Christ is a good Shepherd; many who were not thieves, yet were careless in their duty, and by
their neglect the flock was much hurt. Bad principles are the root of bad practices. The Lord Jesus
knows whom he has chosen, and is sure of them; they also know whom they have trusted, and are
sure of Him. See here the grace of Christ; since none could demand his life of him, he laid it down
of himself for our redemption. He offered himself to be the Saviour; Lo, I come. And the necessity
of our case calling for it, he offered himself for the Sacrifice. He was both the offerer and the
offering, so that his laying down his life was his offering up himself. From hence it is plain, that
he died in the place and stead of men; to obtain their being set free from the punishment of sin, to
obtain the pardon of their sin; and that his death should obtain that pardon. Our Lord laid not his
life down for his doctrine, but for his sheep.
Verses 19–21
Satan ruins many, by putting them out of conceit with the word and ordinances. Men would
not be laughed out of their necessary food, yet suffer themselves thus to be laughed out of what is
far more necessary. If our zeal and earnestness in the cause of Christ, especially in the blessed work
of bringing his sheep into his fold, bring upon us evil names, let us not heed it, but remember our
Master was thus reproached before us.
Verses 22–30
All who have any thing to say to Christ, may find him in the temple. Christ would make us to
believe; we make ourselves doubt. The Jews understood his meaning, but could not form his words
into a full charge against him. He described the gracious disposition and happy state of his sheep;
they heard and believed his word, followed him as his faithful disciples, and none of them should
perish; for the Son and the Father were one. Thus he was able to defend his sheep against all their
enemies, which proves that he claimed Divine power and perfection equally with the Father.
Verses 31–38
Christ's works of power and mercy proclaim him to be over all, God blessed for evermore, that
all may know and believe He is in the Father, and the Father in Him. Whom the Father sends, he
sanctifies. The holy God will reward, and therefore will employ, none but such as he makes holy.
The Father was in the Son, so that by Divine power he wrought his miracles; the Son was so in the
Father, that he knew the whole of His mind. This we cannot by searching find out to perfection,
but we may know and believe these declarations of Christ.
Verses 39–42
No weapon formed against our Lord Jesus shall prosper. He escaped, not because he was afraid
to suffer, but because his hour was not come. And He who knew how to deliver himself, knows
how to deliver the godly our of their temptations, and to make a way for them to escape. Persecutors
may drive Christ and his gospel our of their own city or country, but they cannot drive him or it