John Chapter 10
The Good Shepherd
A. Contrast between the Good Shepherd and the false shepherds of Israel
(John 10:1-2) Jesus is the true, legitimate Shepherd, who enters in the way that is proper and prepared.
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.”
Jesus began this teaching immediately after the conflict with the Pharisees over the man born blind. Their harshness and lack of compassion revealed the emptiness of their leadership. Against this background, Christ contrasted Himself as the true Shepherd, who cares for the flock with sincerity, to those who sought leadership by selfish ambition.
The phrase “Most assuredly” is unique to John’s Gospel and emphasizes the gravity of Christ’s declaration. Jesus established that there is only one legitimate entrance into shepherding God’s people. Those who climb in “some other way” are thieves and robbers, signifying illegitimate leaders who gain position through manipulation, corruption, or personal ambition rather than divine calling.
Throughout the Old Testament, leaders were often described as shepherds. Isaiah 56:11 condemned corrupt leaders who were greedy and self-serving, while Jeremiah 3:15 promised shepherds who would feed God’s people with knowledge and understanding. Jesus aligned Himself with God’s ideal, showing that the true shepherd enters through the “door,” a symbol of God’s appointed and approved means of leadership, which is marked by sacrificial service, love, and calling.
Clarke rightly observed that those who enter for motives such as ambition, greed, family promotion, or personal comfort are no better than thieves and robbers. Such men usurp the role of shepherd for selfish gain rather than for the glory of Christ or the good of His people.
(John 10:3-6) The sheep and their Shepherd.
“To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.
In this illustration, the doorkeeper represents God’s Spirit or divine authority, who grants true access to those called of God. In towns of that era, sheep from several flocks were kept in a common fold overnight, and the doorkeeper regulated which shepherds had access to their flocks. The true shepherd had no need to force his way in, for he was recognized and allowed entry.
The Good Shepherd calls His sheep by name, signifying intimacy, care, and personal relationship. Just as shepherds in the Middle East named their sheep individually, Jesus knows His people personally. Scripture gives examples of Jesus calling individuals by name—Philip, Mary Magdalene, Thomas, and Peter—and in each case, the encounter marked a turning point in their lives.
The Shepherd leads His sheep, rather than driving them. Unlike hired hands or domineering rulers, He goes before them, guiding them by example. Clarke noted that in Eastern lands, shepherds always led from the front, and the sheep willingly followed. This detail highlights Christ’s role as the one who leads His people in truth, protection, and provision.
The sheep know His voice, which is the distinguishing mark of belonging to Him. In the ancient sheepfolds, a shepherd’s call was enough to separate his flock from others, and the sheep would follow only him. This recognition goes beyond physical sound to spiritual discernment. Believers recognize the voice of Christ through Scripture and the witness of the Holy Spirit. Attempts by strangers to lead them away fail because the true sheep do not follow the voice of deception.
Jesus’ audience, however, did not understand this illustration. Their blindness was not due to lack of intelligence, but to hardened hearts unwilling to accept His authority as the true Shepherd. Clarke summarized six marks of a true minister of God seen in this passage: he enters ministry through the proper call, has the Spirit’s approval, receives a response from God’s people, knows his flock personally, leads humbly without lording over them, and goes before them as an example.
Summary
In John 10:1-6, Jesus contrasted Himself with the false shepherds of Israel. The religious leaders of His day often gained influence through corruption, ambition, or politics, but the true Shepherd enters legitimately through God’s appointed means. The Good Shepherd calls His sheep by name, leads them by example, and is recognized by His distinctive voice. The sheep follow Him willingly, while fleeing from strangers who seek to exploit them. These verses not only affirm Christ’s unique role as the Shepherd of God’s people, but also set the standard for spiritual leadership in His Church: a leader must be called of God, empowered by the Spirit, and marked by sacrificial service, love, and intimate care for the flock.
A. Contrast between the Good Shepherd and the false shepherds of Israel
(John 10:7-10) The true Shepherd protects and promotes life; the false shepherds take away life.
“Then Jesus said to them again, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.’”
