Sheep Gate
The Good Shepherd enters the sheep pen through the gate. Anyone entering from another way is a thief.
If anyone does not enter the sheep pen through the gate, that person is a thief (stealing through stealth) AND a robber (stealing through brute force.) This being, whether physical or spiritual, comes into the sheep pen to steal, to kill or to destroy. All that came before Jesus were this type of intruder. Whether conqueror, religious leader, ruler, demon or the devil, all that entered the sheep pen were thieves and robbers. Why? Because Jesus said so, “All who have come before me are thieves and robbers.” In fact, before Jesus there was no gate!
The sheep pen in Jesus’ reference is a metaphor for Israel and the sheep are the jews. How do we know? In verse sixteen Jesus says, “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen.” These other sheep are the gentiles or people of non-jewish lineage that would, do and will believe Jesus is the Son of God. So the sheep pen is Israel and the sheep are the jews. All those who came into Israel prior to Jesus were thieves with designs to steal, kill and destroy.
But Jesus came to be the gate. Before Jesus, there was no gate. There was no way in or out of the pen except over the wall in the manner of a robber. But Jesus became the gate and through Jesus the inhabitants of the pen may come in and go out and “will be saved.” There still will be thieves and robbers, those who will not enter through the gate. But the sheep now have the Way, the Truth and the Life.
How did Jesus become the gate? He laid down His life for the sheep. He is the Good Shepherd. When the wolf comes, when the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy, the Good Shepherd does not run away. Instead, the Good Shepherd stays and defends the sheep even to the point of death. Jesus died for the sheep, for the Jews and for all other peoples as well. As the Lord states in verse 17, “I lay down life” and verse 18, “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.” Jesus became the gate for the sheep by laying down His own life and taking it back up again of his own free will.
Why would Jesus do this? Because the sheep needed a gate! We need a way. Without a gate we will only receive thieves and robbers. There had to be a Gate and Good Shepherd. God the Father understood full well that those He loves were stuck, through their own doing. There was no way, no gate, no Good Shepherd to lead His people into salvation. So according to Jesus, God gave Him “authority to lay it [His life] down and authority to take it up again.” In fact, it was the “command” Jesus received from the Father.
Why would Jesus lay down His life and become the gate so that we may enter eternal life through Him? Because God loves you! He desires you. He sought after you, watched over you, brought you and bought you with the infinitely immense price of His own life. Today, if you stand at the gate, unsure of whether to pass through, know this: a loving God is waiting for you on the other side of that gate, a God so loving that He would die to see you live. Walk through the gate.