Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 10:5
And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
5. And a stranger will they not follow ] Better, But a stranger they will assuredly not follow. The form of negative is very strong, as in Joh 4:14; Joh 4:48, Joh 6:35; Joh 6:37, Joh 8:12; Joh 8:51-52: see on Joh 8:51. By ‘a stranger’ is meant quite literally anyone whom they do not know, not necessarily a thief or robber.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
A stranger … – This was literally true of a flock. Accustomed to the voice and presence of a kind shepherd, they would not regard the command of a stranger. It is also true spiritually. Jesus by this indicates that the true people of God will not follow false teachers – those who are proud, haughty, and self-seeking, as were the Pharisees. Many may follow such, but humble and devoted Christians seek those who have the mild and self-denying spirit of their Master and Great Shepherd. It is also true in reference to those who are pastors in the churches. They have an influence which no stranger or wandering minister can have. A church learns to put confidence in a pastor; he knows the wants of his people, sees their danger, and can adapt his instructions to them. A stranger, however eloquent, pious, or learned, can have few of these advantages; and it is more absurd to commit the churches to the care of wandering strangers, of those who have no permanent relation to the church, than it would be for a flock to be committed to a foreigner who knew nothing of it, and who had no particular interest in it.
The pastoral office is one of the wisest institutions of heaven. The following extract from The Land and the Book (Thomson) will show how strikingly this whole passage accords with what actually occurs at this day in Palestine: This is true to the letter. They are so tame and so trained that they follow their keeper with the utmost docility. He leads them forth from the fold, or from their houses in the villages, just where he pleases. Since there are many flocks in such a place as this, each one takes a different path, and it is his business to find pasture for them. It is necessary, therefore, that they should be taught to follow, and not to stray away into the unfenced fields of grain which lie so temptingly on either side. Anyone that thus wanders is sure to get into trouble. The shepherd calls sharply from time to time to remind them of his presence. They know his voice and follow on; but if a stranger call, they stop short, lift up their heads in alarm, and, if it is repeated, they turn and flee, because they do not know the voice of a stranger.
This is not the fanciful costume of a parable; it is simple fact. I have made the experiment repeatedly. The shepherd goes before, not merely to point out the way, but to see that it is practicable and safe. He is armed in order to defend his charge, and in this he is very courageous. Many adventures with wild beasts occur not unlike that recounted by David, and in these very mountains; for, though there are now no lions here, there are wolves in abundance; and leopards and panthers, exceedingly fierce, prowl about these wild wadies. They not unfrequently attack the flock in the very presence of the shepherd, and he must be ready to do battle at a moments warning. I have listened with intense interest to their graphic descriptions of downright and desperate fights with these savage beasts. And when the thief and the robber come (and come they do), the faithful shepherd has often to put his life in his hand to defend his flock. I have known more than one case in which he had literally to lay it down in the contest. A poor faithful fellow last spring, between Tiberias and Tabor, instead of fleeing, actually fought three Bedouin robbers until he was hacked to pieces with their khanjars, and died among the sheep he was defending.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 5. And a stranger will they not follow] That is, a man who, pretending to be a shepherd of the flock of God, is a stranger to that salvation which he professes to preach. His mode of preaching soon proves, to those whose hearts are acquainted with the truths of God, that he is a stranger to them; and therefore, knowing him to have got into the fold in an improper way, they consider him a thief, a robber, and a murderer; and who can blame them if they wholly desert his ministry? There are preachers of this kind among all classes.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
This he further enlargeth upon, telling them, that his sheep would not follow those that did not lead them into his truth, and in his ways, for they understood not such voices. Here ariseth a question, Whether the elect of God, or such as, being truly called, and believe in Christ, are the sheep of Christ in the most strict and proper sense, may not be seduced into errors, and led away by strangers?
