Transitioning ...Part 3B

Let's return to John.

The next stage is the rising up of the false religious persona. There had already been a division within their ranks [John 9:16] and in order to try and rectify the situation, they “get religious”. Much like we just saw with false brethren in Galatians 2.

Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner. John 9:24 (KJV)

As if this guy had to be told that God had done this great thing in him! But they began to sit in judgement on the manifestation. “You had better bless and glorify God because we know you must have gotten lucky, cause we know this guy is bad news”[para]. But notice now what occurs; his martyr spirit begins to rise.

He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. 26 Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes? 27 He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples? John 9:25-27 (KJV)

He stands up in the face of what would seem to be insurmountable odds, and challenges them directly, in the presence of witnesses, as Paul did, to judge the manifestation. This is a necessary move in order to allow for the acceptance or the rejection of the move. These will be the words that will come back to haunt them at a time of judgement. After he begins to take a martyr stance, the Pharisee’s now turn to personal attacks and also set up their “system” as the judge of what is of God and what is not. But what they cannot see is that the “Moses” system was now in the final throws of death and would very shortly become obsolete.

Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples. 29 We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is. John 9:28-29 (KJV)

The Pharisee’s stand has now become obvious “it’s the Moses system” or it’s not God! Notice also that the same thing they relied upon [the written word of Moses] would also be the same thing that would later convict them of the error.

Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? John 5:45-47 (KJV)

In effect, Jesus is telling the Pharisee’s that, those things that you misunderstood and misinterpreted will be the very same things that will be used as charges against you at a later time. They had allowed their “religious” beliefs to render the Word to a place of ineffectiveness. That is also the place where the Body of Christ is today, a place of ineffectiveness. Hence the need for a reformation move.

The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.
John 9:30-33

Now we see our “empowered” brother making the ultimate challenge to their structure. “If this man were not of God, he could do nothing”. His reasoning is simple; if any man submit and worship God and do what he has commanded them to do, God will hear them. Take note of the use of the word 'but' in that scripture.

“Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but”! Thank God for buts! If it were not for 'but', none of us could have ever have gotten saved! It was after this bold stance, that the Pharisee’s carried forth their threat. They cast him out of their midst. BUT, not until they had ridiculed him in front of those present, as a means of securing their position of fear upon them. Notice their return to the previously held belief structure. “You are totally in error in your belief system is because you were completely born in sin and you expect to teach us anything ?” [para]

They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out. John 9:34 (KJV)

But bless God, Jesus was watching all along and came to him and confirmed the stand he had taken. We have a tendency of waiting for the manifestation of Christ (or a confirmation) before we take a stand, when in fact, the manifestation (or confirmation) most likely will appear after we stand! As part of the confirming action that Jesus displayed, in seeking him out after his stand, Jesus then reveals to our brother, in an even clearer way, that he had been true to the leading of God all along.

Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.
John 9:35-37 (KJV)

The phrase “Thou hast both seen him” can also be stated “you have completely discerned him”. And in light of our apostolic implication of these scriptures we can see how he was able to discern the moving of God in his midst, even though it was contrary to the popular accepted religious position. Jesus continues,

And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. John 9:39 (KJV)

Jesus tells the listeners of his purpose. The phrase 'for judgment' is the Greek word krima, and it means the function or the effect of a decision and comes from the root word krino, which means to distinguish, to decide mentally or judicially. Jesus is telling us that he came to bring people to the place of decision. And the purpose was to separate those “who know that they cannot see” from those that “think that they know what they see”. As was with Jesus and is generally the case with all who seek to move forward from established positions, the Pharisee’s challenged his words.

And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? John 9:40 (KJV)

And Jesus answered their question in no uncertain terms. Jesus said unto them,

If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth. John 9:41 (KJV)

This puts the Pharisee’s in the category of those that think they see. This is were the misinterpretation of John 10:10 “officially” begins. We have now been keeping this in context for two chapters. Jesus continues and, remember, he is still speaking to the Pharisee’s that posed the question of their “blindness”.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. John 10:1 (KJV)

He begins by establishing that there is only one way into the sheepfold and that is through the door. Anyone who enters into that arena by any other means (the Abraham system or the Moses system) is a thief and a robber. The word 'thief' used here is the Greek word kleptes which means a stealer ; but it comes from another word that means to filch. A 'filch' is someone who takes something, especially something of little value, in a manner expressive of hidden motives or purposes. Another word for filch is a pilferer. The word pilferage is the word we use for someone who steals from their employer. A robber on the other hand is the Greek word leistes, and it means to plunder ; one who is a brigand. The definition of plunder is to rob of goods by force, especially in time of war; property stolen by fraud or by force. A brigand is a robber or bandit, especially one who is a member of an outlaw band. An “outlaw” is one who has committed crimes against the “law” and refuses to surrender. The Scandinavians, who invaded and settled in England from the 8th through the 11th century, gave us the Old English word ¿tlaga, which designated as someone who because of criminal acts, must give up his property to the crown and could be killed without recrimination. Note that “The Law” was actually at a place of transition to becoming “outlawed”. So we can see by context and definition, that the thieves and robbers mentioned in John 10:1 refer to the Pharisee’s, that refused to come under subjection to the ruling authority set in place by God, and were trying to enter and control “kingdom” domain by some other route, other than Christ.

Jesus then begins to reinforce that he is speaking to the Pharisee’s.

