Basic HTML Version
Christ is the Door, July 2
Then said Jesus unto them ..., Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of
the sheep.
John 10:7
.
Satan took the field in person against Jesus Christ. Evil angels conspired with
evil men to resist good, to trample upon righteousness, and all the energies of
evil were confederated together to destroy the champion of God and truth. While
success seems to attend the masterly activity of Satan, Jesus takes the field to contest
his power. Jesus came “unto his own, and his own received him not.” He was
charged with an embassage of mercy, sent of the Father at a crisis when rebellion
had overspread the world, in order that man should not perish, but have everlasting
life through faith in the Son of God. Through Christ they were to bruise the serpent’s
head, and gain eternal life....
In the parable of the shepherd Jesus puts His own interpretation on His work and
mission, and represents Himself as the good shepherd, feeding and taking charge of
the sheep. He said, “He that entereth not by the door [by himself] into the sheepfold,
but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.” Christ said
that all who came before Him claiming to be the Messiah were deceivers. All the
time of Christ’s coming there was much agitation concerning the appearance of the
world’s Messiah. The Jewish nation expected that a great deliverer would come, and
there were men who took advantage of this expectation, turning it to the service of
themselves, that they might be thereby profited and glorified. Prophecy had foretold
that these deceivers would arise. The deceivers did not come in the way in which it
was prophesied that the world’s Redeemer should come; but Christ came, answering
every specification. Types and symbols had represented Him, and in Him type met
antitype. In the life, mission, and death of Jesus every specification was fulfilled.
Jesus was the good shepherd to whom the porter openeth, who knows the sheep,
calleth His own by name, and leadeth them out. He it is who is stronger than the
thief and the robber, those who enter not in at the door, but climb up some other way.
The Pharisees were not able to discern that this parable was spoken against them,
the professed leaders of the people, pastors of the flock. Jesus presented Himself in
contrast to them, and when they reasoned in their hearts as to what he could mean
by the parable, He said, “I am the door [of the sheep]: by me if any man enter in, he
shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture”.... Christ presented Himself
as the only one in whom were qualifications for making a good shepherd.
He is represented as the “Chief Shepherd” (
The Signs of the Times, December
4, 1893
).
[198]
197