Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 10:26
But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
26. as I said unto you ] These words are omitted by some of the best authorities, including the Vatican and Sinaitic MSS. But they may possibly have been left out to avoid a difficulty. If they are genuine they are best joined, as in our version, with what precedes. Nowhere in the Gospels does Christ make such a quotation from a previous discourse as we should have if we read, ‘As I said unto you, My sheep hear My voice, &c.’ The arrangement ‘Ye are not of My sheep, as I said unto you,’ is better, and the reference is to the general sense of the allegory of the sheep-fold, especially Joh 10:14-15. He and His sheep have most intimate knowledge of one another; therefore these Jews asking who He is prove that they are not His sheep. Comp. Joh 6:36, where there seems to be a similar reference to the general meaning of a previous discourse. It is strange that an objection should have been made to His referring to the allegory after a lapse of two months. There is nothing improbable in His doing so, especially if He had been absent from the city in the interval (see on Joh 10:22). Might not a speaker at the present time refer to a speech made two months before, especially if he had not spoken in public since then?
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Are not of my sheep – Are not my people, my followers. You do not possess the spirit of meek and humble disciples. Were it not for pride, and prejudice, and vainglory for your false notions of the Messiah, and from a determination not to believe, you would have learned from my declarations and works that I am the Christ.
As I said unto you – Compare Joh 8:47.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 26. Ye are not of my sheep] Ye have not the disposition of those who come unto me to be instructed and saved: see what follows.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
As many as were ordained to eternal life believed, Act 13:48. Here our Saviour giveth this as one reason of the Jews unbelief, that they were not of his sheep. Were they not Israelites? Yes, but all are not Israel that are descended of Israel. It seems a very hard interpretation that some would put, upon these words, Ye believe not, because you are not teachable, and fit to be made my sheep; the words are . Nor can such interpretation be paralleled from any other scripture. That by sheep, here, cannot be meant members of the church, is plain; for they were of the church of Israel, whom the Lord led as a flock, as the psalmist speaks, Psa 80:1. That believers, and such as are truly called and sanctified, are not meant, is as plain; for then the sense would be: You believe not because you believe not; besides, our Saviour had before said, he had other sheep that were not of that fold, (by which he meant the Gentiles), such for whom he prayed, Joh 17:20, being such as should believe on him. By sheep therefore he meaneth, certainly, such as were ordained to life, as Act 13:48. Nor will it therefore follow, that Gods not ordaining of them to life, was the near and immediate cause of their not believing; but their own stubborn and perverse wills in not repenting, that they might believe; as our Saviour tells them, Mat 21:32; that is, not turning from their gross and sinful ways, which they might have done by virtue of that common grace of God which was afforded them in the gospel, by the preaching of John the Baptist, and of Christ himself.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
26. ye believe not, because ye arenot of my sheep, as I saidreferring to the whole strain of theParable of the Sheep, (Joh 10:1,&c.).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But ye believe not,…. In me, as the Messiah:
because ye are not of my sheep; they were not among the sheep given him by his Father, were they, they would have come to him; that is, have believed in him, according to Joh 6:37, they were not the chosen of God, predestinated unto eternal life; for as many as are ordained of God to eternal happiness, do believe in God’s own time,
Ac 13:48; but these not being the elect of God, had not the faith of God’s elect. Christ, as the omniscient God, knew this, that they were not the chosen of God; for he was present, when the names of God’s elect were written in the book of life; had they been his sheep, he must have known them, for he knows all the sheep, and calls them by name; had they been given him by the Father, he must have known it, and would have owned them as such; but so it was not, and therefore they were left to hardness and unbelief:
as l said unto you: which seems to refer to what follows, since he had said before, that the sheep bear the voice of the shepherd, and follow him, and that he knows them, Joh 10:4. This clause is omitted in the Vulgate Latin version, and in Nonnus, but is in the Greek copies, and Oriental versions.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Because ye are not of my sheep ( ). This had been the point in the allegory of the Good Shepherd. In fact, they were the children of the devil in spirit and conduct (8:43), pious ecclesiastics though they seemed, veritable wolves in sheep’s clothing (Mt 7:15).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
As I said unto you. The best texts omit.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “But ye believe not,” (alla humeis ou pisteuete) ”But you all do not believe,” do not trust the Scriptures of your own prophets that point like a road-sign to me, Act 10:43; Rev 19:10; Joh 5:39.