Jesus shifted the imagery slightly here, identifying Himself not only as the Shepherd but as the very door itself. In the countryside of Israel, sheep pens had only one opening, and at night the shepherd himself would lie across the entrance. His body became the door, protecting the flock from predators and ensuring that no sheep wandered out. This vivid picture communicates that salvation, protection, and security are found only through Him.
“All who ever came before” were thieves and robbers, men who sought to exploit God’s people for their own advantage. Thieves operate by deceit and cunning, while robbers operate by violence and force. Both destroy rather than give life. Jesus declared that His sheep, the true children of God, did not heed such voices. Though false shepherds held sway by intimidation and religious manipulation, God’s sheep instinctively knew not to follow them.
Jesus then gave one of the most comforting promises in Scripture: “If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” The expression “go in and out” was a Hebrew idiom meaning the freedom of daily life under God’s blessing. It represents safety, provision, and peace under the Shepherd’s care. Unlike the thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy, Christ came that His sheep may have life—and not merely existence, but abundant life. This abundance does not mean material ease or a long life necessarily, but rather fullness of life in Christ: satisfaction, contentment, spiritual vigor, and fruitfulness. Spurgeon described this abundant life as marked by energy, resilience, joy, and triumph, qualities that honor the Shepherd Himself.
(John 10:11-15) The Good Shepherd will lay down His life for the flock.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.”
Here Jesus declared Himself plainly: “I am the good shepherd.” The emphasis is not only on His shepherding role but on His goodness, which surpasses every other shepherd. Earthly shepherds might take risks for their flocks, but it would be rare for one to willingly lay down his life for sheep. Yet Jesus’ mission centered on this very sacrifice. He contrasted Himself with the hireling, who works only for pay. The hireling’s lack of true ownership or love is revealed when danger appears. Seeing the wolf, he abandons the sheep, exposing them to destruction. The hireling does not care for the sheep because they are not his own.
The Good Shepherd, however, does the opposite. He stands between the flock and the wolf, giving His very life to save them. This foreshadows the cross, where Christ laid down His life to protect His people from the great adversary. His care is sacrificial, personal, and rooted in deep knowledge of His sheep. Unlike strangers who view sheep as indistinguishable, the Shepherd knows each one intimately, their strengths, weaknesses, and personalities. Likewise, the sheep know Him and respond to His voice. This mutual recognition proves the genuineness of His shepherding relationship.
Jesus then grounded His role as Shepherd in His unique relationship with the Father: “As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father.” His intimacy with His sheep flows out of His eternal unity with the Father. His sacrificial death for the sheep is not merely an act of compassion, but the outworking of the Father’s redemptive plan.
Faithful pastors, as under-shepherds, must imitate these characteristics of Christ. They must be willing to sacrifice, to know their people, and to be known by them. They must lead out of genuine care, not out of self-interest or comfort. Many, as Spurgeon noted, prove themselves to be hirelings by tolerating error or avoiding conflict for the sake of peace. True shepherds confront wolves and guard the flock, even at cost to themselves. The very word “pastor” means shepherd and is not simply a title to be assumed, but one that must be demonstrated in sacrificial, Christlike service.
Summary
In John 10:7-15, Jesus expanded His teaching by declaring Himself both the Door and the Good Shepherd. As the Door, He provides salvation, protection, and abundant life, contrasting sharply with the thieves and robbers who exploit and destroy. As the Good Shepherd, He goes beyond mere care, willingly laying down His life for His sheep, proving His love and ownership of them. Unlike hirelings who flee at danger, Jesus stands firm against the wolf, ensuring the safety and life of His flock. His shepherding is rooted in His perfect relationship with the Father, and His example sets the pattern for all faithful under-shepherds who must serve with sacrifice, love, and courage.
A. Contrast between the Good Shepherd and the false shepherds of Israel
(John 10:16) Jesus speaks of other sheep.
“And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.”
