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MAY 29
one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of
Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have
power to take it again. This command I have
received from My Father.” 10:17,18 take it again. Jesus repeated this
Therefore there was a division again phrase twice in these two verses indicating
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among the Jews because of these sayings. that His sacrificial death was not the end. His
20 And many of them said, “He has a demon and resurrection followed in demonstration of His
is mad. Why do you listen to Him?” messiahship and deity (Rom. 1:4). His death
Others said, “These are not the words of and resurrection resulted in His ultimate glori-
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one who has a demon. Can a demon open the fication (12:23; 17:5) and the outpouring of
eyes of the blind?” the Holy Spirit (7:37–39; Acts 2:16–39).
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Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jeru-
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salem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in
the temple, in Solomon’s porch.
DAY 28:What does it mean to have Jesus as the “Good Shepherd”?
In John 10:1–39, Jesus’ discourse on Himself as the “Good Shepherd” flowed directly from
chapter 9, as Jesus continued to talk to the very same people. The problem of chapter 9 was that
Israel was led by false shepherds who drew them astray from the true knowledge and kingdom of
Messiah (9:39–41). In chapter 10, Jesus declared Himself to be the “Good Shepherd” who was
appointed by His Father as Savior and King, in contrast to the false shepherds of Israel who were
self-appointed and self-righteous (Ps. 23:1; Is. 40:11; Jer. 3:15; see Is. 56:9–12; Jer. 23:1–4; 25:32–38;
Ezek. 34:1–31; Zech. 11:16).
Jesus spoke in vv.1–30 using a sustained metaphor based on first-century sheep ranching.The
sheep were kept in a pen, which had a gate through which the sheep entered and left.The shep-
herd engaged a “doorkeeper” (v. 3) or “hireling” (v. 12) as an undershepherd to guard the gate.The
shepherd entered through that gate.He whose interest was stealing or wounding the sheep would
chose another way to attempt entrance.The words of Ezekiel 34 most likely form the background
to Jesus’ teaching since God decried the false shepherds of Israel (i.e., the spiritual leaders of the
nation) for not caring properly for the flock of Israel (i.e., the nation).The Gospels themselves con-
tain extensive sheep/shepherd imagery (Matt. 9:36; Mark 6:34; 14:27; Luke 15:1–7).
The doorkeeper was a hired undershepherd who recognized the true shepherd of the flock,
opened the gate for Him,assisted the shepherd in caring for the flock,and especially guarded them
at night (v. 3).“The sheep hear his voice.” Near Eastern shepherds stand at different locations out-
side the sheep pen, sounding out their own unique calls which their sheep recognize. As a result,
the sheep gather around the shepherd.“He calls his own sheep by name.”This shepherd goes even
further by calling each sheep by its own special name (see 3 John 15).Jesus’point is that He comes
to the fold of Israel and calls out His own sheep individually to come into His own messianic fold.
The assumption is that they are already in some way His sheep even before He calls them by name
(vv. 25–27; 6:37,39,44,64,65; 17:6,9,24; 18:9).
Unlike Western shepherds who drive the sheep from the side or behind, often using sheep
dogs, Near Eastern shepherds lead their flocks, their voice calling them to move on (vv. 4,5). This
draws a remarkable picture of the master/disciple relationship. New Testament spiritual leadership
is always by example, i.e., a call to imitate conduct (1 Tim. 4:12; 1 Pet. 5:1–3).

LORD his God because of the wars
May 29 which were fought against him on
every side, until the LORD put his foes
under the soles of his feet.
1 Kings 5:1–6:38 4 But now the LORD my God has given
me rest on every side; there is neither
Now Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants
5 to Solomon, because he heard that they 5 adversary nor evil occurrence.
And behold, I propose to build a house
had anointed him king in place of his father, for the name of the LORD my God, as
for Hiram had always loved David. Then Sol- the LORD spoke to my father David,
2
omon sent to Hiram, saying:
saying, “Your son, whom I will set on
3 You know how my father David could your throne in your place, he shall
not build a house for the name of the build the house for My name.”
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