But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
John 10:2 (KJV)

He now sets in place a comparison between those that enter illegally and those that enter correctly. Only those that enter through the door are the shepherds. The Pharisee’s could be considered the shepherds of the “old” order. But in their refusal to submit to the new thing of God, they try to force “their way” into the sheepfold of the new and there by become thieves and robbers.

To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. John 10:3 (KJV)

Keep in mind who is being spoken of here. He is speaking of those shepherds who enter correctly into the fold. He is not speaking of himself. He says that the “porter” opens the gate for them. The word 'porter' used here is the Greek word thuroros and it means a gate-warden or he that kept the door. I submit that the “door keeper” is the Holy Spirit. He is the discerner of the hearts of those that enter the fold. It is as the Holy Spirit prepares the hearts of the “called”, that they are then drawn to the door. He then begins to outline the proper establishment of “apostolic order”. Those that are to follow certain shepherds, will understand the “voice” of their “apostolic oversight”. Some are to be hands, eyes,… He continues with the “technology”:

And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. John 10:4 (KJV)

Jesus now shows us the purpose in training the “sheep”. To release them to graze. To help the sheep find their place in the pasture and release them to walk as they have seen their shepherd walk. Not necessarily the same walk as their shepherd, but as they have seen him walk after the Good Shepherd. And the Spirit will bear witness that their voice has been true to Gods Word.

And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. John 10:5 (KJV)

The voice of those not of the same flock will cause the sheep to run away, sometimes from God! And as was usually the case with Jesus’ parables, they couldn’t understand what he was saying, so now he begins to restate his words, to explain them in a clearer light.

Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. John 10:7 (KJV)

He tells us that he is the portal of entry into the “new fold”. All the sheep and the shepherds of this new move must pass by him.

All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. John 10:8 (KJV)

All of the shepherds of the previous system were thieves and robbers, but, the “sheep” were not totally corrupted by accepting all that they said was so! In their system, they made it so complicated for someone to “be right” with God, that the sheep couldn’t understand, or comprehend, what they were trying to get across.

I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. John 10:9 (KJV)

Jesus tells us one of the “keys of the kingdom”. Once we come through the door, we can now go in and out of the sheepfold in the liberty that kingdom provides. We can roam the mountain of God to find our particular “pasture”. Sheep are not meant to be “corralled”. He also begins to set up a comparison again between what is “proper” shepherding and what is not.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10 (KJV)

The comparison continues. The thief, those that enter by some other way other than the door, come to steal (filch), kill and destroy. Whereas Jesus came that they, the sheep, may have life. We must take note that in John 8:44 it is said that they are of their father the devil and that he was a murderer from the beginning. But their is a major difference between a murderer (anthropoktonos) and kill (thuo) listed in John 10:10. These differences will also reinforce the object of this scripture. Jesus in John Chapter 8, while speaking to the Pharisee’s said,

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. John 8:44 (KJV)

Now it has been said that this scripture is the reference to John 10:10’s use of the word kill, but that cannot be so! The word used here for 'murderer' is the Greek word anthropoktonos, and though it does mean to kill, it specifically means a manslayer, one who murders a man. But the word used in John 10:10 is the Greek word 'thuo'. Thuo is a word that means to rush, to breathe hard, to blow, to smoke and it implies to sacrifice by fire, but generally by extension to immolate (slaughter for sacrificial purpose). It is used fourteen times within the New Testament and with the exception of John 10:10, every other usage is related to the sacrifice of animals in worship. There is not one reference, (other than relating to Christ as the Passover Lamb) that points to the murder or death of a human being. To imply from John 10:10 that the devil has the power to kill is an ignorant use of scripture and may actually be a releasing of him to do such. But if we place it in context to the Pharisee’s religious practices, it makes perfect sense! Their entire religious system was developed around the sacrifice of animals for the temporal remission of sin. They had become so blinded to the Spirit of the Word, that they couldn’t see that the “Lamb of God”, was about to present himself, to transition them from a sacrificial system that was temporal, to a system where, the sacrifice of one would be sufficient for all. The Pharisee’s system of religion was one of destruction. The destruction of souls. The lack of liberty in serving God would “choke” revelation. God was in the box (Ark of the Covenant) and that was that. Revelation of God had come to a standstill. The “sheep” were standing in the same place for four hundred years. If a “sheep” stays in one place to long, it will starve to death. It must be constantly moving forward to greener pasture. The Pharisaical system was literally destroying the sheep. New revelation of God was hindered to the point that there was no new revelation. It was forbidden. It is a parallel to what we see now and will see in the times to come, as God moves and people hear. It’s guaranteed! They will arise!

They must in order for every jot and tittle to come to pass. The Prophet Ezekiel was commanded to speak a word over Israel, notice the wording and see if it sounds familiar.

There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof. 26 Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they showed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them. 27 Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain. 28 And her prophets have daubed them with untempered mortar, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord GOD, when the LORD hath not spoken. Ezekiel 22:25-28 (KJV)

The phrases; have devoured souls; have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows, sure sounds parallel to John 10:10. But the next phrase gets right to the point; to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain. to shed blood, to destroy souls to get dishonest gain to kill to destroy to steal Now I pose a simple question; Was Ezekiel speaking of the devil? Was John? You be the judge, your life just might be depending on it!

Ezekiel 34:10-12 (KJV) Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them. 11 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.

Ezekiel 34:14-16 (KJV) I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. 15 I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD. 16 I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.