John 10:8

All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers These words are difficult, and some copyists seem to have tried to avoid the difficulty by omitting either -all" or -before Me." But the balance of authority leaves no doubt that both are genuine. Some commentators would translate -instead of Me" for -before Me." But this meaning of the Greek preposition is not common, and perhaps occurs nowhere in N.T. Moreover -instead of Me" ought to include the idea of -for My advantage;" and that is impossible here. We must retain the natural and ordinary meaning of -before Me:" and as -before Me in dignity" would be obviously inappropriate, -before Me in time" must be the meaning. But who are -all that came before Me?" The patriarchs, prophets, Moses, the Baptist cannotbe meant, either collectively or singly. -Salvation is of the Jews" (John 4:22); -they are they which testify of Me" (John 5:39); -if ye believed Moses, ye would believe Me" (John 5:46); -John bare witness unto the truth" (John 5:33): texts like this are quite conclusive against any such Gnostic interpretation. Nor can false Messiahs be meant: it is doubtful whether any had arisen at this time. Rather it refers to the -ravening wolves in sheep's clothing" who had been, and still were, the ruin of the nation, who -devoured widow's houses," who were -full of ravening and wickedness," who had -taken away the key of knowledge," and were in very truth -thieves and robbers" (Matthew 7:15; Matthew 23:14; Luke 11:39; Luke 11:52). Some of them were now present, thirsting to add bloodshed to robbery, and this denunciation of them is no stronger than several passages in the Synoptists: e.g. Matthew 23:33; Luke 11:50-51. The tense also is in favour of this interpretation; not were, but - arethieves and robbers."

but the sheep did not hear them For they spoke with no authority (Matthew 7:29); there was no living voice in their teaching. They had their hearers, but these were not -the sheep," but blind adherents, led by the blind.