The Gatekeeper
John 10:1-18
If Jesus is the shepherd, who is the gatekeeper?
Photo by Nareeta Martin on Unsplash
“Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers." Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So again Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away-- and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father." - John 10:1-18
At first, Jesus says that he is the shepherd, and it is the gatekeeper who opens the gate for him.
Some have interpreted this to mean the gatekeeper is the Father, while others have said it is the Holy Spirit who opens the gate.
But later, Jesus says that he lays down his life for his sheep, leaving us to think that he is a human gate, lying at the entrance to the sheepfold.
The reference to creating one flock including others is unique to John. In a way, it explains and clarifies who the gatekeeper can be.
If Jesus is going to go get the other sheep, there must be a gatekeeper to protect the flock, which must be the Father.
It is the will of the Father to do these things, to bring the flock together and to lay down one's life for them.
If we believe that Jesus is risen, which we will celebrate in two weeks, then we can see that gathering the flock together is not completed.
Jesus is still out there gathering the Gentiles and others together to bring them into the fold.
We tend to think that the work of Jesus ended with his crucifixion and death, even though we believe he rose up and lives.
So, maybe we are wrong about that.
Maybe the roles of the three persons of God continue to be involved in the gathering and guiding of the flock.
God the Father is the gate. God, the Holy Spirit, lives within the flock to guide and nourish them. And God the Son is gathering up the sheep from all across the world.
Jesus brings us to the Father and leaves us with an advocate to show us the beauty of God's creation and to help us love one another.
But here is the challenge for all of us. This is not an exclusive club. We will be joined by others, many of whom we may not like or know much about.
So, the story is still taking shape.
All the sheep need to be protected from the wolves, not just the ones who followed Jesus first.
As Christians, we must be willing to welcome whoever Jesus brings to the gate to join us.
Can we do that?
More to come...