Jesus expanded His teaching beyond the Jewish fold by declaring that He had other sheep not of Israel. These other sheep are the Gentiles, who would be brought into His flock through faith. His death was not only for the nation of Israel but for the world, fulfilling the plan of God who, as Hebrews 2:9 says, purposed that Christ “should taste death for everyone.” This inclusion of Gentiles was later developed by Paul, who wrote in Ephesians 2:13-17 that those who were once far off had been brought near by the blood of Christ, forming one new body.
The unity that Jesus described was not organizational but spiritual. He did not envision one rigid structure but one flock under one Shepherd. The unity of the people of God rests not in denominational walls but in their shared loyalty to Christ. The shepherd Himself is the unifying factor, for as Bruce noted, safety and unity are found in proximity to Him. Barclay emphasized that this unity is a matter of obedience and devotion, not ecclesiastical order.
This truth was misinterpreted in history through Jerome’s Latin Vulgate, which translated “one flock” as “one fold.” That mistranslation became the foundation for the Roman Catholic doctrine of exclusivity, which insisted that salvation could not exist outside the Roman Church. Yet the original text makes clear that while there may be many folds, there is only one flock united in Christ. Spurgeon reminded believers that true Christians share a spiritual kinship across denominational lines. Even where differences remain, if Christ is loved and honored, His sheep recognize one another as belonging to the same flock.
(John 10:17-18) Jesus claims to have power over life and death.
“Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”
Here Jesus revealed the divine authority that underscored His mission. The Father’s love is magnified by the Son’s obedience and self-sacrifice. The laying down of His life was not forced upon Him; it was a willing act of submission, flowing from love and unity with the Father’s redemptive plan. Unlike all other men, who die because of mortality and sin, Jesus did not need to die. His death was not the “debt of nature” but the fulfillment of His covenant to save His sheep.
The extraordinary claim is that He not only had power to lay down His life but also power to take it up again. This means that Jesus had authority even over His resurrection. While the New Testament teaches that the Father raised Jesus from the dead (Acts 2:32; Romans 6:4), here Jesus declared that He Himself would take up His life again, showing the harmony of divine action within the Trinity. His resurrection was not external intervention but a demonstration of His own divine authority.
This truth contradicts false teachings, both ancient and modern. Jehovah’s Witnesses deny that Jesus could raise Himself, and certain modern teachers have wrongly taught that Jesus was a victim in hell who needed to be rescued. Yet Scripture is plain: Jesus had full authority over His life, His death, and His resurrection. His sacrifice was voluntary, His death was purposeful, and His resurrection was powerful evidence of His deity and unity with the Father.
Summary
In John 10:16-18, Jesus revealed both the scope of His mission and the authority of His person. He declared that He had other sheep beyond Israel—Gentiles who would be brought into the flock through faith in Him—forming one flock under one Shepherd. This unity is not organizational but spiritual, centered on Christ Himself. Jesus then emphasized that His sacrifice was entirely voluntary, motivated by love and obedience to the Father. Unlike any other man, He had the authority to both lay down His life and take it up again, proving His divine power over life and death. These verses underscore both the inclusiveness of His salvation and the absolute authority of His person as the Good Shepherd.
(John 10:19-21) Jesus is accused of being demon-possessed and insane.
“Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings. And many of them said, ‘He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?’ Others said, ‘These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?’”
The words of Jesus always divide humanity. Once again, as John recorded, there was a division among the Jews. Christ’s claims left no room for neutrality; men either received Him as Lord or rejected Him as delusional or dangerous. He was the decisive line that separated belief from unbelief.
Some concluded, “He has a demon and is mad.” This reaction demonstrates the radical nature of His claims. When someone claims to be the Son of God and the Shepherd of God’s people, humanity must decide: either He is who He says He is, or He is deceived or deceptive. The opponents of Jesus attributed His words and works to demonic influence, labeling Him both insane and possessed. Yet such accusations collapse under examination. His words reflected perfect wisdom and truth, not madness. His deeds reflected pure compassion and unselfishness, not egotism. The effect of His life and ministry was life-giving and transformative, not destructive as with a madman or deceiver.
