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Jul 25, 20215 min read

Post 35 - An Illustration: Election in the Gospel of John-Part 7


Recap: For the past several posts, we have been reviewing some of the much-debated texts on the doctrine of election in the Gospel of John. I have been proposing that the primary purpose of Jesus' earthly ministry as revealed in the four gospels was the training up and preparation of the apostles for ministry - those Jewish men who were supernaturally taught, drawn and given to him by the Father. They would become the foundation for the Church (Eph 2:19-20), God's chosen mechanism for the salvation of the world. In the gospels we see clearly the first phase of God's unfolding blueprint for the Church.



Today we're going to look at an illustration by Jesus in the tenth chapter of John's gospel account that, in my opinion, provides a synopsis of the purpose and effect of Jesus' earthly ministry and provides a clear picture of the strategic plan enacted by God to save the world through his Son.



John 10:1-3, 7

I believe that John 10 is one of the most complex and least-understood chapters in the gospels. Although John 10 is often described as "The Good Shepherd Discourse", Jesus actually uses two different allegories to explain how God plans to establish the foundation and framework for the Church. Jesus doesn't become "the Good Shepherd" until after he is "the gate".


In the first ten verses, I believe Jesus provides an illustration which clearly details the very process we have been reviewing in John 6 and John 17 (Posts 31-34) - the teaching, drawing, and giving of the apostles to Jesus for the purpose of sending them into the world to make disciples of all nations.



Context

It is about four months before the crucifixion of Jesus. The tenth chapter of John begins with a scathing rebuke of the Pharisees who have appointed themselves to be the shepherds of God's people. Jesus begins,

"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. (John 10:1 NIV)


Shockingly, Jesus explains that those who have been claiming leadership over God's people for the past 200 years - the Pharisees - are not God's authorized shepherds, but are "thieves and robbers." Jesus goes on to explain,


The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. (John 10:2 NIV)


This is a critical verse and one that is often misunderstood. Note that in this illustration, it is the shepherd who enters through the gate - not the sheep, not Israel, not Gentiles, and not us (at least, not yet). In the beginning, only a true shepherd is given access through the gate.


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. (John 10:3 NIV)


In many of Jesus' metaphors, a defined space (i.e., sheepfold, field, lake, market, etc.) typically represents the whole world (see Mat 13:38). Only the true shepherds are provided access to the world through the gate. And note that it is the "gatekeeper" who controls such access to, and through, the gate.


The Pharisees were confused by Jesus' allegory (v. 6), so he explains,


... Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. (John 10:7 NIV)


With this statement, the illustration becomes clear - the Gatekeeper (the Father) is sending the true shepherds (the apostles) through the gate (Jesus) into the sheepfold (the world). This illustration can be seen as an allegorical re-interpretation of Jesus' statements in the sixth chapter of John's gospel:


All that the Father gives me will come to me... (John 6:37 ESV)

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him... (John 6:44 ESV)

... no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father. (John 6:65 ESV)


As we have seen in the past several posts, the Father has been meticulously controlling access to Jesus, and it is Jesus who will send those given to him by the Father into the world.


Note also that these shepherds are sent into the world through the gate, but their spiritual status is "other-worldly". They are sent into the world from outside the world. Despite popular bumper-sticker theology, the apostles are the only ones revealed to have an origin akin to that of Jesus himself. Jesus tells us,


They (the apostles) are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. (John 17:16 ESV)


The True Shepherds

With this symbolic narrative in the initial verses of Chapter 10, Jesus is explaining that his earthly ministry was really a training program for spiritual shepherds. He has spent nearly three years preparing his apostles to become the leaders of the sheep - the future "Israel of God" (Gal 6:16). Jesus was using this "gate" metaphor to let the Pharisees know that he will be sending the true shepherds (the apostles) into the world to call out their sheep (the early church), and only those given to Jesus by the Father (the gatekeeper) would be given authorized access to the sheepfold.


Below is a rough sketch depicting Jesus' illustration in John 10:1-10. Note that I believe that Jesus was describing a unique pre-cross work of grace, establishing the apostles as the true shepherds and the foundation for the Church.





The Gospel

Finally, we see that some of the sheep will respond to the voice of the shepherds (John 10:3) - some will not. Jesus refers to those who respond as "those who will believe in me through their (the apostles' ) message" (John 17:20). Those who respond to the call of the true shepherds are led out of the sheepfold (the world) through the gate (Jesus) to the Father (John 10:3, John 14:6). Jesus goes on to explain that the ultimate result will be that all are united as one flock under one shepherd - the Good Shepherd (John 10:11-16).


I've illustrated this process below. This is the gospel - the good news - the result of the saving grace provided by the merciful work of Jesus on the cross.




Final Thought

In a wonderful act of grace, after the cross, “the gate” swings the other way. It is no longer a restricting barrier giving access only to the true shepherds but is now an open door of grace, allowing all who believe to leave the world and join the heavenly kingdom.


In the past couple of months, we've spent a bit of time to understand a few of the much-debated verses in John 1, John 6, John 10, and John 17. Although much more could (and should) be said regarding these glorious passages of Scripture, I know that much of what was presented runs contrary to traditional teaching. It is my hope that you were challenged to view these passages from a new, biblical perspective, and as always, I encourage you test everything; hold fast what is good. (1 Thessalonians 5:21 ESV).



To learn more, please consider picking up my book - God's Elect: The Chosen Generation

(also available on Kindle)



(Also available at Barnes & Noble & Christianbook.com)



Next Post: Next week I'll post a special message, a statement of purpose for my book and for this blog. Here's a link: https://www.bibleinsights.net/post/post-36-hope-freedom-truth




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