We all know that the Bible is God-breathed and its content is really coming from God. In special cases, the four Gospels recorded are Scriptures that really recorded Jesus Christ’s exact words and His journey in this world. As we are in the season of Advent, we are again reminded of the coming of Christ into the world to save us from our sins. We are reminded how the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). Now, on our verse today, it is quite different from our other verses that we reflected, for these exact words came out from the mouth of Jesus.
In this verse, Jesus was telling the people that He is the gate and that whoever enters through Him will be saved. This verse is not just something John has recorded while he was inspired by God but it is something he personally heard from Jesus. As Christ declared that He is the gate and that He used “I Am” in the sentence depicts His divine nature just like in the old times when God said, “I Am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” This is how people call God and refer to God before, so by all means, from this fact alone, Jesus Christ shows His divine nature.
Also, the context of this verse is that Jesus was using the analogy of the shepherds and sheep to cite a very good example for the people around Him and so that they will be able to fully understand what He wants to tell them. So, as Jesus was telling them He is like a shepherd who cares for the sheep, He also declared that He is the gate too. By context on Jesus’ time, the gate of a pen is the only thing that is keeping the sheep safe from their predators. In Jesus' time, sheep pens were made with a very narrow door so that the sheep will pass through it one at a time and so that the only sheep that can pass there are the ones who recognize their shepherd's voice.
Again, as Jesus said that He is the door, He meant that He is that narrow door where sheep passes through. He did not say that He is “a door” but He said He is “the door” which practically signifies that He is the only door that sheep can pass through. In this case, Jesus contrasted Himself both as a shepherd and the gate. He is the shepherd for He is the one who guides the sheep to safe places and protects them from their enemies. He is the gate for He is the only way the sheep can pass to arrive at a safe place. He is the one who controls all of the sheep who pass through and only through Him (the narrow gate) will the sheep find security, guidance, protection and salvation.
Basically, the door also separates two phenomena. Either danger and secured places, the gate separates them. Now, this also means that Jesus separates the saved sheep and the unsaved sheep which depicts the believers and non-believers. Only if the sheep respond to the calling of their Shepherd will they be able to pass through that narrow gate, so if not, then they will just stay inside their pens though protected by it but not fully. Unlike when they are with their shepherd, they are safe-guarded.
This teaching backs-up the full theological teaching of the Bible that where Jesus Christ is indeed the only way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). It is only through that we are saved by grace through faith. Only in Jesus Christ we can find our salvation and we are all like sheep. We easily go astray and we are always stupid for we just wander blindly even if it means death. However, Jesus is the Shepherd who cares and guides us always. He is also the gate where we can pass through to gain eternal life. Through Him we can be saved and only through Him can we find our secured salvation and place in heaven.
Therefore, let us always put this in our mind that we are really indeed dependent on God's grace, mercy and security. No one can really save us and be there for us unlike Christ. No one is going to be our gate who protects us from danger and who will always be our way to salvation but only Christ. We should always be grateful for everything that Christ has done for us. Let us thank Him for He is not only our Shepherd but He is also our gate, our gate to salvation. We should be grateful because salvation comes from Him and can only be found in Him because if not, then we will definitely suffer the wrath of God. Also, we should always thank Him for being the mediator between us and God. Through His sacrifice, He has quenched the wrath of God towards mankind and as we pass Him (our narrow gate) we can then find pasture. Just as sheep who always look for greener pastures, let us direct our eyes to Him— Jesus Christ the bringer of our green pasture.
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