2) “Because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.” (hoti ouk este ek ton probaton ton emon) “Because you all are not out of my sheep,” who hear my voice, Joh 10:4, have not obeyed, given heed to the voice of the Shepherd, Joh 1:11; Mat 23:37; Joh 6:44; Joh 8:47; 1Jn 1:4-6.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
26. Because you are not of my sheep. He assigns a higher reason why they do not believe either in his miracles or in his doctrine. It is, because they are reprobate. We must observe Christ’s design; for, since they boasted of being the Church of God, that their unbelief may detract nothing from the authority of the Gospel, he affirms that the gift of believing is a special gift. And, indeed, before that men know God, they must first be known by him, as Paul says, (Gal 4:9.) On the other hand, those to whom God does not look must always continue to look away from him. If any one murmur at this, arguing that the cause of unbelief dwells in God, because he alone has power to make sheep; I reply, He is free from all blame, for it is only by their voluntary malice that men reject his grace. God does all that is necessary to induce them to believe, but who shall tame wild beasts? (300) This will never be done, till the Spirit of God change them into sheep They who are wild will in vain attempt to throw on God the blame of their wildness, for it belongs to their own nature. In short, Christ means that it is not wonderful, if there are few who obey his Gospel, because all whom the Spirit of God does not subdue to the obedience of faith are wild and fierce beasts. So much the more unreasonable and absurd is it, that the authority of the Gospel should depend on the belief of men; but believers ought rather to consider, that they are the more strongly bound to God, because, while others remain in a state of blindness, they are drawn to Christ by the illumination of the Spirit. Here, too, the ministers of the Gospel have ground of consolation, if their labor be not profitable to all.
(300) “ Mais qui apprivoisera des bestes sauvages ?”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(26) But ye believe not.Comp. Notes on Joh. 10:5; Joh. 10:14; Joh. 10:16.
As I said unto you.These words are not found in the Sinaitic or Vatican MSS., and are omitted by the best modern editors. They are not, however, without considerable authority, and the fact of their difficulty may have led to their omission. They are sometimes joined to the following verse, and some expositors accept this as their probable meaning; but although the preceding clause of Joh. 10:26 was not actually spoken in the previous discourse, it was implied, and the reference is of a like kind to that of the Messiah in Joh. 10:25. There is no real difficulty in the fact that He thus refers them to a discourse uttered two months before. In continuity of teaching from Him to them it immediately preceded, and at the commencement of this discourse He gathers up the thread of that which had gone before. On the other hand, the interval helps us to understand how He refers to a truth which was taught them, rather than to the actual words in which He taught it.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
26. Believe not not of my sheep The reference is still to them as false shepherds, as proved by their dealing with the true sheep, the blind-born.
He believed because he was, even before his belief, a predisposed sheep of Christ; they believed not, because they had the opposite predispositions, and so were not his sheep.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“But you do not believe because you are not of my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them and they follow me. And I give to them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will be able to snatch them from my hand.”
Jesus then makes clear the position. What they needed to do was to forget their preconceptions and acknowledge Him as He was, and fall into line with His words. But He brings out that this they would not do because they were not of His sheep. They would not follow Him because they had not been given to Him by the Father (Joh 10:29; Joh 6:37; Joh 6:39). Of course the option was still open, but Jesus knew that they would only respond if they were one of His sheep, drawn by the voice of the Shepherd (Joh 10:4) and by the Father (Joh 6:44).
Those who were destined to be His would be revealed by their response and by their actions. They had an ear to hear. They had a will to obey. As His sheep they would be known to Him personally, and they would receive eternal life and listen to Him and obey Him. They would not fit Him into their own pattern, but would submit themselves to His will and purpose. And their reward would be that Jesus would give them eternal life and full certainty and security.
It is significant that right from the beginning Jesus makes clear that those who will be saved are the few (compare Mat 7:13-14), those who follow Him. God’s interest was not in numbers but in quality. Glorying in numbers is a sign of ‘popular religion’.
But two dangers always face sheep. One is that they will wander off and become lost, and perish of starvation and cold, or at the hands of wild animals. The other is that, while the shepherd is not watching, wolves will snatch them away and devour them. But neither would be possible for His sheep, for He would keep them and watch over them constantly, and if necessary seek them until He found them (Luk 15:4). They would be totally secure in His hands.
It is interesting that Jesus likened His people to sheep. Sheep are helpless creatures, rarely aggressive apart from the rams, and unable to cope on their own. Thus does Jesus demonstrate the total dependence of His own on Himself as the shepherd. They are to be trustful and quiet, like sheep, while not failing in their responsibility to follow Him, even, if necessary, to a cross (Mar 8:34; Mat 16:24).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Joh 10:26-28. But ye believe not, &c. “The reason why you disbelieve me, is not becausethe proofs of my mission are insufficient, but because you are not of a humble teachable disposition, free from worldly passions, and willing to receive the doctrine which comes from God: persons of this character easily know by the nature of my doctrine and miracles who I am,consequently are soon disposed to follow me; and I, on my part, readily acknowledge and receive them, and bestow upon them, if faithful unto death, eternal life, (Joh 10:27.) As I said unto you, my sheep hear my voice,” &c. for so the passage should be read. See Joh 10:4; Joh 10:14; Joh 10:16. And they shall never perish, &c. Joh 10:28. “Though you maliciously endeavour to hinder men from believing on me, neither you, nor the powers of darkness, by whom you are actuated, shall be able to snatch my faithful people out of my hands: Neither shall any one, , any enemy or evil one, (referring principally to the grand enemy of souls) pluck or snatch them,my believing followers,out of my hand.” Our Lord still alludes to thediscourse that he had had before this festival; as if he had said, “My sheep are they who, 1 hear my voice by faith: 2 are known, that is, approved by me, as loving me; and, 3 follow me, keep my commandments with a believing, loving, faithful heart. And to those who, 1st, truly and perseveringlybelieve, [observe, three promises are annexed to three conditions,] I give eternal life.” “Those whom, 2nd, I know truly to love me, shall never perish, provided they abide in my love. 3rdly, Those who follow me, that is, follow me perseveringly, neither men nor devils can pluck out of my hand.”
