Epistle Korach

Epistle Korach

John 10:1-21

Joh 10:1 “Most certainly, I [Yeshua] tell you, one who doesn’t enter by the door into the sheep fold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.

Joh 10:2  But one who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

Joh 10:3  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.

Joh 10:4  Whenever he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.

Joh 10:5  They will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him; for they don’t know the voice of strangers.”

Joh 10:6  Yeshua spoke this parable to them, but they didn’t understand what he was telling them.

The theme of the “good shepherd” is scattered throughout the writings of each of the prophets.  The Good Shepherd is the one who leads the sheep on the correct path – the correct halacha – the Way of Elohim.  And, of course, he is willing to lay down his life for his sheep, unlike the false shepherds, who exploit the sheep and then leave them defenseless.  Since the prophets are not read through every year, a portion every week in the synagogue like the Torah is, many ordinary people who could not afford what we would call “school” for themselves or their kids might not be aware of all the prophetic writings in the Tanakh which spoke about the Good Shepherd.

John, continued:

Joh 10:7  Yeshua therefore said to them again, “Most certainly, I tell you, I am the sheep’s door.

Joh 10:8  All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them.

Joh 10:9  I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out, and will find pasture.

Joh 10:10  The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.

Joh 10:11  I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Joh 10:12  He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who doesn’t own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep, and flees. The wolf snatches the sheep, and scatters them.

Joh 10:13  The hired hand flees because he is a hired hand, and doesn’t care for the sheep.

Joh 10:14  I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and I’m known by my own;

Joh 10:15  even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep.

Joh 10:16  I have other sheep, which are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice. They will become one flock with one shepherd.

Joh 10:17  Therefore the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again.

Joh 10:18  No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down by myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. I received this mitzvah from my Father.”

Joh 10:19  Therefore a division arose again among the Judeans because of these words.

Joh 10:20  Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane! Why do you listen to him?”

Joh 10:21  Others said, “These are not the sayings of one possessed by a demon. It isn’t possible for a demon to open the eyes of the blind, is it?”

Demons and those on the “other team” can do signs and wonders, even some miracles – the False Messiah and the False Prophet will rope in many doing just that.  But some things are beyond the occult arts, and the healings that Yeshua did are far and away beyond the ability of any occult practitioner.  Otherwise, there would be no blindness or paralyzation anywhere today because the charletans would have “proved” their power by duplicating these miracles.

Next:  Kollel Korach.