The other week the Capital Area Anabaptists met for our monthly lunch at the MCC Washington office. At each gathering we read a scripture passage together using lectio divina. One person reads the passage aloud, while we all listen for a word or phrase that resonates; then another person reads it again as we listen for the questions the text raises or what speaks deeply to us. This passage from John 10 was our most recent reading together.

I was thinking I would rather avoid preaching on this text but that didn’t seem like a good way to start the conversation. It was a relief when the former Catholic priest from Nigeria said he had a confession to make: “I do not ever want to preach on this text again.” Common ground!

After our group discussion, my ears and eyes were opened. I got excited about preaching this text. Sometimes pastors geek out like this. I am not a member of the Menno Nerds on-line group or anything but I do appreciate understanding a familiar text in a new way, or seeing something new in the text for the very first time.

The passage seems so straight forward. “The truth of the matter is…” or “Truly I tell you…” How can Jesus be any clearer? And yet we are told that the listeners aren’t getting it – at all. So Jesus starts over again: “Truly I tell you…”

The writer of John’s gospel uses “Truly I tell you…” a lot. Jesus says it when he is talking to Nicodemus, (chapter 3); and again when he is explaining his relationship with Abba God to temple authorities (chapter 5); and then when he explains multiplying the loaves and fishes to the disciples (chapter 6); again with religious authorities in chapter 8 when he talks about sin and the tradition. I will stop here at chapter 10 but you can keep going. Look for the “truly” passages.

Since there is a chapter break and it starts with “Truly I tell you,” we tend to read this passage as if it is a new scene. What if instead, we read this is as a continuation of chapter 9. You remember chapter 9. Jesus spits in the dirt and heals the blind person who is sitting at the side of the road. (We heard this story some weeks ago during lent, on the Sunday that Michelle was licensed.) The person has their sight restored and yet the religious authorities are not convinced. It seems that no amount of evidence – from the person, from the parents of the person who was formerly blind, from Jesus himself – will convince the religious leaders that the person was blind but now can see.

(If you doubt the connection, take a look for yourself. At the end of this passage,  the religious authorities are at odds with each other, some thinking this Jesus is stark, raving, mad and others saying “These are not the words of a demon. Could a demon open the eyes of a blind person?” John 10:19-21)

So Jesus tries a whole different metaphor; if blindness and sight don’t work, maybe sheep herding and sheep rustlers will be more appealing. As Jesus speaks, the listeners are not the only ones shifting uncomfortably. The metaphor shifts as well. Is Jesus the shepherd or the gate? Is Jesus the only shepherd? Who are the thief and robber? Is everyone sheep or just the disciples? What about the hired hand? We start to understand why the disciples (as well as the other listeners – the formerly blind person and religious authorities) get confused.

It’s not that Jesus’ listeners don’t know sheepfolds. They understand how a sheep pen is made of strategically piled rocks – with branches from thorn bushes placed carefully around the top to keep out intruders. They know that the gate does not swing on hinges but is usually a person who sleeps across the opening to keep the sheep from going out at night.

The sight and blindness image was not at all welcomed by the religious authorities. They do not appreciate the intimation that they are blind. Now the metaphor is a sheepfold and they are basically told that they are not the gatekeepers. The religious leaders are pretty sure they are the gatekeepers, maybe even the gate. Remember how they kicked the formerly blind person out of the synagogue because the person wouldn’t admit they were sinful? Of course they are the gatekeepers. Now this same troublemaker, Jesus, says he is the gate. He determines who goes in and out of the sheepfold – not the religious leaders.

Jesus also says he is the shepherd who will protect the sheep. The hired hand, who doesn’t have as much invested in the flock, will run when they see danger, leaving the sheep to get lost or be eaten by the wolf. But the shepherd, the Good Shepherd whose sheep they are, will protect the sheep, even giving up their own life to save the sheep.

