John 10:9
I am the gate. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved. He will come in and go out and find pasture.
I am the gate
In this phrase, Jesus identifies Himself as "the gate," which in Greek is "ἡ θύρα" (hē thyra). This metaphor is rich with meaning, drawing from the pastoral imagery familiar to His audience. In ancient times, sheepfolds often had a single entrance, and the shepherd would sometimes lie across the opening to protect the sheep, literally becoming the gate. This highlights Jesus' role as the sole means of access to spiritual safety and community with God. The exclusivity of this claim is significant, emphasizing that salvation and entry into the Kingdom of God are only possible through Him.

If anyone enters through Me
The phrase "enters through Me" underscores the necessity of coming to God through Jesus. The Greek word for "enters" is "εἰσέρχομαι" (eiserchomai), which implies an action of moving into a new state or condition. This suggests a transformative process, where entering through Jesus is not merely a physical act but a spiritual transition into a new life. Historically, this reflects the early Christian understanding that faith in Christ was the defining characteristic of the believer's life, setting them apart from both Jewish and pagan practices.

he will be saved
The promise "he will be saved" is central to the Christian message. The Greek word for "saved" is "σωθήσεται" (sōthēsetai), which conveys deliverance, preservation, and safety. This salvation is comprehensive, encompassing deliverance from sin, protection from spiritual harm, and the assurance of eternal life. In the historical context of the early church, this assurance was a source of hope and strength amidst persecution and trials, affirming the believer's secure position in Christ.

He will come in and go out
This phrase, "He will come in and go out," reflects the freedom and security found in Christ. The imagery here is of a shepherd leading sheep to pasture, suggesting provision and care. The Greek verbs "εἰσελεύσεται" (eiseleusetai) and "ἐξελεύσεται" (exeleusetai) imply movement and liberty, indicating that those who belong to Christ have the freedom to live abundantly under His protection. Historically, this would resonate with the Jewish understanding of peace and safety within the covenant community, now extended to all who believe in Jesus.

and find pasture
The promise of finding "pasture" speaks to the provision and sustenance that Jesus offers. The Greek word "νομήν" (nomēn) refers to grazing or feeding, symbolizing spiritual nourishment and fulfillment. This imagery is deeply rooted in the Old Testament, where God is depicted as the Shepherd of Israel, providing for His people (e.g., Psalm 23). In the New Testament context, it signifies the abundant life that Jesus promises to His followers, a life marked by spiritual growth, satisfaction, and peace. This assurance of divine provision would have been particularly comforting to early Christians facing uncertainty and hardship.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jesus Christ
The speaker of this verse, identifying Himself as "the gate," emphasizing His role as the sole means of salvation and access to spiritual nourishment.

2. The Sheep
Symbolic of believers who follow Jesus, entering through Him to receive salvation and sustenance.

3. The Gate
A metaphor for Jesus, illustrating His function as the entry point to salvation and the Kingdom of God.

4. Pasture
Represents spiritual nourishment, safety, and the abundant life that Jesus provides to those who follow Him.

5. The Fold
The community of believers, the Church, where safety and fellowship are found through Christ.
Teaching Points
Jesus as the Exclusive Path to Salvation
Emphasize the exclusivity of Christ as the only way to salvation, rejecting any notion of multiple paths to God.

Security and Freedom in Christ
Believers find true freedom and security in Jesus, able to "come in and go out" without fear, knowing they are under His protection.

Spiritual Nourishment and Growth
Just as sheep find pasture, believers find spiritual nourishment and growth through a relationship with Christ and His Word.

The Role of the Church Community
The fold represents the Church, where believers gather for mutual support, teaching, and encouragement in their walk with Christ.

Living the Abundant Life
Jesus promises an abundant life, not in material wealth, but in spiritual richness, peace, and fulfillment found in Him.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding Jesus as "the gate" influence your view of salvation and your relationship with Him?

2. In what ways can you experience the "coming in and going out" freedom that Jesus offers in your daily life?

3. How does the imagery of pasture in this verse encourage you to seek spiritual nourishment? What practical steps can you take to ensure you are being spiritually fed?

4. How can you contribute to the safety and growth of your church community, the "fold," as described in this passage?

5. Reflect on the abundant life Jesus promises. How can you align your priorities to experience this abundance in your spiritual journey?
Connections to Other Scriptures
John 14:6
Jesus declares Himself as the way, the truth, and the life, reinforcing His exclusive role as the path to the Father.

Psalm 23
The imagery of the shepherd and pasture connects to the Lord as the Shepherd who provides and cares for His flock.

Ephesians 2:18
Through Jesus, we have access to the Father, highlighting the role of Christ as the mediator.

Acts 4:12
Salvation is found in no one else but Jesus, affirming His unique position as the gate to salvation.