Answer. First, We must distinguish between single persons and the generality of believers. As in a flock the generality keep together, following the voice of the true shepherd, though some particular sheep may wander; so the generality of believers will be found keeping close to the truth and doctrine of Christ, though amongst them some particular persons may be seduced, and be led away by seducers. Secondly, We must distinguish between errors and damnable errors; a pertinacious adherence to which will divide the soul from Christ, and end in the ruin of souls. Christs sheep may follow strangers, dissembling the spiritual voice of the true Shepherd, a little way, but they will not follow them into such errors as will plunge their souls in eternal ruin and destruction. Thirdly, They may hear even this voice of strangers speaking to them perverse and damnable things; but it will be but for a short time; God will reduce and bring them back again; they shall never perish, Joh 10:28.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And a stranger will they not follow,…. One that knows not Christ, is not sent by him, and who does not preach him:
but will flee from him; shun him and his ministry, as not only disagreeable, but dangerous:
for they know not the voice of strangers: they do not approve of their doctrine, nor take any delight in it, or receive any profit from it. The Persic version, as before, reads, “neither will the lambs ever go after strange sheep, and if they see [them], they will flee [from them]”.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
A stranger (). Literally, “One belonging to another” (from , opposed to ). A shepherd of another flock, it may be, not necessarily the thief and robber of verse 1. Note associative instrumental case after (future active indicative of , verse 4). Note the strong double negative here with the future indicative, though usually with the aorist subjunctive (Aleph L W have it here). They simply will not follow such a man or woman, these well-trained sheep will not.
But will flee from him ( ‘ ). Future middle of and ablative case with . They will flee as if from a wolf or from the plague. Alas and alas, if only our modern pastors had the sheep (old and young) so trained that they would run away from and not run after the strange voices that call them to false philosophy, false psychology, false ethics, false religion, false life.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “And a stranger will they not follow,” (allotrio de ou me akolouthesousin) “Yet a stranger they will not follow by any means,” whose voice they do not recognize, whose love they have not discovered or experienced.
2) “But they will flee from him: (alla pheuksontai ap’ autou) ”But they will flee from him,” out of fear, of their own will and choice, apprehensive of danger, Joh 10:12-13 And they should, 2Ti 3:5, 2Co 11:13-15; Gal 1:8.
3) “For they know not the voice of strangers.” (hoti ouk oidasin ton allotrion ten phonen) ”Because they do not know or recognize the voice of the stranger,” Rev 2:2 though he may imitate the voice of the shepherd, Mat 7:15-23, Act 20:29-30. They, as strangers infiltrate the flock with enticing words, but the more the sheep know the shepherd, the better they can lead the retreat, the fleeing of the flock from the destroyer, 2Pe 2:1-3; 2Pe 2:17-19.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(5) And a stranger will they not follow.The stranger is any one other than their own shepherd, and the term is not to be limited to the thief and robber of Joh. 10:1. The thought is of the flock following the shepherd to the pasture. On the road they would meet other persons whom they would not follow. Some would, as thieves and robbers, seek to lead them away, calling them by their names and imitating their shepherds cry; but they have, by long usage, got to know his voice, and will not follow a stranger.
But will flee from him.A strange word is a source of alarm to them. With the known tone of the shepherds voice they have learnt to associate protection, guidance, food. His voice recalls these associations. A strangers voice is something unknown, and therefore feared. It is as the voice of a plundering Arab who has called the flock before, or as the cry of a wild beast who has broken into the fold at night. The associations with unfamiliar words are only of things which are evil.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
5. A stranger To the poor blind-born sheep, these lords spiritual were as the stranger. He would not follow them. Jesus has thus far painted the character of the true human minister and his flock. In the background his own person is the original, inasmuch as he is the model shepherd. But thus far he has not expressly brought himself forward.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“And a stranger they will not follow, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
This is a second test. These sheep who follow Jesus have within them a spirit of discernment so that they can discern the false from the true. They know, seemingly instinctively, through the Spirit, the right and the wrong way to go, for they follow the true Shepherd. The false shepherds might sneak into the fold and call them to follow, and they may sometimes become confused, but the confusion is never permanent. In the end they will escape from any who seek to lead them astray and will turn back to the Shepherd.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Joh 10:5 . , etc.] A stranger, however , who does not belong to them as their shepherd. It is not exclusively the . of Joh 10:1 who are here intended, but every other one in general who is not their shepherd. The fellowship referred to in Joh 10:3-4 is portrayed according to its exclusive nature.
