“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.”
Chapter 10 of John’s Gospel might be called the Sheep Chapter. Jesus talks a lot about sheep in the next few verses. Back in the time of Jesus, the Jewish diet was relatively simple. Lamb was a main source of protein as many foods we take for granted today were considered unclean under the Mosaic laws.
Sheep were also a very important part of temple worship. The Levitical laws had many instructions related to the preparation of sheep for sacrificial offerings, what parts would be burned completely, what parts of the meat could be eaten by the priests, and whether or not an ordinary Israelite could eat of the meat.
Since the culture at that time was primarily agrarian, sheep would be a common sight. Everyone would be familiar with them from the shepherd who cared for them in the fields to the priest who slaughtered them for the sacrifice in the temple. (I am wondering if the priest’s perspective on sheep was biased by their roles as butchers as opposed to those who cared for the sheep in the fields.)
In this passage, Jesus enters into an effort to explain to the Pharisees who He is.
Let’s Discuss: What is the phrase, “sheep pen” a metaphor for and who is Jesus thinking might be a “thief and a robber?”
I think Jesus is making a sheep metaphor where he is the proper way into the pen (later in passage) and those who do not go in that way are theives. The Pharisees are the theives.
Nathan,
Lots of sheep stuff coming up! You’re gonna love it! 🙂
Enter Super Shepherd!