Joh 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy…
The word “thief” denotes a person, people, personification of time and Jesus but never a fallen angel Satan:
- A person/people: Job 24:14, Psa 50:18, Hos 7:1, Zec 5:4, 10:3, Joh 10:1, Luk 12:33
- Personification of time: 1Th 5:2, 1Th 5:4, 2Pe 3:10
- Jesus: Rev 3:3, Rev 16:15
Who is Jesus then referring to in Jn 10:10? We need to see the context of this verse. Let’s go back to
Joh 9:39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
Jesus says that he came to make some to see and to blind others. The Pharisees were upset for this with Jesus:
Joh 9:40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
Joh 9:41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.
So the Pharisees were the ones to be blinded. They didn't understand the parable for they were not supposed to understand it
Mar 4:10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
Mar 4:11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
Mar 4:12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
This is another confirmation that the Pharisees were the ones to be blinded.
But they were the custodians of the Word of God. They had the power and authority. They were the leaders of Israel. They were the “shepherd of the flock”. Were they a “good shepherd”?
Jesus continues
Joh 10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
Joh 10:2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
Joh 10:3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
Joh 10:4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
Joh 10:5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
Did they understand the parable?
Joh 10:6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
Jesus continues further:
Joh 10:7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
Joh 10:8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
Joh 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
Joh 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Does the text indicate that Jesus refers to satanic power? Certainly not. What then Jesus refer to? Doesn't he refer to?
Eze 34:2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
Eze 34:3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.
Eze 34:4 The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.
Eze 34:5 And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.
Eze 34:6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.
Eze 34:7 Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
Eze 34:8 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;
Eze 34:9 Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
Eze 34:10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.
Eze 34:11 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.
Eze 34:12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
Eze 34:13 And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.
Eze 34:14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.
Eze 34:15 I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.
Eze 34:16 I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.
So speaking to Pharisees about the “thief” or a bad shepherd/s Jesus was referring to Eze 34, Isa 3:14-15, Jer 12:10, 23:4, 25:34, 25:35, 25:36, 33:12, 50:6, 50:7, Da 7:13-14, Mic 3:1-3, 5:5, Nah 3:18, Zec 10:2-3, 11:3+5+16, 13:7, Re 3:3 whereby God foretold that the Pharisees “the thieve” will be replaced by the “good shepherd”.
There is no mention that a fallen angel Satan is a shepherd or a bad shepherd. As the matter of fact there is no mention that a fallen angel Satan exists.
We need to ask ourselves another question: where from Jews knew that Jesus and John the Baptist had a devil/unclean spirit?
Mt 12:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, "This fellow doth not cast out devils, except by Beelzebub, the prince of devils."
Luk 7:33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil.
Joh 7:20 The people answered and said, "Thou hast a devil. Who goeth about to kill thee?"
Joh 8:48 Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?
Joh 10:20 And many of them said, "He hath a devil and is mad. Why hear ye him?"
Wasn’t exactly the reason why Jesus spoke to them in parables?
Do Christians consider that those who “knew” that Jesus had a devil/unclean spirit blasphemed against the Holy Spirit?
Mar 3:29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:
Mar 3:30 Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.
People use Joh 10:10 without consideration of the Biblical context assuming satanic connotation.
The word “thief” denotes a person, people, personification of time and Jesus but never a fallen angel Satan:
- A person/people: Job 24:14, Psa 50:18, Hos 7:1, Zec 5:4, 10:3, Joh 10:1, Luk 12:33
- Personification of time: 1Th 5:2, 1Th 5:4, 2Pe 3:10
- Jesus: Rev 3:3, Rev 16:15
Who is Jesus then referring to in Jn 10:10? We need to see the context of this verse. Let’s go back to
Joh 9:39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
Jesus says that he came to make some to see and to blind others. The Pharisees were upset for this with Jesus:
Joh 9:40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
Joh 9:41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.
So the Pharisees were the ones to be blinded. They didn't understand the parable for they were not supposed to understand it
Mar 4:10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
Mar 4:11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
Mar 4:12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
This is another confirmation that the Pharisees were the ones to be blinded.
But they were the custodians of the Word of God. They had the power and authority. They were the leaders of Israel. They were the “shepherd of the flock”. Were they a “good shepherd”?
Jesus continues
Joh 10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
Joh 10:2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
Joh 10:3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
Joh 10:4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
Joh 10:5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
Did they understand the parable?
Joh 10:6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
Jesus continues further:
Joh 10:7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
Joh 10:8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
Joh 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
Joh 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Does the text indicate that Jesus refers to satanic power? Certainly not. What then Jesus refer to? Doesn't he refer to?
Eze 34:2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
Eze 34:3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.
Eze 34:4 The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.
Eze 34:5 And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.
Eze 34:6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.
Eze 34:7 Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
Eze 34:8 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;
Eze 34:9 Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
Eze 34:10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.
Eze 34:11 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.
Eze 34:12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
Eze 34:13 And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.
Eze 34:14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.
Eze 34:15 I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD.
Eze 34:16 I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.
So speaking to Pharisees about the “thief” or a bad shepherd/s Jesus was referring to Eze 34, Isa 3:14-15, Jer 12:10, 23:4, 25:34, 25:35, 25:36, 33:12, 50:6, 50:7, Da 7:13-14, Mic 3:1-3, 5:5, Nah 3:18, Zec 10:2-3, 11:3+5+16, 13:7, Re 3:3 whereby God foretold that the Pharisees “the thieve” will be replaced by the “good shepherd”.
There is no mention that a fallen angel Satan is a shepherd or a bad shepherd. As the matter of fact there is no mention that a fallen angel Satan exists.
We need to ask ourselves another question: where from Jews knew that Jesus and John the Baptist had a devil/unclean spirit?
Mt 12:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, "This fellow doth not cast out devils, except by Beelzebub, the prince of devils."
Luk 7:33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil.
Joh 7:20 The people answered and said, "Thou hast a devil. Who goeth about to kill thee?"
Joh 8:48 Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?
Joh 10:20 And many of them said, "He hath a devil and is mad. Why hear ye him?"
Wasn’t exactly the reason why Jesus spoke to them in parables?
Do Christians consider that those who “knew” that Jesus had a devil/unclean spirit blasphemed against the Holy Spirit?
Mar 3:29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:
Mar 3:30 Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.
People use Joh 10:10 without consideration of the Biblical context assuming satanic connotation.
