The Parable of the Good Shepherd
"I tell you the absolute truth," Jesus said. "Anyone who doesn't come into the sheep pen through the gate, but instead climbs over the wall or sneaks in another way, is a thief and a robber. But the person who comes in through the gate is the true shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for this shepherd, and the sheep recognize his voice when he calls. The shepherd knows each of his sheep by name and calls them individually as he leads them out of the pen. After he has brought out all of his own sheep, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know the sound of his voice. They will never follow a stranger—if a stranger tries to lead them, they will run away because they don't recognize his voice." Jesus told them this story to help them understand something important, but they could not figure out what he meant.
Jesus the Gate and the Good Shepherd
So Jesus spoke to them again with absolute certainty: "I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep refused to listen to them. I am the gate. Anyone who enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out freely, and they will find good pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy everything. But I have come so that people may have life—not just any life, but life overflowing with abundance and fullness. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives up his life for his sheep. But a hired worker is not the real shepherd, and the sheep don't belong to him. When he sees a wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the sheep and scatters the whole flock in every direction. The hired man runs away because he's only working for pay and doesn't truly care what happens to the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep personally, and my sheep know me personally, just as my Father knows me completely and I know my Father completely. And I willingly give up my life for my sheep. I have other sheep too—sheep that don't belong to this flock. I must bring them in as well, and they will hear my voice and respond. Then there will be one united flock with one shepherd over all. This is why my Father loves me: because I lay down my life so that I can take it back up again. No one is taking my life away from me by force. Instead, I am laying it down by my own choice. I have the power to lay it down, and I have the power to take it back up again. This is the mission my Father has given me to accomplish."
Division Among the Jews
Once again, the Jewish people were sharply divided because of what Jesus had said. Many among them declared, "He's controlled by an evil spirit and completely out of his mind. Why would anyone bother listening to him?" But others pushed back, saying, "Those aren't the words of someone possessed by a demon. Could an evil spirit really give sight to a blind person?"
Jesus at the Feast of Dedication
It was winter in Jerusalem during the Feast of Dedication. Jesus was walking through the temple courtyards in the area called Solomon's Colonnade. A group of Jewish leaders surrounded him and pressed him with a direct challenge: "How much longer are you going to keep us guessing? If you really are the Messiah, just tell us straight out." Jesus answered them, "I have already told you, but you didn't believe me. The miracles I perform in my Father's name speak for themselves—they prove who I am. But you don't believe because you don't belong to my flock. My sheep recognize my voice. I know each one of them personally, and they follow me. I give them life that lasts forever, and they will never be lost. No one can tear them away from me. My Father, who gave them to me, is more powerful than anyone or anything else. No one can tear them away from my Father's protection either. My Father and I are one and the same."
Attempted Stoning and Jesus' Defense
When the Jewish leaders heard this, they picked up stones again, ready to kill Jesus by stoning him. But Jesus spoke to them calmly: "I have shown you many wonderful works that come from my Father. Which one of these good works makes you want to stone me?" The Jewish leaders answered, "We're not stoning you because of any good work you've done. We're stoning you for speaking against God. You are just a man, but you claim to be God himself." Jesus replied, "Doesn't your own Law say, 'I have called you gods'? The Scripture called certain people 'gods' when God's word came to them, and Scripture cannot be broken or proven wrong. So if God called those people 'gods,' then what about me? I am the one the Father set apart as holy and sent into the world. How can you accuse me of speaking against God when I say I am the Son of God? If I'm not doing the same works that my Father does, then don't believe me. But if I am doing his works, then even if you don't believe what I'm saying about myself, believe what you see me doing. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father." When they heard this, the Jewish leaders tried once more to arrest him, but Jesus slipped away from them and escaped.
Jesus Withdraws Across the Jordan
Jesus traveled back across the Jordan River to the place where John had been baptizing people at the beginning of his ministry, and Jesus remained there for a while. Large crowds of people came to see him, and they talked among themselves, saying, "John the Baptist never did any miracles, but everything he told us about this man turned out to be completely true." Because of what they remembered about John's words and what they now saw in Jesus, many people in that area put their faith in him and became his followers.