--- title: "Jesus the Good Shepherd" description: "A teacher calling himself the 'Good Shepherd' is causing a stir in the public square, offering life and protection while sparking intense debate among onlookers." image: "" book: "John" bookId: "JHN" testament: "new" startChapter: 10 startVerse: 1 endChapter: 10 endVerse: 21 coversChapters: [10] aiTitle: "New Shepherd Sparks Controversy by Claiming Total Authority" aiDescription: "A teacher calling himself the 'Good Shepherd' is causing a stir in the public square, offering life and protection while sparking intense debate among onlookers." hasAiStory: true location: "" persons: ["Jesus","God","Jews"] hashtags: ["gospel","love","redemption","parable","truth"] genre: "gospel" readingTime: 3 type: "adaptive" slug: "JHN/jesus-the-good-shepherd" canonicalId: "JHN.10.1-10.21" chronologicalOrder: 1400 relatedSlugs: ["JHN/jesus-the-bread-of-life","EZK/a-prophecy-for-shepherds","LUK/jesus-and-zacchaeus","JHN/jesus-arrives-in-jerusalem","HEB/a-priest-in-the-order-of-melchizedek","JHN/on-baptism","MAT/the-two-and-the-ten","EPH/one-in-christ-christ-our-cornerstone","PSA/psalm-23-the-lord-is-my-shepherd","ROM/from-death-to-life","1TI/timothys-commission","1PE/submission-to-authority","ISA/prepare-the-way-for-the-lord","2PE/deliverance-from-false-prophets","ISA/the-wicked-and-the-servants","ISA/the-suffering-servant","2PE/peters-final-challenge","REV/the-seven-seals","1PE/suffering-for-righteousness-living-for-gods-glory-suffering-as-christians-instructions-to-elders","MAT/jesus-questions-the-pharisees","ROM/unrighteous-israel","HOS/ephraims-iniquity","EZK/one-nation-with-one-king","PSA/psalm-100-make-a-joyful-noise","PSA/psalm-95-do-not-harden-your-hearts","HEB/benediction-and-farewell","TIT/in-the-household","HEB/the-perfect-sacrifice","MAT/the-community-discourse","MRK/jesus-arrives-at-jerusalem"] prevSlug: "JHN/spiritual-blindness" nextSlug: "JHN/the-feast-of-dedication-hanukkah" --- A local teacher known as [Jesus](/persons/jesus) made waves today, using a series of metaphors about shepherds and sheep to explain his mission. He claims that anyone who tries to lead the people by avoiding the front gate is nothing more than a thief or a robber. He argues that the true leader enters through the gate, and, more importantly, that the people recognize his voice as one they can trust. The teacher took things a step further, declaring that he is not just the guide, but the actual gate itself. He told a gathered crowd that anyone who enters through him will find safety and sustenance, contrasting his arrival with those who only come to steal and destroy. He insists that his ultimate goal is to provide a life lived to its absolute fullest potential. The most startling part of his address was his commitment to the flock. He positioned himself as a 'Good Shepherd' willing to lay down his own life for the people. Unlike a hired hand who would flee at the first sign of danger, this teacher claims he acts with full authority from his Father to sacrifice his life and take it up again on his own terms. The message has left the public deeply divided. Some bystanders are calling for him to be dismissed, claiming he is out of his mind and talking nonsense. Others are pushing back, pointing to his track record of healing and questioning how a person described as 'insane' could perform such miracles. The tension is high, and for now, the debate over his true identity continues to intensify. “Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever does not enter the sheepfold by the gate, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. But the one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen for his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will flee from him because they do not recognize his voice.” [Jesus](/persons/jesus) spoke to them using this illustration, but they did not understand what He was telling them. So He said to them again, “Truly, truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before Me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved. He will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd, and the sheep are not his own. When he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf pounces on them and scatters the flock. The man runs away because he is a hired servant and is unconcerned for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep 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 are not of this fold. I must bring them in as well, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd. The reason the Father loves Me is that 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 authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from My Father.” Again there was division among the [Jews](/persons/jews) because of Jesus’ message. Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and insane. Why would you listen to Him?” But others replied, “These are not the words of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

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