] future (see the critical note), as in Joh 8:12 . It is not prophetical (Lampe: of the “cathedra Mosis plane deserenda,” comp. Luthardt), but describes what will be the result of the intervention of a stranger. The sheep will certainly not follow, but flee from him.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
Ver. 5. A stranger will they not follow ] For they have senses exercised to discern good and evil, Heb 5:14 ; “yea, they have a spirit of discerning,” 1Co 12:10 ; “the mind of Christ,” 1Co 2:16 ; and though simple to evil, yet are wise in that which is good. They are sheep, but rational; their service a reasonable service, Rom 12:1 ; their obedience the obedience of faith, Rom 16:26 ; they try before they trust, they look before they leap, and so grow to such a certainty in that truth they hold, such a plerophory of knowledge, Col 2:3 ; that it is impossible for them to be fully or finally deceived, Mat 24:24 . False and heterodox doctrines they hate, Psa 119:104 ; and all such impostors as seek to buzz doubts into their heads, Rom 16:17 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
5. ] So that the is not the shepherd of another section of the flock, but an alien: the of Joh 10:1 ; and . is generic , as in E. V. Meyer takes it as merely meaning a stranger , one who is not their Shepherd: but this hardly seems strong enough for the context.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
not = by no means, or in no wise. Greek. ou me. App-105.
from = away from. Greek. apo. App-104. not. Greek. ou. App-105.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
5.] So that the is not the shepherd of another section of the flock, but an alien: the of Joh 10:1;-and . is generic, as in E. V. Meyer takes it as merely meaning a stranger, one who is not their Shepherd: but this hardly seems strong enough for the context.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Joh 10:5. , from him) as from a pestilence. [Nor can you justly say, that their doing so is the result of pride, or obstinacy, or an act of injury to good order.-V. g.]- ) they know not [the voice of a stranger], so as to follow it: they know it, so as to flee from it. [It is to be added, that it is not right to accept without investigation things which are not known, even though they may possibly happen to be good.-V. g.]
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 10:5
Joh 10:5
And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.-[An eastern sheep will not follow a strange voice.] One whose voice is not attended by the divine teaching a true disciple will not hear. All who came claiming to be Christs were thieves and robbers who came to steal and rob.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
1Ki 22:7, Pro 19:27, Mar 4:24, Luk 8:18, Eph 4:11-15, Col 2:6-10, 2Ti 3:5-7, 2Ti 4:3, 1Pe 2:1-3, 1Jo 2:19, 1Jo 2:21, 1Jo 4:5, 1Jo 4:6, Rev 2:2
Reciprocal: Son 2:8 – voice Joh 10:8 – but 1Co 4:16 – General 1Jo 2:20 – and ye
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
5
On the basis of the foregoing, if a stranger should come near a flock of sheep, they will flee from him instead of following. His voice will be strange to them which would make them fearful, hence they would flee in their fright.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Joh 10:5. But a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. The stranger is not one to whom the porter has opened (for the voice of every one who is thus admitted is familiar to all the sheep); he must therefore have entered by some other way, and he is in the fold as a thief and a robber. No mark of a true shepherd is found in him. He has not entered by the door, and he has not been recognised by the keeper of the door; the sheep do not know his voice; he cannot call them by their names; his object is not their good, but his own spoil and gain. Lead a flock forth he cannot; the sheep flee from him.