What can shepherding teach us about God and our relationship with him? Let’s go back to the time of Jesus. At the end of each day the shepherd brought his sheep into a shelter. They knew the voice of their shepherd and came at his call. So familiar was the shepherd and his sheep, that each was called by a distinct name. The sheep pen, then as now, is an enclosure open to the elements and so the owner could have a view of everything that was going on. It is not covered or roofed over like a barn or shed; it has no door either, just an opening. Its walls are open to the sun, the sky, rain and wind. They are often made of rough stones with a layer of thorn brush along the top similar to the picture above. They can be quite dirty, smelly places, but their main purpose is to provide protection. At night, after the sheep are in, the shepherd just lays down in the doorway. He becomes the gate. There is no legitimate access to the sheep except through him. So anyone who tried to climb over the wall to get in was obviously up to no good. If a predator tried to enter, the shepherd would be disturbed. The shepherd, therefore, put his life at risk to protect his sheep, truly becoming the gate.
This imagery would have been familiar to those listening to Jesus, but where was he headed? “Jesus used this figure of speech but the Pharisees did not understand what He was telling them.” (John 10:6). Since they had not gotten the picture yet, Jesus goes for the jugular – he becomes direct and explicit, “I am the Gate… Whoever enters through me will be saved…I came so that you might have life…” He clearly reveals that he is God. Suddenly the whole illustration makes sense with devastating clarity. Amidst the storms of life, Jesus is saying He is the only one through whom we can be safe and secure. Anything or anyone else should be avoided.
Finally, Jesus refers to finding “pasture”. “Pasture,” to a sheep, is food. A theme of John is that the word of God is our true food. Jesus will lead us, His sheep, through His Word, to true understanding of God, true relationship with God and with each other. Yes, Jesus is “the” Gate – the only gate to heaven.