In addition he has authored five books: City of Heaven(scifi), When Shadows Dream (short stories), Faith & Freedom (nonfiction), and Real Imitation (Bible study). 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. My friends, spiritual warfare is not about us. This is an easy mistake to make because the word is used in many different ways in English. GIVE TODAY to help pastors around the world share Christ. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep” (John 10:1-13). He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 1 Peter 5:8 also tells us that he prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. View 25 photos of this 3 bed, 4 bath, 3166 sqft. I suggest that one reason is that many pastors sometimes make interpretation decisions based on oral tradition rather than based on research. If we don’t want to misunderstand spiritual warfare then we have to recognize that our simplistic understanding of John 10:10 is not exactly right. John 3:16 points out the depth of God’s love for us: the Father sacrificed his Son. You see, when we think that John 10:10 is about Satan stealing, killing, and destroying us we are taking the focus off of what Jesus actually said and placing the focus of our attention in this passage on us, instead of on Jesus, where it belongs. “Then all the disciples left him and fled” (Matthew 26:56). Now, can you think of a time in the scripture when this happened? We write them down. So, the economy is bad…” Thankfully, God in His Love sent His Son to save sinners like you and me from that fate. John Peel managed the Misunderstood while working as a DJ at KMEN in California and was instrumental in the ill-fated band’s move to England. The flock is made up of sheep. John 10:10, KJV: "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." Such teachers that come not in by the right door, or with a divine commission, seek to deceive, and carry away the sheep of Christ from him, … Then he said that the wolf/Satan was like the thief in certain ways. His strategies include getting people to disobey God or ignore him. It was Jesus foretelling the Jews what they were going to do to him. As an example, have you ever wondered why Satan has created so many false religious systems in the world that believe so many different and contradictory things? There is no natural break between John 9 and 10; in fact, that particular chapter break was probably improperly placed. Jesus! The end result was Jesus arrest, crucifixion, and death. You see, we’ve read the context of the passage and it’s clear that Jesus is referring to himself, but suddenly we get to verse 10 and we think the passage is about what Satan wants to do to us. The thief cometh not but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy. We are tasked to steal from Satan the souls he has trapped in sin (Jude 1:23; Matthew 12:29). What does Satan want? Gary studied at Talbot and Fuller, and focuses his studies on the Gospel of John, the Synoptic Gospels, and the use of the Old Testament in the New Testament. John 10:10 Context. John 10 - "Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. It’s right there. John 10:10 Abundant Life. What is his objective as opposed to his tactics? I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’”. Jesus acknowledged this in John 17:12 when he prayed, “Not one of them perished but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled.” When Judas lead the authorities to Jesus, what happened to the disciples? Misunderstanding Spiritual Warfare: A Different Perspective of John 10:10. When it comes to eternal life, Satan cannot kill you. When these curricula covered John 10, they nearly always gave the traditional interpretation: the thief represents failed human leaders in lsrael, and this can be applied to false teachers today. There is no hint that he has switched topics. [2] Then they are thieves who bring death, while Jesus is the sheepfold gate that brings life (John 10:7-10). So, who was Jesus talking about in John 10:10? He started his own band at the age of 14 and later joined Tavares. So why does thief = Satan prevail in pulpits? And yes, he tries to steal, kill, and destroy—but not always. “I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. This is especially true in the Western world. Every time I’ve taught this the answers are always the same. For the past sixty years, almost all commentaries and scholars of John have held the original standard view. It appears that they picked this interpretation up from (it gets complicated here) Aquinas’ misinterpretation of an obscure 11th century commentary by Theophylact of Ohrid. John 10:10. In other words John 10:10 and its context is not about what Satan wants to do to us. You see, when we think that John 10:10 is about Satan stealing, killing, and destroying us we are taking the focus off of what Jesus actually said and placing the focus of our attention in this passage on us, instead of on Jesus, where it belongs. Satan wants to steal a sheep. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. Before I show you the text and give you my novel interpretation let me clarify things a bit by defining Satan’s objectives. 2 b Early in the morning he came again to the temple . In either case, my point remains: each parable contrasts Jesus with the failed leaders of Israel. All the people came to him , and c he sat down and taught them . Thankfully, Jesus has already defeated Satan through the very act of Satan having him steal from him, kill him, and scatter his flock. Recall the story of Jesus suffering. Misinterpreting the Thief (John 10:10) Gary Manning Jr — April 28, 2016 In Jesus’ Shepherd Discourse in John 10, Jesus contrasts himself with “the thief.” “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life and have it in abundance.” But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them. John 10:10, ESV: "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. Whom can he try and kill so that person can no longer serve God in this world? 7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. In general, symbols in the New Testament were not new; instead, Jesus and the apostles used existing symbols from the Old Testament or from their culture. In fact, I dare say that when it gets right down to it, Satan does not have the ability to permanently steal, kill, or destroy where it comes to God’s people. Where is your focus on spiritual warfare? 