It is one thing for us to read this passage and find comfort and inspiration in it. It is a whole other story to realize that Jesus is speaking to the religious leaders with this not so veiled critique of how they care for their “flock.” (You can see why they feel threatened and start plotting to get rid of Jesus.)

Gatekeepers have a job: to monitor who comes in and out of the sheep fold. In the sheepfold the sheep are safe; thieves and bandits won’t get them. Wolves and other dangerous animals won’t come in. As a gatekeeper, it is best to keep all the sheep in the fold, where they can be counted, cared for and not get mixed in with sheep from any other shepherd.

Jesus doesn’t sound like this kind of gatekeeper. Jesus the Good Shepherd sounds like he is more interested in what we might call a free range flock. Not that he wants the sheep to be in danger but Jesus says he comes to bring abundant life. Life inside the sheepfold might be safe but it is not abundant.

Instead of keeping the sheep safe and separate in the sheep fold, the Good Shepherd leads the sheep through the gate into abundant life. Abundant life is where there is green pasture as far as the sheep can see. Abundant life is where still waters restore the parched tongue. Abundant life is where there is space for more than one flock and it is not a threat to the sheep or the shepherd.

This is the idea I heard in the text the other week that got me so excited. It is probably old news to you but since I was born in the safety of the sheepfold, this seems like amazing news. Abundant life is not in the the sheepfold. Abundant life is in the expanse of the green pasture, beside the still waters. There is nothing wrong with the sheepfold. It serves a purpose and has its place but it is not the end. The shepherd comes to lead the sheep out of the sheepfold, to lead them toward abundant life.

Abundant life is where the sheep, known by name, encounter sheep from other flocks without fear or threat. Abundant life is trusting that the shepherd has things in hand and will confront the wolf so the sheep don’t have to. The sheep find freedom in abundant life and – it can be unpredictable.

The reality is – sheep are vulnerable, they are prey. Sheep do need a shepherd to look after them. The metaphor assumes there is danger unless there is a protector. The question is, what kind of protector? The Good Shepherd does not promise to go out and bludgeon the wolves or thieves. The Good Shepherd will stand in the way, taking the blows meant for the sheep.

This is quite different from the kind of protection many shepherds offer. We are familiar with the Wizard of Oz who leads in word and yet keeps their own body hidden. The Wiz leader might hide not only behind a curtain but behind protective armor or a palace or high wall or armed guard. This is in great contrast to the Good Shepherd who goes ahead, leading the way, stepping in front of the wolf if necessary. Jesus says, “No one takes my life from me, I lay it down freely.”

Abundant life for undeserving sheep paired with a lot of risk for the shepherd seems ridiculous, impossible and yet it is a threat to the religious leaders and the imperial leaders of Jesus’ day. It is still a threat to those who see themselves as the gatekeepers, whether it is the gate of the church or the borders of the country. Good Shepherd is still a metaphor that many leaders would rather not step into. Who wants to risk leading sheep into the unknown and unfenced fields? It is safer to speak about leading while remaining in the palace. It makes much more sense for the sheep, from the safety of their sheepfold, to watch in wonder at the opulence, masquerading as abundance, in the palace.

This is not the abundant life model Jesus sets up. In Jesus’ model, the Good Shepherd leads the sheep into green pastures where true abundance can be found. The Good Shepherd is with the sheep, by the still waters. This is abundant life – where freedom and joy and peace and contentment are found with the sheep and the shepherd together.

My ex-priest friend confessed he didn’t want to preach on this text again. I confess, I want to get specific about this metaphor, to point accusing fingers at those I could easily cast as gatekeepers or wolves or thieves. But like most good metaphors, this one is complicated, and fluid. I might see myself as shepherd, but someone else might see me as the gatekeeper or even the thief. When we start accusing others of being gatekeepers or wolves or uncaring hired hands, we stop listening and remain in the sheepfold. We miss the opportunity for abundant life.

We do better to see with the eyes of our heart. We do better to listen for the voice of the Good Shepherd as it calls us by name.

Let those who have ears listen and let those who have hearts be filled with courage to choose abundant life.