JOHN CHAPTER 10 1 THESSALONIANS 10:1 Christ declareth himself to be the Door, and the good Shepherd. 1 THESSALONIANS 10:19 Divers opinions concerning him. 1 THESSALONIANS 10:22 He proveth to the Jews by his works that he is the Christ, and asserts his unity with the Father. 1 THESSALONIANS 10:31 The... [ Continue Reading ]
As it is amongst men, the true shepherd goes into the sheepfold by the door; so it is in the church of God. He that taketh not the honour of governing the church to himself, but being called of God, as Aaron was, he is the shepherd of the sheep. This very argument the apostle useth to prove Christ t... [ Continue Reading ]
By THE PORTER is understood God; or more particularly, (to show the order of the Holy Trinity in working), the Holy Spirit, who openeth the hearts of men to receive and embrace Jesus Christ, who is the chief Shepherd; and the sheep are able to distinguish his voice from the voice of thieves and robb... [ Continue Reading ]
In our country at this day, shepherds generally follow their sheep, which go before them. In other countries, as France, &c., it is otherwise at this day; the shepherds go before their flocks, and their flocks follow them, upon some sounds they make. In Palestine (which was the Jews country) it shou... [ Continue Reading ]
This he further enlargeth upon, telling them, that his sheep would not follow those that did not lead them into his truth, and in his ways, for they understood not such voices. Here ariseth a question, Whether the elect of God, or such as, being truly called, and believe in Christ, are the sheep of... [ Continue Reading ]
Our Saviour was wont to instruct them in the mysteries of the kingdom of God by parables, that is, similitudes taken from reasonable actions of men, which might be, and were, proper to express spiritual things by. Wherefore he used this method in teaching, we are told, MATTHEW 13:10. They well enoug... [ Continue Reading ]
Our Saviour had before been speaking of _the door_ in another notion; there he spake of the door of the shepherd; here, of the door of the sheep: there, of the door, that is, the true and regular way of entrance into the care, conduct, and government of the church; here, of the true way of entrance,... [ Continue Reading ]
This must not be understood of the prophets, but of such only as came before Christ, not being sent by him: all those that taught people another way of life and salvation, than by believing in the Messiah, who was to be revealed for the salvation of the world; all such did but seek themselves, not t... [ Continue Reading ]
Our Saviour here lets us know, that he meant by THE DOOR, in the former verse, the door of salvation; the way by which every man must enter into life that findeth life; not the door only by which every true pastor must enter into the church, but by which every soul that shall be saved must enter int... [ Continue Reading ]
Look as it is with the true shepherd, that owneth the sheep, and whose the flock is; he cometh regularly into the care and conduct of it; he cometh into the sheepfold, to take care of the life and welfare of his sheep: but a thief and a robber, that climbeth into the window, and so gets into the she... [ Continue Reading ]
That good Shepherd prophesied of, ISAIAH 40:11. I cannot agree with those who think that Christ here speaketh not of himself as THE GOOD SHEPHERD, with reference to his office, as he was the Messiah, but only in opposition to the hirelings after mentioned. I can allow that he thus calleth himself, b... [ Continue Reading ]
Those that deal in sheep, either keep them themselves, or by their near relations, as Jacob's sons, and David, and Laban's daughters did; or else they hired persons to keep them for them. There is a great deal of difference between the care of an owner, and the care of a hired servant in any thing;... [ Continue Reading ]
The reason why he that is a mere hired servant, and hath no property in the sheep, fleeth, is, because he is a hireling, and doth what he doth merely for his wages; and when a danger ariseth, which his wages will not balance, he will never encounter it; he hath no property in the sheep, nor any love... [ Continue Reading ]
I am no hireling; the sheep are mine own; I have a true love and affection for them, which obliges me to a just and true care of them; I know them by name, (as was said before), by a particular distinct knowledge; or I love them, and have tender bowels for them. And as I know them, so I am mutually... [ Continue Reading ]
By these words our Saviour openeth how he knew his sheep, and should be again known of them, even as the Father knoweth him, and he knows his Father: this mutual knowledge between the Father and Christ was joined with perfect love and delight. Thus our Saviour knoweth those that are his sheep, not o... [ Continue Reading ]
AND OTHER SHEEP I HAVE WHICH ARE NOT OF THIS FOLD; our Saviour meaneth the Gentiles, who belonged not to the Jewish state and church, so were not under the same laws and government; for, 1 JOHN 2:2, he was not only _a propitiation_ for the sins of the Jews, _but for the sins of the whole world:_ he... [ Continue Reading ]
Christ here asserts two things. 1. That he was about to lay down his life, and should now very shortly lay it down; but yet so as he should take it again; that is, rise again from the dead; death should not have dominion over him: by which he comforteth his disciples concerning his death, declaring... [ Continue Reading ]
NO MAN TAKETH IT FROM ME by force, without my willing it and consenting to it; the Jews and Pilate will take it from me, but not without my free and voluntary surrender of it: and this is that which we read, ACTS 4:27,28, _For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both He... [ Continue Reading ]
Christ by his words often caused a division amongst the Jews, so as they could not agree in their sentiments and censures about him; which was either caused through the mixture amongst them of such as truly believed with those who believed not; or else from the mixture of a more considering part amo... [ Continue Reading ]
Some of the people said, HE HATH A DEVIL, AND IS MAD; for (as was said before) this was the opinion of the Jews concerning all that were mad and distracted, that it was by the influence of the devil, and they were infested with an evil spirit.... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBGrk; But others, that were less passionate and brutish in their expressions, and more thinking and considerate in passing their judgments, said, THESE ARE NOT THE WORDS (so we translate it; the word in the Greek is rhmata, which signifies things, and matters, as well as words; and by what follow... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse affords two questions, which have not a little troubled interpreters. 1. What feast of dedication this was? 2. Whether dedications of places to the worship of God be warrantable or no, in that manner as they are dedicated amongst the papists at this day? As to the first of these, that wh... [ Continue Reading ]