Others, however, saw clearly: “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” They rightly connected both His words and His works. The healing of the man born blind in John 9 was undeniable proof of divine power, for no demon could restore sight to the blind. This testimony supported His words and showed that His claims were consistent with the works of God. Miracles alone are not sufficient to prove a man’s message, but miracles in harmony with truth confirm that message. These observers judged correctly by weighing both what He said and what He did.
This passage reveals the perennial truth that Jesus Christ forces a choice. Men cannot dismiss Him as a mere teacher, for His claims were too great. As Barclay said, He must either be considered a madman or acknowledged as the Son of God. Neutrality is not possible. The fact that His words are full of sanity, His deeds full of compassion, and His life full of transforming power leaves only one conclusion: He is truly the Son of God and the Good Shepherd.
Summary
In John 10:19-21, the Jews were again divided over Jesus. Some accused Him of being demon-possessed and insane because His claims were too radical. Others rightly judged that His words and works could not come from a demon, especially since He had given sight to the blind. This division illustrates that Jesus always demands a response—He cannot be dismissed as a mere teacher. His words, works, and the life-transforming impact of His ministry prove that He is neither mad nor deceived but the Good Shepherd and the Son of God.
The Good Shepherd
B. Jesus at the Feast of Dedication
(John 10:22-23) The Feast of Dedication in wintertime.
“Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch.”
John marked the timing of this encounter carefully. The Feast of Dedication—known today as Hanukkah—was not one of the feasts commanded in the Law of Moses but a later celebration instituted to remember the cleansing and rededication of the temple after its desecration by Antiochus Epiphanes in 164 or 165 B.C. Antiochus was notorious for his cruelty and blasphemy: he looted the temple treasury, made possession of the law and the practice of circumcision punishable by death, crucified mothers with their circumcised infants, and defiled the temple by converting it into a house of prostitution and sacrificing pigs upon its altar. In his reign of terror, eighty thousand Jews were slaughtered and as many sold into slavery.
The rise of the Maccabees put an end to this tyranny. When they regained control of the temple and sought to restore its worship, tradition tells of a single cruse of oil, sealed by the high priest, that should have lasted only one day but miraculously burned for eight until more oil could be prepared. This miracle became the basis of the Hanukkah celebration.
John also noted that it was winter. This detail likely referred not only to the season but to the stormy and cold conditions. Jesus was walking in Solomon’s porch, a colonnade along the east side of the outer court of the temple. It was a covered area offering shelter from the elements. This location later became significant in the book of Acts, where Peter preached after healing the lame man (Acts 3:11) and where the early church gathered for public testimony (Acts 5:12). Though popularly thought to be a remnant of Solomon’s original temple, Solomon’s porch was in fact part of Herod’s expanded temple complex.
(John 10:24-25) Jesus responds to the hostile question from the religious leaders.
“Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, ‘How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.’ Jesus answered them, ‘I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me.’”
The scene quickly escalated into confrontation. John wrote that the Jews surrounded Him, not in admiration but in hostility. The language suggests they encircled Him with the intent of pressing Him into a corner, attempting to trap Him with His own words.
They demanded, “If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” On the surface, this seemed like a sincere request for clarity. In reality, their hearts were set against Him. They hoped to force Him into an explicit messianic claim that they could use against Him before the Roman authorities. Their question carried malice, not a genuine search for truth.
Jesus answered by pointing to both His words and His works. While He avoided frequent public use of the title “Messiah” among the Jews—because of its political and military connotations—He had repeatedly declared His identity through teaching and action. He had claimed to be sent from heaven (John 3:13; 6:38), the unique Son of God (John 5:19-23), the Bread of Life (John 6:48), the Light of the World (John 8:12), the I Am (John 8:58), and the Good Shepherd (John 10:11). He had also promised resurrection power over His own life (John 10:17-18). In every way, He had already told them who He was. Their unbelief was not due to His lack of clarity but to the hardness of their hearts.
Moreover, His works bore witness of Him. Every miracle performed in the Father’s name testified to His divine mission. The blind were given sight, the lame were healed, the multitudes fed, and the dead raised. These works were not isolated marvels but signs that revealed His identity. As Dods put it, they showed “what kind of Christ He sends you and that I am He.”
