John 10:1

The theme of this chapter is the character and office of the good shepherd of God's spiritual fold, of which Christ himself is the great example. The reader should study, in connection with it, Jeremiah 23:1-6; and especially Ezekiel 34:1-31.

Entereth not by the door; the Saviour has in view men like the scribes and Pharisees, who usurp dominion over the fold of God, and rule the flock with cruelty and selfishness for their own private ends. The door is not yet directly Christ, for he too enters the fold by the door; but rather, in a more general sense, the Father, and his appointment. To enter the fold by the door, is to come in accordance with God's will, in respect not merely to outward order, but to spirit also. None are true disciples or ministers of Christ who do not believe in him and obey his commands. All others who enter the Christian church or ministry are false and selfish. Instead of aiding, they hinder the progress of his cause.