Jesus, as True Shepherd, fully understands His flock and the individual members of that flock. In John ten, the Shepherd delineates that He knows His sheep. And He knows who are NOT His sheep. Speaking to the religious leaders of His day, Jesus declares, “You are not of my sheep.” (John 10: 26) By being God, being all-knowing, the omniscient Jesus can see the hearts of humanity. These pompous men had hounded Jesus for His three-year ministry. They mocked Jesus’ claim to be God and maligned His credibility.
But Jesus here clearly levels them with this statement, they are NOT His sheep. So, if they are not a part of Jesus’ flock, to whom do they belong? Even here, Jesus is simple and blunt, in one place saying that they are of their father, the devil. These men, parading as religious, were in fact a part of the enemy’s team. They promoted the enemy’s goals and aligned with his principles of pride and condescension. Let’s be cautious to avoid this. Let’s side with our Shepherd, support His kingdom, nestle under His loving hand.