Summary
In John 10:22-25, the setting shifted to the Feast of Dedication, a celebration rooted in God’s preservation of His people during Antiochus Epiphanes’ persecution and the Maccabean revolt. Against this backdrop of rededication and purification, Jesus walked in Solomon’s porch, only to be surrounded by hostile religious leaders demanding that He declare Himself as the Messiah. Jesus responded by reminding them that both His words and His works had already testified of His identity. The issue was not lack of evidence but willful unbelief. His miracles, performed in the Father’s name, confirmed His claims, but the leaders’ hearts refused to receive Him.
B. Jesus at the Feast of Dedication
(John 10:26-29) Jesus speaks plainly to the religious leaders about their condition.
“But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.”
When the religious leaders pressed Jesus to declare Himself, He responded with uncompromising clarity. Their unbelief was not due to insufficient revelation, but to their spiritual condition: “You are not of My sheep.” Earlier He had already told them that false shepherds and false sheep existed (John 10:5, 8, 10, 12–13). Now He declared that they were not His sheep at all, for His true sheep hear His voice and believe Him.
This exposed the reality of their hardened hearts. As Tasker observed, they were not only false shepherds but also revealed themselves to be outside of God’s flock altogether. Spurgeon took it further, noting that their unbelief was evidence that they had not been called or regenerated by the Spirit. Clarke, however, clarified that this did not mean they were incapable of believing, but that their refusal to hear and follow Christ left them outside His fold.
In contrast to their unbelief, Jesus described the blessings of His sheep. He gives them eternal life—a life that begins now and continues forever. Physical life may perish, but the true life Christ gives cannot be destroyed. Spurgeon reminded believers that this eternal security rests in abiding in Christ, for those grafted into Him will remain in Him.
Jesus also promised absolute security: “Neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.” The Good Shepherd guards His sheep with divine strength. Their security is not in themselves but in His hold upon them. He extended this assurance even further, declaring that His Father’s hand holds them as well. The hands that created the universe protect the sheep, and no force of man or demon can overpower the Father’s will. As Clarke said, He is greater than all, and the believer who fears God need fear nothing else.
(John 10:30-33) Jesus declares His unity with the Father.
“I and My Father are one.” Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?” The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”
With one statement, Jesus made His most direct and profound claim: “I and My Father are one.” This was not a claim of mere unity in purpose but of unity in essence. The Greek word “one” is neuter, meaning one in nature or substance, not one in person. Jesus affirmed that though distinct from the Father as a Person, He shared the same divine essence, authority, and power. This directly refutes the ancient heresies of Sabellianism (which denied the personal distinction of Father and Son) and Arianism (which denied Christ’s full deity).
Alford emphasized that this oneness includes unity of essence, power, and will. Trench highlighted the grammatical significance: if Jesus had meant unity of person, He would have used the masculine form. The religious leaders’ reaction proved they understood His meaning. They immediately sought to stone Him for blasphemy, because He claimed equality with God. While they rejected His claim, they clearly recognized it for what it was—a declaration of deity.
Jesus responded by pointing to His works: “Many good works I have shown you from My Father.” Every miracle He performed was both obedience to the Father and an act of compassion for men. His works were consistent with His claims. Still, the leaders rejected the evidence. They could not refute His life or miracles, so they sought to silence Him by violence. As Spurgeon observed, when holy arguments cannot be answered with reason, men often resort to stones.
Their accusation—“because You, being a Man, make Yourself God”—further confirms their understanding. They were not confused about His claims. They knew He was declaring Himself to be divine. What they missed, as Bruce explained, is that Jesus was not “making” Himself God, but revealing Himself as who He truly was—the eternal Son sent by the Father. Dods rightly pointed out that if Jesus were merely a man, such a claim would be the height of blasphemy, and He would have condemned it Himself. Yet He accepted the charge, for it was true.
