Breaking the Word

My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father's hand. The Father and I are one." (Jn 10:27-30)

The qualities or the qualifications or the specifications of the sheep and the shepherd are given in this short passage. 

Jesus’ sheep:

• Hear his voice
• They follow him
• They shall never perish
• They cannot be taken away from him/Father

Shepherd (Jesus):

• He knows them
• He gives them eternal life

FATHER:

• He has given the sheep to the son
• He is greater than all
• No one can take it away from HIM

FATHER AND I ARE ONE

So, those who hear Jesus’ voice are safe for ever. He will look after them. Even death, the last enemy, cannot harm them. The sheep belong to him and they follow him so no one can take them away from him.

Same way the shepherd also knows them. Knowledge is not an intellectual knowledge but and experiential, physical knowledge.

Underlying in all these qualities we find that there relationship at the bottom of it. All these qualities are factors/elements of relationship. When there is relationship then there is safety and security and eternal life. And when this relationship is total then there is identity (Father and I are one).

Then many of his disciples who were listening said, "This saying is hard; who can accept it?" Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, "Does this shock you? …

And he said, "For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father." As a result of this, many (of) his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. Jesus then said to the Twelve, "Do you also want to leave?" Simon Peter answered him, "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God." (Jn 6:60-69)

Murmuring and shock are part of Exodus experience. Israelites grumbled and were shocked at the teaching of Moses in the original exodus event. Now Jesus is taking the new Israelites into a new exodus and they are murmuring and are shocked at his teachings. Some of them even leave him and go back to their previous way of life. Murmurings and shocks seem to be the regular reactions of the disciples.

There was a division among his followers. Jesus was left with twelve. This is over simplifications. Crowds followed him even after this. There was a crowd leading him to Jerusalem. But Jesus attitude is that all these happen according to the will of the Father. Because he says that no one can come to me unless the Father grants it. So disciples coming and leaving are also done by the Father.

The twelve remain. They are ready to say that he is the holy one of God. He not only speaks about God’s new age, but also makes the new age present among them through his words and deeds (You have the words of eternal life). Jesus knows well that one of them will betray him. However, for the moment these twelve are the representatives of the faith. That is God was working his great movement (new exodus free from sin and death) through the words and deeds of Jesus.