In the Bible, a name often signifies a person's identity, purpose, and reputation. It's not just a way to distinguish one person from another; it's a profound statement about who they are. Throughout this study, we'll explore how the names given to Jesus—from Old Testament prophecies to New Testament revelations—build a complete picture of His role in God's redemptive plan.
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." - Isaiah 7:14
Matthew 1:23 NLT “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”
In this session we will continue our discussion of the I Am declarations of Jesus. The "I Am" statements of Jesus are a series of profound declarations found in the Gospel of John. They are significant because they connect Jesus directly to God's own name as revealed to Moses in the Old Testament, which was "I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus 3:14). By using these statements, Jesus was not only revealing aspects of his own nature and identity, but also claiming divine authority. This week we discuss Jesus' declaration that He is the Door (Gate). John 10:9 NLT Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures.
In the Bible, a name often signifies a person's identity, purpose, and reputation. It's not just a way to distinguish one person from another; it's a profound statement about who they are. Throughout this study, we'll explore how the names given to Jesus—from Old Testament prophecies to New Testament revelations—build a complete picture of His role in God's redemptive plan.
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." - Isaiah 7:14
Matthew 1:23 NLT “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”
We have been talking about the “I Am” statements of Jesus that are in the book of John. Each revealing a different aspect of His identity and purpose. These statements are a direct echo of God's self-revelation to Moses in the Old Testament.
Exodus 3:13-15 NIV [13] Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” [14] God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ” [15] God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ “This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation.
We started with I am the bread of life.
John 6:35 NIV Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
Last week it was “I am the light of the world”
John 8:12 NIV When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
The identity of Jesus as the source of truth, guidance, and spiritual life, in contrast to the darkness of sin and ignorance.
He doesn't say "I have light" or "I bring light," but "I am the light."
Remember what we said at the end of last week’s session.
Jesus passes this title on to us, his followers. We are to reflect His light to the world. We are not the source, but the carriers of the light.
Matthew 5:14-16 NIV [14] “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. [15] Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. [16] In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
This week we are going to talk about Jesus saying that he is the door or gate depending on the translation you are reading.
Before we get the specific scripture I want to start with today I need to go back a little bit to the study from a few weeks ago when we said that one of the names/titles for Jesus was shepherd. This was our main scripture that day.
John 10:11-15 (NIV): "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 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. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep."
A shepherd was more than just a caretaker of sheep; they were a protector against dangers, a guide to good pastures, and a healer for the sick and injured. This is the very role Jesus fulfills for us.
The most famous passage in the Bible about the Shepherd is found in the Psalms. It beautifully illustrates God's provision, protection, and comforting presence.
Psalm 23:1-4 (NIV):
"The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."
But before Jesus referred to Himself as the door or the gate which He explains is in fact the Shepherd.
John 10:1-10 NLT [1] “I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! [2] But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. [3] The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. [4] After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. [5] They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.” [6] Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, [7] so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. [8] All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. [9] Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. [10] The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
John 10:1-10 NIV [1] “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. 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.
John 10:1-10 NKJV [1] “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. [2] But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. [3] To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. [4] And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. [5] Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” [6] Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them. [7] Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. [8] All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. [9] I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. [10] The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
In John 10, Jesus speaks to a Jewish audience familiar with the metaphors of shepherds and sheepfolds. The "gate" of a sheep pen was often not a physical object but the shepherd himself, who would lie in the entrance to protect his flock. This powerful imagery is not only a New Testament concept but also has deep roots and foreshadowing in the Hebrew Scriptures.
"I am the door (gate)." By connecting his words to ancient Jewish imagery and prophecy, we can better appreciate how this statement reveals his role as the sole entry point to salvation and a life of abundance.
Old Testament Foundations and Foreshadowing
The Old Testament frequently uses the imagery of gates to represent power, access, and salvation.
The Gates of the Tabernacle and Temple:
The Tabernacle and later the Temple had gates that served as the sole entry point to God's presence.
The Tabernacle and later the Temple had a single main gate for entry into the outer court. This was the only way for the people to access the sacred space.
