What I see is that you can't comment on 10:8. You ignore it and keep asking me to comment on other things. 10:8 is the key to understanding the relationship of the "sheep" to the Father, and also helps us understand why Christ keeps talking about the Father in this context.
So, if the "sheep" did not "follow another," who did they follow? I've asked you that question repeatedly, but you will not answer. I DO have an answer, and I have told you why.
Brother, John 10:8 is not the key to understanding the passage.
To understand John 10, you need to understand that Jesus is speaking to the pharisees that were opposing Him because He healed, on a Sabbath, the man who had been born blind.(chp. 9).
To understand the significance of John 9, you need to understand the concept of the "work of God", which Jesus defined in chp. 6:29 "
This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent."
With this definition in mind, we see Jesus addressing the issue of the man born blind in chp.9:3-4 "
Jesus answered, 'It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was in order that the works of God might be displayed in him. (4) We must work the works of Him who sent Me, as long as it is day; night is coming, when no man can work.'"
Though the miracles demonstrate Jesus is God, and are called works, "The" work of God is to bring belief (salvation) to those Jesus has been given by the Father (His sheep).
And so, the man born blind is a sheep and is healed, the controversy arises, he is kicked out to synagogue, and Jesus finds him (v35)
"Jesus heard that they had put him out; and finding him, He said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" (v.36) He answered and said, 'And who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?'" (v.37) Jesus said to him, 'You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you,'" (v.38) And he said, 'Lord, I believe.' And he worshiped Him.
The result of the "works=miracle=healing the blindness" is the "The" work of God (belief in Him whom He sent) is accomplished. The man born blind says "
Lord,I believe" and he worshiped Him. He became a believer. That was the very purpose of his being born blind, that Jesus would find him, heal him, and bring him to salvation.
Then Jesus makes a play on the concept of "blindness", saying He would cause some to see and others to become blind. He is clearly speaking in spiritual terms here (9:39-41).
Jesus then begins His discourse of the Good Shepherd in chp.10.
In the case of v.5 "
And a stranger they simply will not follow...." and v.8 "
All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them."....
.....in the context of the passage, the "sheep" that did not listen or follow the stranger, but listened to the voice of his master, is the man who had been born blind and later became a believer. The ones he would not follow were the pharisees.
When you read chp. 9, you will find the council attempted to coerce the man to denounce Jesus as a sinner (for healing on the Sabbath). The man would not listen to their voice. He would not follow them. He had heard the voice of his master, and he could not denounce Him.
The man born blind is the sheep that would not listen to another master or follow any other but Jesus. He is the one Jesus sought out to accomplish the work of God, which is salvation of the sheep.
With all that in mind, it is clear, then, when Jesus tells the pharisees that "you do not believe because you are not of My sheep", it means what it so plainly says.
Those pharisees were not one of the sheep and that is why they couldn't respond to the miracles, that is why they wouldn't follow His voice, that is why they did not believe.
They were not chosen by God to be one of His sheep.
peace to you
raying:
