We continue our daily reflections on Jesus' divinity, focusing on His significant "I AM" statements. God disclosed His identity to Moses and Israel as "I Am that I Am" (Exodus 3:14). Jesus employed those words in Greek, affirming that He is the gateway to eternal life:
The Gateway to Eternal Life
7Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture (John 10:7-9).
Why Jesus is the Only Way to God
"I am the gate" is the third of Jesus' 'I AM' statements. It emphasizes that, contrary to claims of multiple paths to God, Jesus is the sole gate or door to the sheepfold—symbolizing eternal life and security in Him. There is only one way to achieve this: through Jesus. We must approach Him, as no other way exists. The apostle Peter conveyed similar ideas:
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12; emphasis added).
We are deceived if we think there is any alternative to God's Son taking on the punishment for sin. If another option existed, wouldn't God have chosen it instead of allowing His beloved Son to be violently sacrificed for our sins? The real issue is that we are prone to being misled, much like sheep that stray from their shepherd. The prophet Isaiah described it thus:
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6).
The Shepherd’s Sacrifice: Historical Context of the Sheepfold
In the New Testament era, during warmer weather, shepherds would take their sheep out of the village for several days, guiding them to grassy fields farther from town. At night, they would find a nearby cave or construct an enclosure from the stones and boulders in the mountainous regions of Samaria and Judea. Thorn bushes or brambles would act as barriers, preventing wolves from breaching the enclosure to attack the sheep. The sheepfold would have a single entrance through which the sheep could enter or leave. Jesus described this as "I am the gate for the sheep" or "I am the door," depending on the translation. This entrance served as the place where the shepherd would rest and sleep, functioning as the sheepfold’s door.
Resting in the Protection of the Good Shepherd
When Jesus said the sheep could come in and go out (John 10:9), He might have been referring to the sheep who entered Jerusalem and never left. Once inside the Sheep Gate, they were destined for sacrifice. Jesus Himself would stand in for the sheep as the perfect sacrificial Lamb, allowing His followers to come and go freely. He would take their place, enabling them to rest peacefully and securely at night, with the shepherd visible in the doorway, reassuring them of His love and protection from wolves. The prophet Ezekiel, in the 6th century BC, described God's care for His sheep (His people) in this way:
11“‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. 12As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness (Ezekiel 34:11-12).
Ezekiel prophesied that the God of Israel would come as a Man to search for His sheep and care for them. Jesus's words, "I Am the Gate," emphasize how the Shepherd of Israel protects and looks after His sheep. Ask yourself: What "wolves" are currently threatening your peace? Is it anxiety, financial stress, or a specific temptation? Before you leave your house tomorrow, visualize Jesus as the door you are walking through. Acknowledge that you are under His protection as you go out into your day. Keith Thomas
Continue Your Journey…
If you found this meditation meaningful, maybe you’d like to explore How Do I Become a Christian, either that or what Jesus said about "You Must Be Born Again,” or even How Can I be Sure of my Faith.
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