Those That See, Sheep Hear The Shepherd's Voice

In John chapter 9, Jesus heals a man as blind from birth and tells him to wash clay from his eyes in the pool of Siloam. Not knowing where Jesus was who had given him his sight, (He sent him away to the pool) His neighbours alerted the Pharisees, who questioned the man, even sending for his parents, who assured them it was their son who had been born blind. The Pharisees accused Jesus of being a sinner - which the formerly blind man marvelled at their accusation, that Jesus was a sinner and yet God did miracles through him. The Pharisees had made known that any person affirming Jesus as Christ would be cast out of the synagogue - and when he had pointed out the discrepancy between their report and the reality of Christ, they tried to tangle his account. - Even his parents passed the buck back to him on the matter. Unable to find fault in his account, they cast him out any way in an apparent attempt to save face.

Jesus' words at the end of Chapter 9 are useful for the next chapter (ch10), which continues on from these events.

John did not include the words of Christ here for simple circumstance. The blind man saw the truth of Jesus as Christ even though he had not seen him. He saw the folly in the report of Jesus by the Pharisees - that he was a sinner. (They also held no sinner could do any works of God.) That he saw their report as laughable almost, that they did not know "whence" Jesus had his miraculous powers, (what was their spiritual source?) - yet he had cured a blind man who was so from birth, which was completely unheard of through all scripture. (Beautifully identifying that Christ could be also for salvation of gentiles by dint of rejection by the Jews. - cf Paul's ministerial beginnings to gentiles in the book of acts).

The blind man without vision had seen more than they which had not received what he saw though they had looked upon Jesus saying they had seen just a man. - You can't measure God by looking at a man, even Jesus. The words, and miracles give a glimpse of God in Jesus. By not seeing all of Jesus as completely God (not having seen God) , you have seen more than they who say they have seen all there is to see of the man. The latter have locked themselves in sin. (v41).

Anyway, moving on to John ch10;

Now, against all concept of the sheepfold as a "place of safety" and a ultimate destination for the sheep which I have had been taught was like "the kingdom of God" - Jesus is actually the one who leads sheep out of the sheepfold, not in. The sheep are kept in the fold for two reasons: shearing and slaughter. It follows that the good shepherd leads his sheep out of the sheepfold because it is outside that they get life in greater abundance. Jesus, being the one voice to whom the door to life will open and whom the sheep will follow, is quite rightly the good shepherd who will not flee from death to keep the flock safe.

In comparison to those whom sneak in through some other way, finding a "false or counterfeit" path other than Christ's to life, stealing away those whom should be for the good shepherd. - They are thieves, robbers stealing away Christ's sheep, leading to the death of the sheep. (absence of Christ).

Is Christ referring to Moses and the prophets as thieves and murderers? I do not think so. The words of the law and prophets are divinely inspired, and are as much the words of Christ as any in the Gospels. He is saying that "None come to the Father but by me". - He is not completing the work of someone before him, (new wine new bottles etc.) but is here to fulfil the law and is mediation for a new covenant. - Any claiming salvation from sin before Christ was a liar stealing away those whose ears are toward Christ. Christ's own however, among the lost sheep of the house of Israel (The first fold above) - would not follow a foreign religion. The other folds Jesus refers to - (such as the Gentiles) are not his fold; but there are other sheep to bring into his own fold. There is one Israel, or body of Christ.

Jesus therefore gives his life for the sheep, and can take it up again. WARNING!

Do not think of a shepherd like young David, who follows the sheep around with a sling to cast stones at wolves. Here, the wolves are sneaking into the sheepfold! They are the thieves and robbers. Jesus, the good shepherd is the door of the sheep. He stands between the sheep caught in their pen awaiting slaughter, and is the only way out to everlasting life. When the gate is removed, (taken down), Jesus gives up his life. When Jesus takes his life up again, the gate is lifted up and replaced. All the sheep follow him out to life that hear his voice, and all who do not are left inside with a closed gate.

Now, how many times does this happen? Once? Every Sunday at mass? - Nope, just once. With Jesus on the cross, then resurrected. I will omit the necessary complications of space-time as we see it.

So, that those that hear Jesus and believe on him see their master (good shepherd) leading them out to everlasting life (which they don't physically see yet). But those that say they have seen no life in Christ are blind.

Lets see how the chapter carries on.

Up to v30, Jesus answers their question. He told them before, he showed them before, he proved it before, now he tells them plainly. Strange that they immediately wish to stone him; especially for most likely giving them the answer they were longing to hear - just not the truth they expected. The closest account I can find in the gospels of Jesus getting his opponents to admit it themselves was;

Mat 22:42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David.
Mat 22:43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying,
Mat 22:44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?
Mat 22:45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? (KJV)

Jesus does some quick talking when the crowd are ready to stone him. He quotes from the psalms;'

Verse 2 to 7 Are God's own words to those men he judges whilst calling them "gods". Whether as sons of God they are also counted as heirs: Or, since Jesus is God and the ultimate human yardstick whose standard we are all judged by (Christ's standard) - each according to what we have done. It is only a fair comparison that we be counted "gods" for the purpose of our own judgement. We may be true men, but we are most definitely imperfect false gods.

Jesus casts their judgement for their sin upon them by his own standard In John's account. By reminding them all that as Sons of God they have a responsibility to be just, else risking judgement on themselves. They can not by Jesus' words condemn him because of the works he did. Psalm 85 verse 5 is prophetic of their whole attitude.

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