Chapter X.
Third, the Son of God shows himself as light and guide by the example of a good life.
1. Amen, amen, I say to you, etc. The Lord manifested above that he is a guide by the word of wisdom and by the miracle of power; here he manifests it by the example of a good life. For by the first two modes he directed as a teacher, but here in the third he directs as a pastor. In this chapter, therefore, the Lord intends to show himself as the true and good shepherd: and it is divided into two parts: because first the Lord demonstrates the good shepherd in a proverb and parable; second, he expounds the proverb and applies it to himself, so that through this he may show himself the true shepherd, at the passage: Jesus therefore said to them again.
The first part demonstrates the good shepherd in a parable.
He therefore describes the good shepherd in the proverb in this order: for first he determines the entrance of the good and true shepherd; second, the sign; third, the office of the good shepherd; fourth, he says that this proverb was hidden from the Jews.
2. (Verse 1). First, therefore, he determines the entrance of the good and true shepherd by comparison with its opposite, because "opposites placed next to each other shine forth more clearly"; and the entrance of the shepherd is through the door, but that of the thief through another place. Therefore he says: Amen, amen, I say to you — the Lord continues his discourse, speaking to the Pharisees — He who does not enter through the door into the sheepfold, that is, into the Church of God, in which the Lord's flock is contained, but climbs up from elsewhere, as one proud and ambitious; he is a thief and a robber: a thief, because he claims what belongs to another as his own; a robber, because he destroys and kills the goods of another. Concerning this ascent of the bad shepherd, Jerome says: "We rejoice at the ascent; let us fear the descent: the joy of having held the heights is not so great as the sorrow of having fallen from the heights." Thus ascended that prince of robbers and the ambitious, of whom it is said in Isaiah fourteen: "I will ascend into heaven; I will exalt my throne above the stars of heaven." He who thus enters in a disordered manner is a thief and not a shepherd.
3. (Verse 2). But he who enters through the door is the shepherd of the sheep: he enters through the door who enters through truth. Concerning this entrance, First Thessalonians two: "You yourselves know, brethren, our entrance to you"; and it is added there: "For neither at any time were we found using words of flattery, as you know, nor seeking an occasion of avarice, nor seeking glory from men."
4. (Vers. 3.). To him the doorkeeper opens. Here the second point is touched upon, namely the sign of the true pastor, in this, that he is recognized by the doorkeeper and the flock. Therefore he says: To him the doorkeeper opens, knowing him to be the pastor. This doorkeeper is Christ, who holds the key: whence Isaiah twenty-two: "I will place the key of the house of David upon his shoulder: and he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open." And the sheep hear his voice, because they willingly obey the good pastor; Hebrews, last chapter: "Obey your leaders and submit to them: for they watch over you, as those who must render an account for your souls."
And he calls his own sheep by name. Here the good pastor's office is touched upon, which is threefold: to call, to lead out, and to direct: he calls by name through knowing; he leads out to pastures through instructing; but he goes before them through providing good example. This belongs to Christ the pastor through excellence, to others through imitation. Whence first he says: And he calls his own sheep by name, namely Christ; Second Timothy two: "The Lord knows those who are his," and concerning imitation of him: Proverbs twelve: "The just man knows the souls of his beasts." And he leads them out, to pastures, namely Christ: Ezekiel thirty-four: "I will lead them out from the peoples and gather them from the lands and bring them into their own land," which was flowing with milk. So also the imitator of Christ, as Moses and Aaron; the Psalm: "You led your people like sheep by the hand of Moses and Aaron."
5. (Vers. 4.). And when he has sent forth his own sheep, he goes before them, he leads the way by showing good example, as Christ; Micah two: "He ascends, opening the way before them." Whence he said below in the thirteenth chapter: "I have given you an example, that just as I have done to you, so you also should do." So also the imitator of Christ: whence First Corinthians eleven: "Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ." But few are such: whence Isaiah twenty-four: "As the people, so shall be the priest." This threefold office of the good pastor has a great effect upon the sheep, which is the direction of the sheep through imitation: on account of which he says: The sheep follow him, namely the true pastor. The sheep are simple and humble, of whom Hugh says: "The humility of a sheep is that you do not desire to be in charge and that you love to be subject. Many, fleeing labor, wish to be in charge and disdain to be subject: these are not sheep , because they do not follow." Therefore the sheep follow, because they know his voice, namely that it is a voice of consolation, according to that passage of Matthew eleven: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you." The good pastor calls to refreshment.
6. (Vers. 5.). But they do not follow a stranger, but flee from him, that is, an evil shepherd or a wolf, because they do not know the voice of strangers, that is, they do not approve of it. These strangers are false christs and false prophets and false apostles, of whom it is said in Second Corinthians eleven, that "they are deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ." These they do not follow: for they have been warned by their own shepherd; Matthew seven: "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves."
