judges…” Exodus 21:6; 22:8–9

   2. Rulers: “Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.” Exodus 22:28

   3. Angels: “For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels” Psalm 8:5

When Jesus calls them gods, He is not attributing divine nature or deity to them. Rather, He is referring to their appointed position as representatives who judge and rule on God’s behalf.

Jesus challenges their accusation by asking why claiming to be the Son of God is considered blasphemy by appealing to two facts:

1. Scripture applies the term “gods” to certain men; and second

   1. that He is the one whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world.

If the lesser claim is permitted by Scripture, the greater claim should not be considered blasphemous.