Illustrated New TestamentJohn 10

He that entereth not by the door; that is, by Christ. (v. 7.) The condemnation is applied to those religious teachers, who, like the Pharisees, are destitute of the spirit of Christ, and teach salvation otherwise than through him. Climbing up some other way, refers to spiritual characteristics, not to a want of compliance with the forms of organization and office; for the Pharisees were punctilious, in the extreme, in respect to the latter.

The porter; the person employed to keep the door of the fold.

All that ever came before me, &c. It is plain, from the connection, that Jesus is speaking of the Pharisees and leading Jews; but how this very general expression can be grammatically limited to them in its application does not appear.

Pasture; food, spiritual support.

Hireling; that is, a man employed for wages, and influenced chiefly by his expected reward.

Of this fold; the Jewish nation.

This commandment; this power.

The feast of the dedication. This feast commemorated the renovation and purifying of the temple, after it had been desolated and polluted by foreign armies.

Solomon's porch; an extensive piazza, or covered walk, on the eastern side of the temple.

Ps. 82:6.

Them unto whom the word of God came; that is, the commission of God; meaning those commissioned by him to execute his will.—Cannot be broken; cannot be pronounced wrong.

Sanctified; consecrated to the work, viz., of redemption. In the reply of our Savior contained in this and in the two preceding verses, we observe that he neither affirms nor denies the charge advanced against him by the Pharisees, (v. 33,) of making himself divine. He shows that his language is to be justified, on any supposition which may be made in regard to his character.