John 10:3 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - John 10:1-18

It is not certain whether this discourse was at the feast of dedication in the winter (spoken of John 10:22), which may be taken as the date, not only of what follows, but of what goes before (that which countenances this is, that Christ, in his discourse there, carries on the metaphor of the sheep, John 10:26, 27, whence it seems that that discourse and this were at the same time); or whether this was a continuation of his parley with the Pharisees, in the close of the foregoing chapter. The... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 10:1-6

10:1-6 Jesus said: "This is the truth I tell you; he who does not enter the sheepfold through the door, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. But he who comes in through the door is the shepherd of the sheep. The keeper of the door opens the door to him; and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. Whenever he puts his own sheep out, he walks in front of them; and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice. But they will not... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 10:1-6

The Palestinian shepherd had different ways of doing things from the shepherds of our country; and, to get the full meaning of this picture, we must look at the shepherd and the way in which he worked. His equipment was very simple. He had his scrip, a bag made of the skin of an animal, in which he carried his food. In it he would have no more than bread, dried fruit, some olives and cheese. He had his sting. The skill of many of the men of Palestine was such that they "could sling a stone... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 10:3

To him the porter openeth ,.... There is nothing in the explanation of this parable given by Christ, that directs to the sense of this clause; the allusion cannot be, as some have thought, to great men, who have porters at their gates, to open them, and let in persons that come and knock; since the parable is concerning the sheepfold, and the shepherd, and the sheep that go into it; and therefore must refer to one that at least, at certain times, stood by the door of the sheepfold, and had... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - John 10:3

To him the porter openeth - Sir Isaac Newton observes that our Lord being near the temple, where sheep were kept in folds to be sold for sacrifices, spoke many things parabolically of sheep, of their shepherds, and of the door to the sheepfold; and discovers that he alluded to the sheepfolds which were to be hired in the market place, by speaking of such folds as a thief could not enter by the door, nor the shepherd himself open, but a porter opened to the shepherd. In the porter opening the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - John 10:3

Verse 3 3.To him the porter openeth. If by the word Porter (282) any one choose to understand God, I do not object; and Christ even appears expressly to contrast the judgment of God with the false opinion of men in approving of pastors, as if he had said, “There are others, indeed, whom the world generally applauds, and on whom it willingly confers honor; but God, who holds the reins of government, does not acknowledge or approve of any but those who lead the sheep by this road.” He calleth... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 10:1-6

(1) The parable of the fold and flock , the door and the porter , the robber and the shepherd . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 10:1-6

The allegory of the shepherd. Our Lord contrasts the religious guidance of the Pharisees, as the shepherds of the Jewish fold, with that afforded by himself in respect of loyal devotion and obedience. I. THE SHEEPFOLD . This is the Jewish theocracy. 1. The Lord represented himself to the old prophets as the Shepherd of Israel . ( Isaiah 11:11 ; Ezekiel 35:1-15 .) 2. He had isolated Israel from all the nations of the earth that he might train her for himself. 3.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 10:1-21

5. Christ the Shepherd of the flock of God . The discourse which now follows was the Lord's parabolic or allegoric reply to the conduct of the Pharisaic malignants. These men, claiming to be infallible guides of the ignorant, to be veritable shepherds of the flock of God, had ignored the advent of the true and good Shepherd, had opposed the Divine call and supreme claim of the Messiah, had set themselves to disturb and dislocate the relations between him and those who saw his glory... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 10:3

To him the porter openeth . The doorkeeper of the fold has been variously interpreted. Bengel and Hengstenberg say, "God himself" is meant; Stier, Alford, and Lange, "the Holy Spirit;" against which interpretations may be urged the subordinate position assigned to the "porter," as compared with the shepherds themselves. Lampe and Godet think that "John the Baptist" was intended; while Meyer and De Wette say that it is one of those elements of the parable which is dropped out of our Lord's... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - John 10:1-18

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 10:1-6

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 10:1-6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 10:3

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - John 10:3

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - John 10:3

The Pulpit Commentary - John 10:1-6

The Pulpit Commentary - John 10:1-6

The Pulpit Commentary - John 10:1-21

The Pulpit Commentary - John 10:3

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