Breaking the Word

"Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers." Although Jesus used this figure of speech, they did not realize what he was trying to tell them. So Jesus said again, "Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came (before me) are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly. (Jn 10:1-10 )

A thief and a robber is the one who does not enter through the gate. The thief tries to avoid meeting the gatekeeper and the shepherd. The gatekeeper is the one who guards the sheep and protects the sheep from being stolen. The shepherd is familiar with the sheep. The thief avoids the gatekeeper because he does not want to guard the sheep and protect them rather he wants to steal the sheep. For the thief, the sheep do not have any other value but their usefulness (material).

Shepherd enters through the gate and the gatekeeper is familiar with him and also the sheep. Sheep recognize his voice; they follow him; he walks ahead of them. The familiarity between the sheep and the shepherd and the close relationship between them are important. Sheep are not things to be used in fact they are persons (he calls them by name). There is personal and familiar and close relationship.

Jesus is the shepherd and that gate. In him and through him there is life, salvation and protection. The sheep that enter through him and follow him and listen to his voice are they that have protection, salvation and life. Jesus is the only shepherd: there has never been one before (because all those who came before him were thieves and robbers); and there will not be another after him. 

As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love. "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another.  (Jn 15:9-17)

Jesus is exactly like the father. He is so because he loves as the father loves him and he keeps the commandments of the father. Jesus wants his disciples to be so. He wants them to love as Jesus has loved and keep his commandments. Jesus has seen the father and so he follows him and the disciples have seen Jesus and hence they should follow him and do as he has done.

Jesus has called them friends and not servants. Servants are like slaves. They only follow the order given to them and they do whatever is told to them. They will not know the reasons for doing what they are doing. Jesus has taken his disciples to be his friends. Friends are they those who know everything of their friends. There are no secrets among friends. There only revelations. Jesus has revealed everything of the father.

Disciples are chosen by Jesus and they are chosen to be friends and hence they receive all the revelations. They come to know the father as Jesus himself knows the father. So whenever they love and follow the commandments of Jesus they are like Jesus and in turn they will be like the father. To be a disciple of Jesus is to know the father and be like the father.