May 3 Lectionary Gospel: John 10:1-10

The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

10 “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. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.

7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.[a] They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

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Reading the Gospel of John, you encounter several instances where Jesus uses illustrations and figures of speech, and his hearers don't understand him.  This is one of those instances.  Jesus, in this case, is speaking with Pharisees:  the true shepherd enters the sheep pen by the gate.  False shepherds (thieves and bandits) jump the fence.  The Pharisees don't get it.

I feel them. I have a hard time getting Jesus in the Gospel of John.  What are you talking about, Jesus? Who are the thieves and bandits?  Who is the real shepherd?  Who are these sheep?  What does this have to do with the price of turtledoves in the marketplace?

So Jesus explains himself (ostensibly) by mixing metaphors, and, to be honest, mixing me up even more (and, I assume, the Pharisees, as well).  Now Jesus is the gate, and the sheep have to go in and out through the gate to find pleasant pastures. And then, back to the thief jumping the fence: the thief's goal is to kill (he's looking for a rack of lamb dinner).  But the Good shepherd (charged with protecting the sheep) leads his flock to abundant life (the pleasant pastures).

As is usually the case, when I read the Gospel of John, I have to let that stuff rattle around in my brain for three or four days before any marbles come rolling out.  And here's what came out today:

Jesus is the gate, and that gate is the direct path to abundant life.  This illustration is consistent with other sayings of Jesus in this Gospel:  Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.  Enter by the narrow gate.  Any other way out of the sheep pen (that is, on the shoulders of the thief, jumping over the fence) is the road to perdition.

We are tempted to follow false messiahs.  We seek salvation - no, to be more accurate, we seek escape, a numbing - from our idols.  They're not made of metal or wood and set on pedestals in pagan temples.  Our idols are gold and silver, sex and alcohol, consumerism and recognition, social status and power.  All of these false shepherds are thieves . . . they steal our souls.  The only Presence that brings life is God.  Jesus shows us the way to that abundant life . . . Jesus is the gateway to those pleasant pastures.

I'm discovering that this time of pandemic has been a rich time of self-reflection and spiritual discovery (there's not much else to do . . . I've binge-watched everything there is to see on Netflix).  The world has come screeching to a halt, and it's a gift.  It's an opportunity to step outside of the daily grind.  It's a chance to step out of the hamster wheel now that it's seized up.  And I'm realizing how much I have allowed those thieves to jump the fence and steal parts of my soul.

Working to the point of exhaustion, climbing the corporate ladder - there's one false god that was sucking the life out of my soul.  Suddenly I am finding more peace.  I've been able to cut my Zoloft tablets in half.  My stress level has dropped below the feverish rate. I am rediscovering my wife.  The aching longing to see my sons and grandson, whom I can see only on my smart phone, has heightened my appreciation and love for my children.

Most fulfilling, I am spending time in prayer and meditating on God's Word.  I am discovering first-hand that the gate really does lead to greener pastures.