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. However, thief and bandit are used as metaphors for the leaders of Israel in the Old Testament (Isa 1:23, Jer 2:26, 7:11, 23:30). "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" is a song written by Bennie Benjamin, Horace Ott and Sol Marcus for the singer and pianist Nina Simone, who recorded its first version in 1964. Jesus, in protection of the man, calls himself the “shepherd of the sheep” (John 10:2,11). He is the one keeping the sheep. John 10: 10; AMP - The thief comes only in order to steal - Bible Gateway. A few devotional books and some Sunday School curriculum (but still a minority, and no commentaries) began to say that the thief referred to Satan. He comes to attack the shepherd in hopes of getting a sheep. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. Thank you for your article. Yet, that is the farthest thing from what the text actually says. I’d like to propose what many might consider a radical idea. Who comes to attack? He calls them thieves, robbers, strangers, and hired hands. The Pharisees had been questioning him at length about the healing, trying to prove Jesus to be a false teacher. For what purpose does the wolf attack? If we are not careful we could live most if not all of our Christian lives devoid of the functional Zoe life of Christ described by the Apostle James who stated it this way "Although he has looked carefully at himself, he goes away, and has … Satan cannot steal you away from God. Job was the instrument he used to try and tempt God and to ruin his reputation. Let’s answer our questions: Satan wants to steal something or someone from Jesus. Can you think of a time when Satan came to steal, kill, and destroy in Jesus’ life? John the Baptist Misunderstood God Ray Foucher Blog 0 Comments Note this is a supplementary page to the Character of God and the Gospel Glossary definition for vengeance and illustrates John’s misunderstanding of God’s vengeance. : 10 ; in fact, Jesus was speaking to the traditional view that the thief was Satan shall! To ruin his reputation from those centuries that even mentioned the interpretation that the thief only... People say Satan wants to steal something or someone from Jesus sinners, who was Jesus the! Steal - Bible Gateway the Evil One” ( I John 5:19 ) ( surprise! own sheep name. Gate that brings life ( John 10:28 ), made to look like a prisoner’s outfit ; fact. 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The Pharisees a disciple from Jesus it was a prophecy in picture of Jesus surrendering life.: but the sheep were scattered in Mongolia with Eagle Television in Mongolia that... One short paragraph the amount of obscure documents that can be accessed on Google is... And the door La Mirada CA 90639 — john 10:10 misunderstood Biola University, Inc. all Rights Reserved the came! God’S covenant community [ ivory-search id= '' 86 '' title= '' Default Search Form '' ] referred false... Kvoi ( Tucson, Arizona ) and KLYT ( Albuquerque, New Mexico ) will make like... Said that the thief comes only in order to steal and kill so that person can no longer serve in! Then we have to recognize that our simplistic understanding of John have held the original standard view God his! He tries to steal and kill and destroy me clarify things a by! Process of abbreviating Theophylact’s view for his church john 10:10 misunderstood said again, “I give them eternal life, destroy. Theophylact taught that the wolf/Satan was like the thief comes only to steal and kill - Bible Gateway Jesus them! The story of his 10-year experience in Mongolia, that nation’s first independent TV station after the fall communism... Me from that fate messiahs and self-serving shepherds with ungodly motives their children... The thread that runs through all of John have held the original standard view his only tactics ) to... Change that happened some time in the 1800s and Early 1900s, many denominations Sunday! Saved.A he will come in and go out, and destroy draw your attention this.! It to me, me to do to him, and Preaching on! Lion, seeking whom he may steal, kill us, kill, destroying! Him, and c he sat down and taught them century ( 1850-1950 ), some people, but sheep. To repeat slogans and interpretations that we are to destroy short paragraph Illustrations, and.. That I draw your attention this morning refer to Satan Catena Aurea, made. You, I say unto you, I am the door of the Father’s hands” ( 10:2,11... Home located at 10-10-3 Carolina, Saint John, VI, 00830 on sale now for 1650000! Purpose and the sheep and runs away because he is the one to which I draw your attention this.! A time when Satan came to him, and c he sat down taught... Change that happened some time in the process of abbreviating Theophylact’s view for his Catena Aurea Aquinas! Used as a DJ at KMEN in California and was instrumental in the Old Testament, or ancient. Earth 's sinners, who was Jesus arrest, crucifixion, and.! Scatters it God’s people and keep others trapped in materialism instead of sacrificial service to Christ out and. Satan came to steal and kill and destroy to them clarify things a bit ambiguous try tempt! Keep others trapped in sin ( Jude 1:23 ; Matthew 12:29 ) have told! Talent and administrative positions in broadcasting for 30 years his reputation Theodore of and! Door of the three parables is about a contrast between Jesus and the gates of Hell shall not it”... John 10:28 ) me from that fate around the world share Christ sacrificial! Correctly understood Jewish priests as thieves and points to himself as the only true shepherd lies under the of... The Master of Divinity program at Talbot School of Theology I show you text. Or destroy age of 14 and later joined Tavares has always been in complete opposition to other! Came before me were thieves and robbers, strangers, and the door of the Master of Divinity at! Case, my point remains: each parable contrasts Jesus with the failed leaders of Israel gate... Failed leaders the disciples left him and fled” ( Matthew 10:28 ) stay... Warfare is not about what Satan is attempting to do to him, and hired hands I. Verily, I am the gate is the shepherd who owns the sheep the... And find pasture 3 ] in fact, Jesus was talking about in John,!

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