Exodus 27:16-19 describes the gate of the courtyard for the Tabernacle. It was made of fine woven linen with blue, purple, and scarlet threads, and was the only way to enter the court.
Exodus 27:16-19 NIV [16] “For the entrance to the courtyard, provide a curtain twenty cubits long, of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen—the work of an embroiderer—with four posts and four bases. [17] All the posts around the courtyard are to have silver bands and hooks, and bronze bases. [18] The courtyard shall be a hundred cubits long and fifty cubits wide, with curtains of finely twisted linen five cubits high, and with bronze bases. [19] All the other articles used in the service of the tabernacle, whatever their function, including all the tent pegs for it and those for the courtyard, are to be of bronze.
Psalms 100:1-5 NIV[1] Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. [2] Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. [3] Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. [4] Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. [5] For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
Psalm 100:4 invites worshippers to "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise." This verse highlights the gates as the designated point of entry for those seeking to worship God.
The Gate of Righteousness:
Psalms 118:19-20 NIV Open for me the gates of the righteous; I will enter and give thanks to the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord through which the righteous may enter.
This speaks of a specific, divinely appointed entrance for those seeking God. Jesus fulfills this prophecy, revealing himself as the one and only way to enter into a right relationship with God.
This emphasizes that access to God's presence is restricted to those who are righteous, or who have been made right with God through the prescribed sacrifices.
That was the Old Testament. We know that when we are saved we are declared righteous because of Christ who is the only way to a renewed relationship with God.
Here are some key scriptures that explain how our righteousness comes from Christ alone:
Romans 3:21-22 (NIV) "But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe."
This shows that a right standing with God is not earned by following the law, but is a gift from God, received through faith in Jesus.
Romans 3:23-24 (NIV): "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."
This emphasizes the universal human condition of sin and our inability to save ourselves. Justification (being declared righteous) is a free gift of grace, made possible only by Jesus' redemptive work.
2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV): "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
Jesus, who was perfect and sinless, took our sin upon himself and bore the punishment for it. In return, believers are clothed with his righteousness and are seen as righteous in God's eyes.
This verse powerfully summarizes the "great exchange"—Jesus taking our sin and us receiving his righteousness.
Philippians 3:9 (NIV): "and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith."
Here, the apostle Paul articulates his own experience, contrasting his former pursuit of righteousness through human effort with the righteousness he found in Christ.
Paul, who was formerly a zealous Pharisee, considered his impressive resume of religious works to be worthless in comparison to the righteousness that comes from a relationship with Christ. This highlights that true righteousness is a gift received through faith, not an achievement earned by works.
Righteousness is not something we possess inherently or can achieve on our own. Instead, it is a legal and spiritual reality granted to us by God through our faith in the atoning work of Jesus Christ. It is a gift that provides a strong foundation for our faith, as we've discussed before.
Jesus Christ is the ultimate fulfillment of the Tabernacle and Temple gates, serving as the sole way to the Father.
John 10:9 Jesus declares, "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture." This verse directly connects Jesus to the Old Testament concept of the gate, presenting him as the one and only way to salvation and a relationship with God.
John 14:6 further reinforces this, with Jesus stating, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." This scripture clearly establishes Christ as the exclusive path to God.
Hebrews 10:19-20 speaks of a new and living way to God's presence. "Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body..."
This passage references the Temple's inner curtain, which separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, and highlights that through Jesus' death, the barrier to God's presence was removed, granting believers direct access.
There was only one gate to the Tabernacle's outer court symbolizing that there is only one way to approach God. The gates themselves pointed to a future reality: that access to God's presence would be granted through a single mediator.
The Passover Doorposts: During the Exodus, the Israelites were commanded to apply the blood of a lamb to their doorposts.
Exodus 12:21-23 NIV [21] Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go at once and select the animals for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb. [22] Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. None of you shall go out of the door of your house until morning. [23] When the Lord goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down.
The door here serves as a point of salvation and protection. This event is a powerful "type" or foreshadowing of Christ, the ultimate Passover Lamb, whose blood provides protection from spiritual death.
