We are now in John chapter 9 and working our way through it with care as not to trip over any vital information hidden within its context. Picking up the flow with verse 18 and for this I will use only the new Mirror Study Bible, instead of doing the three, just to show that there really is not much variation in context make-up. For the real difference comes from within us as we read and GODS Spirit opens our spiritual eyes and ears to hear Him (1Corinthians 12; 2Corinthians 3:6, 18) open up the scriptures to us for us, as the living Word that abides within us.
John 9:18-23; 24-34; 35-41 "The Jews then began to doubt whether he was blind after all, so they addressed the parents. "Is this your son who you say was born blind? How is it that he now sees?" The parents said, "Of course we know that this is our son who now sees and who it is who opened his eyes, we have no idea! He is a grown boy, why don't you ask him to speak for himself?" They chose their words carefully for fear of offending the Jews since it was rumored that the Jewish leadership agreed to ban anyone from the synagogue should they confess Jesus to be the Messiah-Christ. For this reason the parents didn't want to commit themselves to an opinion but shifted the attention back to the boy himself, saying that he is of age and should be able to speak for himself.
Then they again called the man that was blind and said to him, "Give GOD the glory and agree with us that this man is a Sabbath breaker and sinner." He said, "I cannot say whether he is a sinner or not, but one thing I do know is that once I was blind but now I see!" They wanted to hear it again and asked him, "So what did he do to you, how did he open your eyes?" He said, "But I have told you and you are not hearing me; why would you want to hear it again, are you perhaps also desiring to become his followers?" They scorned him and accused him to be a Jesus-disciple! "We are disciples of Moses! We know that God communicated with Moses but who can tell where this fellow is from?" The man answered them, "I am amazed that you just cannot see this; how can you not perceive where he is from? I mean, hello! He opened my eyes! Are we not supposed to know that sinners don't dictate to GOD - but those who worship GOD and desires to perform his delight has a "hot-line" to heaven. Since the beginning of time no one has ever heard of anyone who opened the eyes of a man born blind! If this is not proof of this man's close acquaintance with GOD, then what is - he would be powerless to perform anything on his own." They replied, "You were born in utter sin and here you are trying to teach the Saints!" And they cast him out.
Jesus heard that they cast him out and went looking for him; when he found him, he asked him, 'Do you believe in the son of GOD?' He answered, "Then who is he Sir, that I may believe in him?" Jesus said, 'You have seen him, and he is speaking to you!' And he said, "Lord, I believe." And he worshiped him. 'I have come to judge the world's blindness - so that they who are blind may see and those who think that they see may become blind.' Some of the Pharisees overheard him and said, "So, are we also blind?" Jesus said, 'If you were blind you would have no sin, but now you say you see and your sin continues!'" (The Mirror)
Okay, now for chapter tens gold mine of treasures and riches of divine inspiration of great wealth. My intent is to combine chapter 3 with its Nicodemus teaching into chapter 10, just where and how I am not at this moment sure.
John 10:1-10 (Jesus is speaking) "'Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.' This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. Then said Jesus unto them again, 'Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.'" (KJV)
John 10:1-10 (Jesus is speaking) "'Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.' This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So Jesus again said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.'" (ESV)
John 10:1-10 "'I want to make this very clear to you, someone whose agenda is to steal and to plunder the sheep will not come through the gate of the sheepfold; they would climb over the wall or use some other obscure way. The Shepherd of the sheep enters by the door. (In the context of Jesus' conversation he emphasizes that the sheep wouldn't expect the Shepherd-Messiah to come from anywhere else from the Father.) The gate warden lets him in and the sheep recognize his voice; he calls his sheep by name and leads them out. (He leads them out of the prophetic enclosure - the fold of safety - into life - where my soul is restored in green pastures! By the waters of reflection my soul remembers who I am - and even if I go through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil. Psalm 23) And when he leads (Corinthians 6:11-7:3, Revelation 18, our being called out from among them) them out, he goes before them and the sheep follow him; for they are familiar with his voice. They will never follow the stranger but will flee from him since they do not know his voice.' Jesus told his disciples this illustration but they did not understand what he meant by it. 'Let me say it like this then,' Jesus continued with, 'I am the doorway of the sheep. The so-called Shepherds and saviors who preceded me are the thieves and plunderers but the sheep did not recognize their voices. I am the door and the sheep who enter because of who I am are safe to roam freely and find pasture. While the thief "Shepherds" have no other agenda but to steal, kill, destroy and he couldn't care less if he [1]lost some sheep. I have come with the sole purpose for you to have life in its most complete form.' (The word [1] apolumi, to lose, is often translated to perish. Look at Luke 15)" (The Mirror)
The LORD willing we will pick things up again here at verse 11, next time.
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