7. (Vers. 6.). This proverb Jesus spoke to them. Here the fourth point is touched upon, namely that the proverb was hidden from them: whence he says: This proverb Jesus spoke to them. But they did not understand what he was saying to them; whence Matthew thirteen: "Therefore I speak to them in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not hear nor understand."
8. It should be noted that a " proverb, according to Chrysostom, is a useful saying, containing something of usefulness on the surface, while retaining a great deal of meaning in what is hidden." According to Basil, "a proverb is a moral instruction, a correction of vices, a worthy rule of life, directing human actions by a higher standard." According to the common manner of speaking, a proverb is a general and brief expression, containing one thing in its meaning and another on the surface of the words.
It should also be noted for the understanding of the foregoing that he who does not enter through the door is deprived of the office of a true shepherd, and this in manifold ways.
The second part expounds the parable and applies it to Christ.
9. Jesus therefore said to them again. This is the second part of the chapter, in which the Lord explains the proverb set forth by applying it to himself, showing himself to be the true shepherd with respect to those three things which were stated above in the proverb: first, with respect to the true shepherd's entrance; second, with respect to the true shepherd's affection, at the passage: I am the good shepherd; third, with respect to the shepherd's sign, at the passage: The feast of the Dedication took place, etc.
First, therefore, he shows himself to be the true shepherd with respect to his entrance, in this order: first, that no one enters rightly except through him; second, that whoever enters through him enters rightly; third, that he himself is not only the way of entering, but also enters rightly himself.
(Vers. 7.). He shows, therefore, first that no one enters rightly into the sheepfold except through him; on account of which he says: Amen, amen I say to you: I am the door of the sheep; I distinctively, and no other, because there is no entrance except through me; whence he says:
10. (Verse 8). All, as many as came, are thieves and robbers, because, namely, they had not entered through me; and the sign of this he adds: But the sheep did not hear them. This door was closed for a long time, but in the Passion it was opened, so that "the fullness of the Gentiles might enter." Concerning this door, Revelation 4: "After this I looked; and behold, a door opened in heaven"; truly opened, because, as is said above in chapter 6, "him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."
11. (Verse 9). I am the door. Here the second point is touched upon, namely, that whoever enters through him enters unto salvation. Therefore he says: I am the door, through which, namely, one enters unto salvation; and the reason is added: If any man enter in by me, he shall be saved; concerning which entrance, Matthew 7: "Enter ye in at the strait gate. How strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life!" because Christ was poor and lowly. Through this small door the rich, full of riches, do not enter; on account of which it is said in Matthew 19: "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven." This entrance is through faith and the Sacrament of Baptism; since the former is the gate of the virtues, and the latter of the Sacraments. He who enters in this way shall be saved; Mark, last chapter: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." And he shall go in and go out and find pasture; he shall go in through contemplation, which calls back to interior things; and he shall go out through action; Numbers 27: "Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, provide a man who may go in and go out before them." Or, as Augustine explains, he shall go in to the contemplation of the Divinity, he shall go out to the sight of the humanity, and shall find pasture, because he is nourished in all things: the intellect in the contemplation of the Divinity, and the senses in the contemplation of the humanity; concerning which pastures, Ezekiel 34: "I will feed them upon the mountains of Israel; in the most fertile pastures I will feed them."
12. (Verse 10). The thief cometh not, but for to steal. Here the third point is touched upon, namely, that Christ himself enters as the true shepherd, not as a thief; on account of which he says: The thief cometh not, but for to steal, by extorting temporal goods; and to kill, by temporally afflicting his subjects; and to destroy, by casting them down to hell through evil example. I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly, that is, to preserve life as a shepherd; that they might have life, namely, the life of grace, concerning which life, above in chapter 6: "This is the bread descending from heaven, which giveth life unto the world"; and that they might have it more abundantly, namely, the life of glory, concerning which, below in chapter 17: "This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." This is called abundant, because it is said in Luke 6: "Good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom."
QUESTIONS.
13. Question I. But it is asked here first concerning this, that the Lord compares himself here to a door, because above he compared himself to a doorkeeper: how is the same one the door and the doorkeeper and the shepherd?
I respond: It must be said that, as is said below in the fourteenth chapter, Christ is the way, the truth, and the life: because he is the way to the Father, therefore the door; because he is truly the truth, which teaches the way, therefore the doorkeeper; because he is the life, therefore the shepherd, who feeds and preserves life.
14. Question II. Likewise it is asked concerning what he says: All who came are thieves.