Hebrews 13:20-21
Jesus as the great Shepherd of the sheep, equipping believers for every good work.
Christ the DoorJ.R. Thomson John 10:9
The Portal of Safety and PromiseGeorge Brown John 10:9
Climbing Up Some Other Way into HeavenD. L. Moody.John 10:1-13
Entrance Without QualificationH. O. Mackey.John 10:1-13
Jesus the Good ShepherdC. S. Pomeroy, D. D.John 10:1-13
Sheep to be Fed, not ShearedArchbp. Trench.John 10:1-13
ShepherdhoodBp. S. S. Harris.John 10:1-13
The Fold and the DoorS. S. Times., S. S. TimesJohn 10:1-13
The Fold of the SheepS. S. TimesJohn 10:1-13
The Shepherd and the FlockC. S. Robinson, D. D.John 10:1-13
Wrong Ways to HeavenJohn 10:1-13
Christ as the DoorB. Thomas John 10:7-9
People
Jesus, John, Solomon
Places
Jerusalem, Jordan River
Topics
Anyone, Door, Enter, Enters, Goes, Pasture, Safety, Salvation, Saved
Dictionary of Bible Themes
John 10:9

     2324   Christ, as Saviour
     2330   Christ, as shepherd
     4020   life, of faith
     5299   door
     6606   access to God
     8168   way, the

John 10:1-9

     8491   watchfulness, divine

John 10:1-16

     4684   sheep

John 10:7-10

     5323   gate

John 10:7-14

     2203   Christ, titles of

John 10:9-10

     2426   gospel, responses

Library
February 5 Morning
I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.--JOHN 10:10. In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.--She took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.--If by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

March 18 Evening
His name shall be in their foreheads.--REV. 22:4. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep.--The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.--Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. After that ye believed, ye were sealed
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

May 11 Evening
My sheep hear my voice.--JOHN 10:27. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: If any man hear my voice, and open the door, 1 will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled. I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

December 10 Morning
No man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.--JOHN 10:29. I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.--The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom.--We are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth,
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

July 18 Morning
He calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.--JOHN 10:3. The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his; and, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ, depart from iniquity.--Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you . . . depart from me, ye that work iniquity.--The Lord
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

April 19 Morning
Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.--JOHN 10:7. The veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.--Christ . . . hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.--The way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. No man cometh unto the Father, but by me.--Through
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

'Other Sheep'
[Footnote: Preached before the Baptist Missionary Society.] 'Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice; and they shall become one flock and one Shepherd.'--JOHN x. 16 (R.V.). There were many strange and bitter lessons in this discourse for the false shepherds, the Pharisees, to whom it was first spoken. But there was not one which would jar more upon their minds, and as they fancied, on their sacredest convictions, than this, that God's flock
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Gifts to the Flock
... By Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.'--JOHN x. 9. One does not know whether the width or the depth of this marvellous promise is the more noteworthy. Jesus Christ presents Himself before the whole race of man, and declares Himself able to deal with the needs of every individual in the tremendous whole. 'If any man'--no matter who, where, when. For all noble and happy life there are at least three things needed: security, sustenance, and a
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Good Shepherd
'I am the Good Shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine. 15. As the Father knoweth Me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down My life for the sheep.'--JOHN x. 14,15. 'I am the Good Shepherd.' Perhaps even Christ never spoke more fruitful words than these. Just think how many solitary, wearied hearts they have cheered, and what a wealth of encouragement and comfort there has been in them for all generations. The little child as it lays itself down to sleep, cries-- 'Jesus, tender Shepherd,
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

January the Seventeenth Spiritual Discernment
"My sheep hear My voice!" --JOHN x. 19-30. This is spiritual discernment. We may test our growth in grace by our expertness in detecting the voice of our Lord. It is the skill of the saint to catch "the still small voice" amid all the selfish clamours of the day, and amid the far more subtle callings of the heart. It needs a good ear to catch the voice of the Lord in our sorrows. I think it requires a better ear to discern the voice amid our joys! The twilight helps me to be serious; the noonday
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

August the Twenty-Third not Lost in the Flock
"I know My sheep, and am known of mine." --JOHN x. 7-16. There is mutual recognition, and in that recognition there is confidence and peace. "I know my sheep." He knows us one by one. My knowledge of the individual wanes in proportion as the multitude is increased. The teacher with the smaller class has the deepest intimacy with her scholars. The individual is lost in the crowd. But not so with our Lord. There are no "masses" in His sight. However big the crowd, even though it be "a multitude
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

The Shepherd of Our Souls.
"I am the good Shepherd: the good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep."--John x. 11. Our Lord here appropriates to Himself the title under which He had been foretold by the Prophets. "David My servant shall be king over them," says Almighty God by the mouth of Ezekiel: "and they all shall have one Shepherd." And in the book of Zechariah, "Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, and against the man that is My fellow, saith the Lord of Hosts; smite the Shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered."
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VIII

On the Words of the Gospel, John x. 14, "I am the Good Shepherd," Etc. Against the Donatists.
1. We have heard the Lord Jesus setting forth to us the office of a good shepherd. And herein He hath doubtless given us to know, as we may understand it, that there are good shepherds. And yet that the multitude of shepherds might not be understood in a wrong sense; He saith, "I am the good Shepherd." [4124] And wherein He is the good Shepherd, He showeth in the words following; "The good Shepherd," saith He, "layeth down His life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd,
Saint Augustine—sermons on selected lessons of the new testament