Jesus as the Protector and Provider:
John 10:9 NIV I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.
This points to Jesus’s role as both our protector and the source of abundant life. We talked about that in our session on the name/title Shepherd.
This echoes the promise of the shepherd in Psalm 23, who leads his sheep to "green pastures" and "beside still waters," providing for all their needs.
Psalms 23:1-6 NIV [1] The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. [2] He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, [3] he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. [4] Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. [5] You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. [6] Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Jesus as the Access to the Father: Jesus is the door that provides direct access to God. This contrasts with the previous system of priests and sacrifices, showing that through his sacrifice, the veil in the temple was torn (Matthew 27:51), opening the way for all believers to enter into God's presence.
Matthew 27:50-53 NIV [50] And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. [51] At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split [52] and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. [53] They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrsection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
Now because there is nothing in the way of us coming directly into God’s presence, remember we have been declared righteous because we came the only way possible through Jesus Christ our Shepherd and Deliverer
Hebrews 10:19-25 NIV [19] Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, [20] by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, [21] and since we have a great priest over the house of God, [22] let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. [23] Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. [24] And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, [25] not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
We can now "enter the most holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body."
Questions for Discussion
Answers to Discussion Questions
How does understanding the Old Testament context of gates and doors (as in Psalm 118 or the Passover) deepen your appreciation of Jesus's statement "I am the door"?
The Old Testament context shows that the concept of a single, divinely appointed gate to God is not new. It highlights how Jesus fulfills long-standing prophecies and symbols. The Passover doorposts, for example, show a door providing salvation from judgment, which is exactly what Jesus, our ultimate Passover Lamb, does. Similarly, the gates of righteousness in Psalm 118 foreshadow a single, righteous path to God, which Jesus declares himself to be. This Old Testament foundation gives Jesus's statement a deeper, historical significance, showing that he is the culmination of God's plan.
Jesus says his sheep will "come in and go out, and find pasture." What does this freedom and provision look like in your life? How is it different from the promises of the "thieves and robbers" in the world today?
The freedom to "come in and go out" suggests a life not of confinement, but of security and purpose. It means we have the freedom to engage with the world, knowing we can always return to God's presence for rest and safety. The "pasture" represents spiritual nourishment, peace, and abundance. This is in stark contrast to the "thieves and robbers" of the world, which can represent anything from false religions and ideologies to destructive habits and societal pressures. These things promise life but ultimately lead to emptiness and destruction, whereas Jesus delivers on his promise of life to the full.
The Bible makes it clear that Jesus is the "only way." How do you feel about this exclusive claim, and how can we share this truth with others in a way that is both loving and clear?
The exclusivity of this claim can be challenging in a pluralistic world. Some may find it difficult, while others find it a source of certainty and comfort. It's important to remember that this exclusivity is not about being "better" than others, but about the unique nature of Jesus's sacrifice. He is the only one who paid the price for our sins. When we share this truth, we should do so with humility and grace, focusing on the love and life that Jesus offers rather than simply the exclusion of other paths. We can highlight the transformative power of a personal relationship with Him.
How does the "I am the door" statement encourage regular self-reflection on whether we are truly entering through him or trying to climb in by another way?
The imagery of the thief "climbing in by some other way" is a powerful reminder of the dangers of spiritual shortcuts. It encourages us to constantly evaluate our motives. Are we seeking a relationship with God on our own terms, through our own efforts, or through worldly approval? Or are we humbling ourselves and coming to him through faith in Jesus alone? True spiritual growth and alignment come from staying anchored in Christ, our foundation.
Based on the scriptures we have discussed, how does Jesus's role as the door provide a sense of security and protection in your life?
Jesus, as the door, is the ultimate gatekeeper. He not only grants us entry to salvation but also protects us from spiritual harm. We can find security in knowing that no one and nothing can separate us from his love. The "thieves and robbers" of the world cannot harm the sheep who are safely within the fold with Jesus. This provides a deep sense of peace, knowing that our salvation and our future are secure in him, and that he is always watching over us.
Romans 8:37-39 NIV [37] No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. [38] For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, [39] neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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