John 10:1-10 Jesus the Good Shepherd. Lectionary Gospel for 30th April, 2023

John 10:1-10, Jesus the Good Shepherd (Version: NRSV)

‘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.

Alternative translation: John 10:1-10, Jesus the Good Shepherd (Version: The Gospels for Hearers)


1 "I tell you the truth:
the one who does not come into the sheepfold through the door,
but gets in some other way, is a thief and a robber.
The one who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
The doorkeeper opens to him
and the sheep listen to his voice
and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
When he has taken all his own sheep out,
he goes on ahead of them and the sheep follow him
because they know his voice.
They will not follow a stranger,
but will run away from him
because they do not know the stranger's voice."

6 Jesus told them this parable
but they did not know what he was talking about.
7 So Jesus spoke again:
"I tell you truly, I am the door of the sheep.
All who came before me were thieves and robbers,
but the sheep did not listen to them.
I am the door.
If anyone comes in through me,
he will be kept safe
and will go in and out and find pasture.

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.
I have come so that they may have life and have it overflowing.

From “The Gospel of John”, Chapter 10, verses 1-10, in The Gospel for Hearers
(Translated from the Koine Greek by Elizabeth B. Edwards, Formatted by the Rev William Johnston, LLB, BA, BD), 2013, Diangellia Press.

Some questions raised by the text:

  • Who is Jesus talking to?
  • Who was the evangelist talking to?
  • Who (metaphorically) are the sheep?
  • Do we decide to be a shepherd, or is it a calling?
  • If we are (metaphorically) the sheep, how do we get to know and recognise the voice of the shepherd?
  • In Australia there are many sheep, but few shepherds (in the biblical sense). Can this story mean anything to us?
  • Again, in Australia the notion of a personal relationship between the shepherd and the sheep makes little sense. Does that change how we read this story? Could an Australian version of the story be written and told? Who would tell it? Who would listen?
  • What do you consider to be the main point of the story?
  • What helps us to "get the point?"
  • What stands in the way of us getting the point?

 


 


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