The Good Shepherd detailed (punishment, church, Messiah, Jesus)

[Joint heir with jesus]

The parable of the Good Shepherd detailed

John 10:1, Jesus speaking with authority- “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." In Jesus' day if shepherds found pastures or mountainsides abundant with grass or other food for their sheep they would band together to build sheepfolds. They only did this if they planned to stay in the same location for a few days, weeks or longer. Remember the nativity story "...and their flocks ABIDING in the fields." Most of the time shepherds and their flocks did not return home every single night. Many tmes they traveled distances to find sufficient and abundant grazing places.
A sheepfold was a place of shelter for their flocks where they could huddle together at night for warmth and safety from the attacks of wolves or other wild beasts. Sheepfolds were low "buildings" generally made of branches or limbs or such which opened into an open court. They were surrounded by rock walls (if possible) or fences with a layer of thorns on top for protection. A doorway carefully guarded the entrance. The application here is to false teachers who pretended to teach the Israelites but acutally abused their authority for personal gain.
2 "But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep."
3 "To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out." The sheepfold had a "doorkeeper" who opened it to the shepherds to let the sheep out at daylight to graze all day and then let them in at night when the day was done. Eastern shepherds used to name their sheep much the same we would name a dog, cat or horse today. Each sheep recognized it's own name and would actually come when called by its shepherd. Even when the flocks were hopelessly mingled together seperating them was easy at the calling of their own shepherd.
4 "And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice." Shepherds go before their flocks leading them to good grass and water.
5 "Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
Sheep follow the voice of their own shepherd but will totally ignore the voice of a stranger.
6 Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.
7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I AM the door of the sheep.
8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. This was directed at all false, pagan religions, false teachers and all false Messiah's before Jesus day, but also included the Sadducees and the Pharicees.
9 "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture." Jesus states here that He is the doorway to salvation. (Ps. 23:1-2 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.) Those who's shepherd is Jesus may go in or out and be perfectly free!
10 "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."
Not just Satan only, but also unclean spirits and all false religions.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep." Jesus redeems His sheep by taking their punishment on the cross and by dying in their place according to God's will. This was a prophecy of the very near future to come.
12 "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."
13 "The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep."
Occasionally due to illness, death or departure of the shepherd for various reasons, the master was forced to hire a temporary shepherd. A hireling shepherd tends to run away from the danger leaving the sheep unprotected and alone.
14 "I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own."
15 "As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep." Jn. 1:1- "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (Continuing prophecy. Jesus to become the lamb of God).
16 "And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; (Gentiles) them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. Born-again Jews and gentiles will become one flock, one church.
17 “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again." No man could kill Jesus without His consent for He was God. He voluntarily laid down His life for man as a ransom for man's sins and took the penalty for all who would believe, repent and accept His free gift of forgiveness and salvation. Jesus will be obedient to death doing the Father's will. He also states that He will be resurrected to life according to prophecy and God's will.
18 "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.”