LESSON VII.—SABBATH, AUGUST 12, 1899.
1 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. When he hath put forth all his own, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him; for they know not the voice of strangers. This parable spake Jesus unto them; but they understood not what things they were which He spake unto them. 7 "Jesus therefore said unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the Door of the sheep. All that came before Me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the Door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, 10 and shall go in and go out, and shall find pasture. The thief cometh not, but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy: I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly. 11 I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd layeth down His 12 life for the sheep. He that is a hireling, and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, beholdeth the wolf coming, and 13 leaveth the sheep, and fleeth, and the wolf snatcheth them, 14 and scattereth them; he fleeth because he is a hireling, and 15 careth not for the sheep. I am the Good Shepherd; and I know Mine own, and Mine own know Me, even as the Father knoweth Me; and I know the Father; and I lay down My life 16 for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice; 17 and they shall become one flock, one Shepherd. Therefore doth the Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I 18 may take it again. No one taketh it away 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 commandment received I from My Father. 19 "There arose a division again among the Jews because of 20 these words. And many of them said, He hath a devil, and 21 is mad; why hear ye Him? Others said, These are not the sayings of one possessed with a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?" 27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow 28 Me; and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never 29 perish, and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. My Father, which hath given them unto Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand." NOTE.—The texts inclosed in marks of parentheses, while not essential to the lesson study, will be found to throw much light upon the lesson, and are suggested for those who wish to study further. 1. What does Jesus say of him who enters not by the door into the sheepfold? John 10:1. 2. Who enters in by the door? Verse 2. 3. Who opens the door for him? Who hear the shepherd's voice? What shows his close acquaintance with the sheep? Verse 3. 4. Describe the way he leads out his sheep. Verse 4. 5. How do sheep regard a stranger? Why? Verse 5. 6. Did the people understand this parable? Verse 6. 7. What explanation of it did Jesus give? Verses 7-9. Note 1. 8. For what purpose does the thief come? For what purpose did Jesus come? Verse 10. (John 14:6.) 9. What does the Good Shepherd do for the sheep? Verses 11, 12. Note 2. (Isa. 40:10, 11.) 10. What course does the hireling pursue? 11. Why does the hireling flee? Verse 13. 12. Who is the Good Shepherd, and what does He say in verse 14? (Heb. 13:20.) 13. What does Jesus say of "other sheep"? Verse 16. 14. What does He say about laying down His life? Vs. 17, 18. 15. What effect did His teachings have upon the Jews? V. 19. 16. What charge did many make against Him? Verse 20. 17. What defense did others make? Verse 21. 18. How secure are the sheep of Christ's fold? Verses 27-29. Side Lights.—"Desire of Ages," chapter 52. 1. I am the Door.—The word "door" is here used in the sense of means of entrance, just as faith was made a door unto the Gentiles. Acts 14:27. Christ is the Door to the sheepfold, through whom all must enter. Heb. 7:25. He Himself, as leader and caretaker of the sheep, must go before the sheep, and prepare the way by faith. Those who follow must have His faith, the faith of Jesus. To all such the door opens just as readily as for the One who prepared the way. 2. I am the Good Shepherd.—The adjective "good" is from the word kalos, meaning, beautiful, pleasing. Christ is therefore a beautiful, pleasing, and therefore an attractive, shepherd, one who gives joy to those who follow Him. He draws them after Him by His pleasing gentleness. Ps. 18:35; John 12:32.