John 10

John 10:1

Verse 1

He that entereth not by the door; that is, by Christ. (John 10:7.) 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.

John 10:3

Verse 3

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

John 10:8

Verse 8

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.

John 10:9

Verse 9

Pasture; food, spiritual support.

John 10:12

Verse 12

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

John 10:16

Verse 16

Of this fold; the Jewish nation.

John 10:18

Verse 18

This commandment; this power.

John 10:22

Verse 22

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.

John 10:23

Verse 23

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

John 10:34

Verse 34

Psalms 82:6.

John 10:35

Verse 35

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.

John 10:36

Verse 36

Sanctified; consecrated to the work, viz., of redemption. In the reply of our Savior contained in this and in the John 10:34,35, we observe that he neither affirms nor denies the charge advanced against him by the Pharisees, (John 10:33,) 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.