On the Words of the Gospel, John x. 30, "I and the Father are One. "
1. Ye have heard what the Lord God, Jesus Christ, the Only Son of God, born of God the Father without any mother, and born of a Virgin mother without any human father, said, "I and My Father are One." [4164] Receive ye this, believe it in such wise that ye may attain [4165] to understand it. For faith ought to go before understanding, that understanding may be the reward of faith. For the Prophet hath said most expressly, "Unless ye believe, ye shall not understand." [4166] What then is simply preached
Saint Augustine—sermons on selected lessons of the new testament

The Sheep and their Shepherd
In a very simple way, we shall speak about the proprietor of the sheep. "My sheep," says Christ. Then, we shall have a little to say about the marks of the sheep. After that I propose to talk awhile about the privileges of the sheep. "I know my sheep:" they are privileged to be known of Christ. "My sheep hear my voice." I. Who is the proprietor of the sheep? They are all Christ's. "My sheep hear my voice." How came the saints to be Christ's? They are his, first of all, because he chose them. Ere
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 17: 1871

The Good Shepherd
JOHN x. 11. I am the good shepherd. Here are blessed words. They are not new words. You find words like these often in the Bible, and even in ancient heathen books. Kings, priests, prophets, judges, are called shepherds of the people. David is called the shepherd of Israel. A prophet complains of the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves, and will not feed the flock. But the old Hebrew prophets had a vision of a greater and better shepherd than David, or any earthly king or priest--of a heavenly
Charles Kingsley—The Good News of God

Abbott -- the Divinity in Humanity
Lyman Abbott was born at Roxbury, Mass., in 1835. As successor to Henry Ward Beecher, at Plymouth Church, Brooklyn, he ministered with great spiritual power until 1898, when he resigned his pastorate to devote his entire time to The Outlook, of which he was, and still is, the editor. Dr. Abbott's conception of the minister's work is briefly summed up in his own words: "Whenever a minister forgets the splendid message of pardon, peace and power based on faith in Jesus Christ as God manifest in the
Grenville Kleiser—The world's great sermons, Volume 8

Life.
I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.'--St. John x. 10. In a word, He came to supply all our lack--from the root outward; for what is it we need but more life? What does the infant need but more life? What does the bosom of his mother give him but life in abundance? What does the old man need, whose limbs are weak and whose pulse is low, but more of the life which seems ebbing from him? Weary with feebleness, he calls upon death, but in reality it is life he wants. It is
George MacDonald—Unspoken Sermons

The Disciple, -- what is the Meaning and Purpose of the Cross...
The Disciple,--What is the meaning and purpose of the cross, and why do pain and suffering exist in the world? The Master,--1. The cross is the key to heaven. At the moment when by My baptism I took the cross upon My shoulders for the sake of sinners, heaven was opened, and by means of My thirty-three years bearing of the cross and by death upon it, heaven, which by reason of sin was closed to believers, was for ever opened to them. Now as soon as believers take up their cross and follow Me they
Sadhu Sundar Singh—At The Master's Feet

Questions and Answers
Question. How may we know definitely that we are sanctified? Answer. We may know it by knowing that we have met all the conditions. This grace is obtained upon the conditions of consecration and faith. When we are sure that we have measured up to a true Bible consecration, we will have no difficulty in knowing that we are sanctified. The depth of meaning of this consecration does not necessarily need to be fully comprehended by the seeker, as we enter into this covenant, but there is a yielding up
J. W. Byers—Sanctification

Discourse on the Good Shepherd.
(Jerusalem, December, a.d. 29.) ^D John X. 1-21. ^d 1 Verily, verily, I say to you [unto the parties whom he was addressing in the last section], He that entereth not by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. [In this section Jesus proceeds to contrast his own care for humanity with that manifested by the Pharisees, who had just cast out the beggar. Old Testament prophecies were full of declarations that false shepherds would arise to
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Feast of the Dedication. The Jews Attempt to Stone Jesus and He Retires to Peræa.
(Jerusalem and Beyond Jordan.) ^D John X. 22-42. ^d 22 And it was the feast of the dedication at Jerusalem: 23; it was winter; and Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. [The feast of dedication was one of eight days' duration and began upon the 25th Chisleu, which, according to the calculation of M. Chevannes, fell upon the nineteenth or twentieth of December, a.d. 29. The feast was kept in honor of the renovation and purification of the temple in the year b.c. 164, after it had been desecrated
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Good Shepherd' and his one Flock' - Last Discourse at the Feast of Tabernacles.
The closing words which Jesus had spoken to those Pharisees who followed HIm breathe the sadness of expected near judgment, rather than the hopefulness of expostulation. And the Discourse which followed, ere He once more left Jerusalem, is of the same character. It seems, as if Jesus could not part from the City in holy anger, but ever, and only, with tears. All the topics of the former Discourses are now resumed and applied. They are not in any way softened or modified, but uttered in accents of
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

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