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Copyright © 2012 J. Neely. All rights reserved.
Chapter 7 - Good Shepherd
John 10:4-6
4 And [kai] when [hotan] he putteth forth [ekballo] his own [idios] sheep [probaton] , he goeth [poreuomai] before [emprosthen] them [autos] , and [kai] the sheep [probaton] follow [akoloutheo] him [autos] : for [hoti] they know [eido] his [autos] voice [phone] .
5 And [de] a stranger [allotrios] will they [akoloutheo] not [ou me] follow [akoloutheo] , but [alla] will flee [pheugo] from [apo] him [autos] : for [hoti] they know [eido] not [ou] the voice [phone] of strangers [allotrios] .
6 This [taute] parable [paroimia] spake [epo] Jesus [Iesous] unto them [autos] : but [de] they [ekeinos] understood [ginosko] not [ou] what things [tis] they were [en] which [hos] he spake [laleo] unto them [autos] . KJV-Interlinear
4 'When he puts forth all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 'And a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.' 6 This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them. NASB
Several characteristics of a good shepherd are: 1. That He sets a good example for His followers, 2. He leads those who follow Him, 3. He is well acquainted with those who follow Him, 4. He seeks to instruct His followers and does not take advantage of them, 5. His labors are just and worthy of high honors, 6. He has a lawful and legitimate entry into the leadership role.
Of all of these, no human being can qualify except one, and that is the unique person of Jesus Christ.
In history people will turn naturally to God, or they will not. Those who turn to God just know the truth and they know what they hear when they study the Word of God. Of course there will be those who will pick and choose the truth's they want to acknowledge. They may be saved, but they will not advance in their spiritual life.
The true believer who is destined for 'completion' in their life, is the one who is positive toward God, His Word, and advance in their spiritual lives through constant and consistent study of the scriptures, along with the proper application of same to their daily lives.
Those who will advance to maturity, have a genuine desire to learn, and to grow, and they will be the first to acknowledge that they do not know it all. Thus the attitude and desire of wanting to learn.
Anything that does not smack of truth is recognized by the mature or growing believer. The positive believer who has or is acquiring discernment, can distinguish truth from the lie (he can hear the shepherds voice - Bible doctrine). Thus they will not likely follow the stranger, the thief, the robber, the one who would lead them down the rose petal path of false promise and false hope (the liberal tactics of the false prophet or leader).
The positive believer can feel confident and secure in that they will not make the mistakes of the spiritually ignorant person. They will not follow the false prophet, the false priest, the false individual who proclaims himself as an authority.
This application is not limited to the priesthood, but includes any form of leadership positions who would wish you to follow, or vote for, or support them in some fashion. If illegitimate leaders are successful in securing any sheep at all, it is by violence, by deceit, or stealth, by some unfair means, by illegitimate methods of propaganda.
Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees who happen to be present. From the previous chapter, a blind man was healed and the debate was on concerning just how that could be. The man who was obviously a sinner (in the Pharisees eyes), thus his blindness, which was now healed. So what of his blindness now?
The Pharisees, were confident of their own position, and gloried in their perceived influence over the common man.
Their moral nature was armed to resist even the reference to themselves as 'thieves,' or 'robbers.' They would not admit any of Christ's claims of course. They understood nothing of the things which He was saying to them. And they were the learned authorities of that day.
The blind man of the previous chapter simply heard Christ's voice. Obviously he could not see Him, nor did he have the ability to read the scriptures. Yet he believed and found healing, and from a bare knowledge of the Savior. The Pharisees were conscious of neither need, nor blindness, nor desire of salvation, nor of the Shepherds care or grace.
Those who do not acknowledge the scriptures, will never be able to overcome their stubbornness and they will never either be saved or grow up spiritually as the case may be. They stand in their own way, preventing their own advancement in life.
They place their own opinions and values (based on what by the way?) in front of the wisdom of God. They place high value on their own attitudes and beliefs, which they come from where? From false truths which are merely the product of thieves and robbers.
The truth of the world is a lie at best. Following it means despair, misery and a hope that will never be.
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Study to show thyself approved (mature) unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (studying/discerning), the Word of truth.
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