Background: Flock of sheep-all sheep belong to one shepherd. Fold of sheep-different flocks of sheep might be kept under one fold with the door and doorkeeper. (NET) There was more than one type of sheepfold in use in Palestine in Jesus’ day. The one here seems to be a courtyard in front of a house (the Greek word used for the sheepfold here, αὐλή [aulē] frequently refers to a courtyard), surrounded by a stone wall (often topped with briars for protection). Note, Jesus mentioned “10:16 I have other sheep that do not come from this sheepfold. I must bring them too, and they will listen to my voice, so that there will be one flock and one shepherd.” This flock will be the gentle believers. We have under Jesus as our shepherd, but are not originally from the sheepfold of Israel.
Main point: Jesus had told them many times that He was the Messiah, now He turned it around and let the audience validate that He was the Messiah. The responses of the sheep validate who was the shepherd v.1-6 (esp v.3-4) and the wellbeing of the sheeps validate whom did they follow v.7-10.
Difficult text: What does, “will come in and go out mean? V.9” mean? (NET) Luke 9:4, where both these verbs occur in the context of the safety and security provided by a given household for the disciples. What does “have [life] abundantly” mean v.10? (NET) more than one would normally expect or anticipate.
Reflection: 第三節和第四節形容牧養人與羊的關係, 他叫羊的名字, 羊跟著他, 出羊圈, 並且跟著他走, 因為認得他的聲音. 我想自己信主的時候, 為何會相信？ 我想就是因為心裏一直渴望生命, 所以當聽到聖經的神是創造天地, 和創造我,就想相信. 並且渴慕一個赦罪的机会, 所以就會決定相信.換句話來說,耶穌的出現, 是吻合的人心中一直所渴慕的.
從第七節開始, 是另外一個圖畫. 就是有兩批人都在向我招手去跟從他們. 一批就是賊和強盜, 另外一邊就是耶穌. 我看到經過耶穌这門之後, 那些羊, 他們是安穩的, 是有安全的, 並且有充足的養分, 他們活得比別的羊更好的. 另外一邊就是跟隨了盜賊那邊的羊, 他們最後就是被殺害與毀壞. 耶穌對羊好, 因為他的出發點, 就是要為羊. 為什麼人會不想跟從他呢?
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