Of this _Solomon's porch_ we read, 1 KINGS 6:3, that Solomon _built the porch before the temple of the house, twenty cubits_ long, and _ten cubits_ broad. This was the place where they walked in winter. Though this was destroyed when Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians; yet it seemeth that th... [ Continue Reading ]
Our Saviour was at this time within three months of his crucifying: he had often before told them that he was the Light of the world, the true Shepherd; he had preached doctrine to them, from whence they might easily have concluded what he was; he had wrought works among them which none could do but... [ Continue Reading ]
I have in effect told it you more than once; I have told you that I am sent of the Father, &c., I have said enough for you to conclude it; but you will not understand, you will not receive it, you will not believe what I say. What need you any further witness of it, than those works which I do by Di... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBGrk; AS MANY AS WERE ORDAINED TO ETERNAL LIFE BELIEVED, ACTS 13:48. Here our Saviour giveth this as one reason of the Jews unbelief, that they were not of his sheep. Were they not Israelites? Yes, but all are not Israel that are descended of Israel. It seems a very hard interpretation that some w... [ Continue Reading ]
This is the same which he said: SEE POOLE ON "1 THESSALONIANS 10:4".... [ Continue Reading ]
I do give them, and I will give them, eternal life; as soon as they shall come to hear, and believe my voice, and to follow me, they shall have a sure right and title to it; and when my Father by his providence shall remove them out of the world, and in the great day, they shall be taken up into the... [ Continue Reading ]
All that are my sheep became so by my Father's donation and gift, so as my Father is equally with myself concerned in the preservation of them to that happy end, to which he hath ordained and designed them. Those that would pluck them out of my hand, and deprive them of that eternal life which I wil... [ Continue Reading ]
My Father and I are one, not only in counsel and will, (as 1 THESSALONIANS 17:11,22, and believers are said to be _of one heart, _ ACTS 4:32), but in nature, power, and essence; for it is plain that our Saviour here ascribes the preservation of his sheep, not to the will, but to the power of his Fat... [ Continue Reading ]
Tumultuously, as we read they did once before, 1 THESSALONIANS 8:59. From whence we may learn with what design they came to Christ, 1 THESSALONIANS 10:24, plainly to tell them whether he were the Christ. By the law of God the false prophet was to be stoned; but he was first to be judicially tried an... [ Continue Reading ]
The word translated GOOD is of a very large signification; signifying excellent, useful, profitable, beauteous, &c., whatsoever in common speech cometh under the notion of good. I (saith our Saviour) never did harm to any of you, but I have been the instrument of a great deal of good to you. I have... [ Continue Reading ]
THE JEWS ANSWERED HIM, These are not the things we are incensed against thee for; we grant that thou hast done many good works amongst us; these we gratefully acknowledge. But this is that which we are not able to bear, that whereas thou art but a mere man, by thy discourses thou makest thyself equa... [ Continue Reading ]
This was written, PSALMS 82:6. The whole Scripture of the Old Testament, being wrote by holy men, inspired of God, and directive of men's conversation before men, and towards God, is sometimes called _the law,_ PSALMS 19:7. It was spoken concerning magistrates, and the governors of God's people, who... [ Continue Reading ]
If God dignified those men (and many of them were also vile and sinful men) with the title of gods, because they had a commission to govern people according to the law of God; and none must contradict what God hath said in his word; there can be no falsehood in the revelation of any part of the Divi... [ Continue Reading ]
Suppose I were no more than a mere man, yet being _sanctified, _ that is, set apart of God for the special work of man's redemption, and sent of God into the world with commission both to reveal and to do his will, yet dare you say that I blaspheme, BECAUSE I SAID, I AM THE SON OF GOD? In the place... [ Continue Reading ]
Our Saviour doth often appeal to his works to testify concerning his Divine mission and power; these works he here calleth the WORKS OF his FATHER; by which he doth not only mean works that are pleasing and acceptable to God, as acts of obedience to the will of God performed by men may be called, an... [ Continue Reading ]
If I do such works as can be done by no less than a Divine power, being beyond the power and ability of all creatures; then, though you will not give credit to any bare affirmations of myself, because I say I am the Son of God, yet believe the things for the testimony that my works give unto it. Pro... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE THEY SOUGHT AGAIN TO TAKE HIM; because he said, that the Father was in him, and he in the Father; by which they well enough understood, that he asserted a union with the Father. They did not again go about to stone him, as they did before; he had sufficiently stopped their mouths as to the... [ Continue Reading ]
Christ's time was not yet come when he should be betrayed and crucified; it was yet three months and more to it; he saw the Jews at Jerusalem were in such a rage and fury, that there was no staying in that place: he goes beyond Jordan to Bethabara, where he found John at first baptizing, 1 THESSALON... [ Continue Reading ]
God so ordered it in the wisdom of his providence, that though Elijah and Elisha under the law wrought miracles, by which they confirmed their Divine mission; yet John, coming immediately before Christ, as his messenger and forerunner, wrought none; that so the glory of Christ in working miracles wh... [ Continue Reading ]
Some believed on him as such whom John Baptist had spoken him to be; others possibly believed on him in the sense mentioned 1 THESSALONIANS 2:23; not to the saving of their souls, but as one sent of God, a great Prophet, no ordinary man. The rage of men shall not hinder the progress of the gospel.... [ Continue Reading ]