10:7,8
Now, there is a change here. In 10:2 Jesus said “he who enters by the door” by which one might think He was saying that He entered by the door, but He now says “I am the door of the sheep”. It seems likely that Jesus is using “door” (or gate) in a variety of ways in this section. So the only good shepherds are those who follow Jesus, who enter by Him. So a minister or pastor who is a disciple of Jesus will be a good shepherd. The Jewish leaders of the day were rejecting Jesus, and so were not good shepherds. Likewise, today anyone who rejects Jesus, or who does not fully accept Him as the Son of God is not a good shepherd. “All who came before me ...” Now this cannot include the good prophets, for they did seek the Lord, and prophesied His words. But must be a general reference to the religious leaders, and Jesus does not have a very high opinion of them!
10:9,10
Now Jesus uses “door” (or gate) in yet another way. He has just used it as referring to those who serve as leaders, now it is used much more generally. Jesus is the door to eternal life. If we enter via Jesus we will “be saved and will go in and out and find pasture”. Being saved is not just ticking a box. Rather it is a doorway to life.
Jesus now contrasts Himself with the thieves and robbers. They came only to “steal and kill and destroy”. The bad shepherds sought their own ends and their own advancement. The good shepherd comes to look after the sheep and to give them abundant life.
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