Summary
In John 10:26-33, Jesus drew a sharp line between His true sheep and the religious leaders who opposed Him. Their unbelief proved they were not His sheep, while His true sheep enjoy eternal life and absolute security in the hands of both the Son and the Father. He then made the bold declaration, “I and My Father are one,” affirming His unity in essence with the Father. The Jews understood His claim as a declaration of deity and attempted to stone Him for blasphemy. Yet His words and His works together confirmed His divine identity as the Son of God, the Good Shepherd who holds His sheep with unbreakable security.
(John 10:34-39) Jesus reasons from Psalm 82, and from His works.
“Jesus answered them, ‘Is it not written in your law, “I said, You are gods”? If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, “You are blaspheming,” because I said, “I am the Son of God”? If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.’ Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.”
When the Jews picked up stones to execute Him for blasphemy, Jesus confronted them not with panic but with Scripture and reason. He cited Psalm 82:6, where God calls unjust judges “gods” because they held authority in human courts, standing in judgment over life and death. Similarly, in Exodus 21:6 and 22:8–9, earthly judges are referred to with this same term. The point was clear: if Scripture itself applied the word “gods” to human judges who bore delegated authority, how much more appropriate was it for Him, whom the Father had sanctified and sent into the world, to be called the Son of God.
Jesus was not equating all men with deity, nor was He twisting Scripture. His argument was from the lesser to the greater: if fallible men could be given such a title metaphorically, how much more rightful was His claim, since He was the sanctified and sent One, the very Word made flesh. His reasoning exposed their inconsistency. They claimed to honor the Law, yet they refused to apply it fairly in judging Him.
In this context, Jesus gave a powerful affirmation of the authority of Scripture: “The Scripture cannot be broken.” Here, He grounded His defense on a single word in an obscure psalm, showing that even the smallest details of God’s Word are inspired and authoritative. Scripture cannot be annulled, ignored, or set aside when inconvenient. This statement underlines the inerrancy and enduring authority of the Bible.
Jesus then returned to the testimony of His works. If His words seemed too much for them, His deeds bore undeniable witness. The miracles He performed in His Father’s name revealed His unity with the Father. Even if they refused to believe His claims, they should at least believe His works, for they demonstrated that the Father was in Him, and He in the Father. Yet instead of repenting, they hardened their hearts further, seeking again to seize Him. Still, they could not take Him, for His hour had not yet come. By divine authority, He escaped their grasp once more.
(John 10:40-42) Jesus goes across the Jordan and many believe.
“And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed. Then many came to Him and said, ‘John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true.’ And many believed in Him there.”
After this confrontation, Jesus withdrew beyond the Jordan, returning to the region where John the Baptist had first ministered. This was Perea, under Herod Antipas, and outside the jurisdiction of the hostile rulers in Jerusalem. In Jerusalem, He had been threatened with stoning; across the Jordan, He was received with faith. The contrast was striking: the city that prided itself on religion rejected Him, while those in the wilderness welcomed Him.
The people remembered John the Baptist, who had performed no miracles yet bore faithful witness. His testimony about Jesus proved true, and now they saw the evidence themselves. This recognition led many to believe in Christ. The lesson is significant: miracles are not the foundation of faith. John, though he performed no sign, had a faithful character and a prophetic voice that pointed to Jesus. Jesus Himself, though performing many works, grounded His ministry in truth and the Word of God. The people’s response demonstrates that faith is not built merely on wonders but on the truth of God’s Word, confirmed by the works of God’s power.
Summary
In John 10:34-42, Jesus defended His claim to be the Son of God by appealing to Scripture, reasoning from Psalm 82 that if unjust judges could be called “gods” because of their office, then His own claim was far greater and entirely justified. He also declared the inerrancy of Scripture, affirming that “the Scripture cannot be broken.” He pointed to His works as undeniable evidence of His unity with the Father, yet the leaders hardened themselves further, attempting again to seize Him. Jesus withdrew beyond the Jordan, where the people remembered John the Baptist’s testimony and recognized its truth. There, many believed in Him. The chapter closes with this contrast: rejection in Jerusalem, belief across the Jordan, reminding us that the true sheep hear His voice and follow, while those hardened in unbelief resist Him even in the face of overwhelming evidence.