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
Ver. 26. Ye believe not, because ye are not, &c. ] Reprobates cannot believe, yea, they cannot but resist the external offers of God’s grace. The word, sacraments, and all God’s common temporal favours, are, in respect of external participation, communicated to them by way of concomitancy only, because they are intermixed with the elect.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
26. ] The difficulty of is considerable warrant for its genuineness: and it comes much more naturally with this than with the following verse. I believe it to refer more to the whole allegory , than to any explicit saying of this kind; and this is shewn to my mind by the following words in Joh 10:27 : the minor proposition, ‘ but ye hear not my voice ,’ being understood. This was a corollary from the allegory, and thus it might be said . This reference to the allegory some two months after it was spoken, has been used by the rationalists as an argument against the authenticity of the narrative. But, as Meyer observes, it in reality implies that the conflict with the Jewish authorities is here again taken up after that interval, during which it had not broken out.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Joh 10:26 . “But you on your part do not believe” the reason being that you are not of the number of my sheep. Had you been of my sheep you must have believed; because my sheep have these two characteristics, (Joh 10:27 ) they hear my voice and they follow me: (Joh 10:28 ) and these characteristics meet a twofold response in me, “I know them” and “I give them life eternal”. in each case emphatically exhibits the response of Christ to believers. They acknowledge Him by hearing His voice; He acknowledges them, “knows them”. Cf. Joh 10:14 . They follow Him, and He leads them into life eternal. “ Sequela et vita arcte connectuntur,” Bengel. This mention of the gift of life leads Him to enlarge on its perpetuity and its security. , “they shall never perish” ( cf. Joh 10:10 ), but shall enjoy the abundant life I am come to bestow. , “and no one shall carry them off (Joh 10:12 ) out of my hand” or keeping. Throughout He uses the phraseology of the “Shepherd” parable.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
26.] The difficulty of is considerable warrant for its genuineness: and it comes much more naturally with this than with the following verse. I believe it to refer more to the whole allegory, than to any explicit saying of this kind; and this is shewn to my mind by the following words in Joh 10:27 :-the minor proposition, but ye hear not my voice, being understood. This was a corollary from the allegory, and thus it might be said . This reference to the allegory some two months after it was spoken, has been used by the rationalists as an argument against the authenticity of the narrative. But, as Meyer observes, it in reality implies that the conflict with the Jewish authorities is here again taken up after that interval, during which it had not broken out.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Joh 10:26. , ye) It is your own fault.- , for ye are not) For the sheep believe, Joh 10:3, The sheep hear His voice, 14, I know My sheep, and am known of Mine, 16, 27. This discourse, delivered during the Feast of Dedication, has reference to His discourses delivered before the Feast of Dedication.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 10:26
Joh 10:26
But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep.-They in that state of heart were determined not to believe, so he refused not to recognize them as his sheep. You are not of that class who are willing to receive the truth. He had tried them. (Joh 12:39-40; Mat 13:14-15).
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
because: Joh 10:4, Joh 10:27, Joh 6:37, Joh 6:44, Joh 6:45, Joh 6:65, Joh 8:47, Joh 12:37-40, Rom 11:7, Rom 11:8, 2Co 4:3, 2Co 4:4, 1Jo 4:6
Reciprocal: Psa 74:1 – the sheep Psa 100:3 – we are his Eze 34:31 – ye my Mat 13:23 – good Mat 21:25 – Why Mat 25:33 – the sheep Luk 12:32 – little Luk 15:4 – having Luk 22:67 – If Joh 3:19 – because Joh 6:64 – there Joh 10:3 – the sheep Joh 18:37 – Every Joh 21:16 – my sheep Act 13:48 – and as Rom 10:16 – But they 1Co 2:14 – receiveth Tit 1:1 – faith
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
6
All who accepted the teaching of John became sheep for the fold that was being prepared for Christ. If they refused to accept that work of the forerunner, they naturally would not believe the teaching of the shepherd when he came. That is why Jesus told these Jews the reason they did not believe his word was because they were not of my sheep.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Joh 10:26. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep. In chap. Joh 8:47 He had said that they heard not His words because they were not of God: the same thought is expressed here, but with a change of figure. There is no reference to an essential or necessary state, to any decree through the operation of which they were incapable of faith. They have not the character, the disposition, of His sheep; through this moral defect (for which they are themselves responsible, see chap. Joh 3:19, etc.) they will not believe. This is brought out more fully in the next verse.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
10:26 {9} But ye believe not, {i} because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.
(9) It is no marvel that only a few believe, seeing that all men are by nature untamed beasts: yet nonetheless God has his own, which he turns into sheep, and commits them unto his Son, and preserves them against the cruelty of all wild beasts.
(i) He gives a reason why they do not believe, that is, because they are not his sheep.