約翰福音10:1-21

 

10:1 「我實實在在地告訴你們，人進羊圈，不從門進去，倒從別處爬進去，那人就是賊，就是強盜。
10:2 從門進去的，才是羊的牧人。
10:3 看門的就給他開門；羊也聽他的聲音。他按著名叫自己的羊，把羊領出來。
10:4 既放出自己的羊來，就在前頭走，羊也跟著他，因為認得他的聲音。
10:5 羊不跟著生人；因為不認得他的聲音，必要逃跑。」
10:6 耶穌將這比喻告訴他們，但他們不明白所說的是甚麼意思。
10:7 所以，耶穌又對他們說：「我實實在在地告訴你們，我就是羊的門。
10:8 凡在我以先來的都是賊，是強盜；羊卻不聽他們。
10:9 我就是門；凡從我進來的，必然得救，並且出入得草吃。
10:10 盜賊來，無非要偷竊，殺害，毀壞；我來了，是要叫羊（或譯：人）得生命，並且得的更豐盛。
10:11 我是好牧人；好牧人為羊捨命。
10:12 若是雇工，不是牧人，羊也不是他自己的，他看見狼來，就撇下羊逃走；狼抓住羊，趕散了羊群。
10:13 雇工逃走，因他是雇工，並不顧念羊。
10:14 我是好牧人；我認識我的羊，我的羊也認識我，
10:15 正如父認識我，我也認識父一樣；並且我為羊捨命。
10:16 我另外有羊，不是這圈裡的；我必須領他們來，他們也要聽我的聲音，並且要合成一群，歸一個牧人了。
10:17 我父愛我；因我將命捨去，好再取回來。
10:18 沒有人奪我的命去，是我自己捨的。我有權柄捨了，也有權柄取回來。這是我從我父所受的命令。」
10:19 猶太人為這些話又起了紛爭。
10:20 內中有好些人說：「他是被鬼附著，而且瘋了，為甚麼聽他呢？」
10:21 又有人說：「這不是鬼附之人所說的話。鬼豈能叫瞎子的眼睛開了呢？」

 

“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. ² The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. ³ The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵ But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” ⁶ Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.

⁷ Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. ⁸ All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. ⁹ I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.^[a] They will come in and go out, and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹² The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. ¹³ The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

¹⁴ “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶ I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. ¹⁷ The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

¹⁹ The Jews who heard these words were again divided. ²⁰ Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?”

²¹ But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

 

**********

 

    主耶穌是好牧人，牧人要帶領羊到安全的地方，並且有豐富的水草，使羊得著照顧與成長。也因為如此，主耶穌說：「我來了，是要叫羊（或譯：人）得生命，並且得的更豐盛。」

 

    更重要的是主耶穌說：「我是好牧人；好牧人為羊捨命。若是雇工，不是牧人，羊也不是他自己的，他看見狼來，就撇下羊逃走；狼抓住羊，趕散了羊群。雇工逃走，因他是雇工，並不顧念羊。我是好牧人；我認識我的羊，我的羊也認識我，正如父認識我，我也認識父一樣；並且我為羊捨命。」

 

    所以，主耶穌勝過一些稱為教主的，他們都是犧牲別人來高抬自己，讓人覺得他們很崇高。只是指示人一條路，並沒有為人成就甚麼。只是要人走他們指引的路，卻不保證一定得著永生。

 

    但是主耶穌和這些教主不同，祂親自面對惡者，並且以自己為祭物，以死來敗壞魔鬼的權勢，將魔鬼權勢以下的人拯救出來。正如《希伯來書》2章14-15節所說：「兒女既同有血肉之體，他也照樣親自成了血肉之體，特要藉著死敗壞那掌死權的，就是魔鬼，並要釋放那些一生因怕死而為奴僕的人。」

 

    也因為如此唯有主耶穌可靠，因為主耶穌本身就是基督，是完全的上帝也是完全的人，這是那些教主無法比擬的！