10:7
Jesus now expounds upon the parable. Jesus likens Himself both to the door and to the shepherd. We will focus on the shepherd later, but here He is talking about the door. Jesus introduces His words with “Very truly”, stressing the importance of the words. Consider the enormity of what He is saying.”I am the door”. Jesus is very clearly putting Himself as the head of the “church” (which hadn’t been invented at that point, but you know what I mean). Jesus is the only way into the kingdom.
10:8
“All who have come before me ...” This could be referring to the various false messiahs who cropped up from time to time, but more likely to the various religious leaders that Israel had. Again, appreciate the absoluteness of what He is saying. Jesus is completely setting Himself against the established religious leaders, and doing away with them, completely disregarding them and counting them as worthless.
“The sheep have not listened to them”. God’s people are actually quite good at spotting imposters, they sense that something is amiss. If someone is truly of God, then God’s people will pay attention to them, they will recognise the voice.
10:9
Jesus is the door (not gate as NIV has it). He is the only way into the kingdom. If we enter by Him, ie if we believe in Him, then we will be saved. We will come in and go out. It has oft been said that the kingdom is all about coming and going. The reference here is to sheep going out from the fold to find safe pasture where they can eat and drink. We come into the kingdom and are saved, then we are sent out into the world. In the world the shepherd makes sure that we have food and drink.
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