Door of the Sheep

Happy Friday, everyone.

Today is March the 10th. I'm Ryan Hill. I'm John Galantis. You're listening to Clearview Today with Dr. Abbadon Shah, the daily show that engages mind and heart for the gospel of Jesus Christ. You can visit us online at ClearviewTodayShow.com. If you have any questions for Dr. Shah or suggestions for future episodes, send us a text at 252-582-5028. You can also email us at contact at ClearviewTodayShow.com. That's right, and you guys can help us keep this conversation going by supporting this podcast, sharing it online, leave us a good review on iTunes, anywhere that you get your podcasting content from. We're going to leave a link in the description of this podcast so you can do just that. But before we do, Ryan, I'm itching for the verse of the day.

Well, let me provide that for you, my friend, and for our listening audience. The verse of the day today comes from John chapter 10, verses 9 and 10. Jesus says, I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly.

Yeah. I think understanding the context, and this is something that Dr. Shah does very well, is paint the scene of these shepherds out in the field, and they build these pins for the sheep, and that door is the only way that people are going to get in. And so we tend to think of Jesus as the shepherd. That's true, but he's also the door. He's the only way you're getting into that salvation. If you try to get to the Father any way other than Jesus, he likens you to the thief.

You have no good intentions in you. You come to steal, to kill, and destroy, and ultimately those efforts are going to be in vain because only through the door can you have true life. That's right. It's hope, and it's the path forward.

Jesus provides that for us as the door of the sheep. We're going to dive more into that as we get into today's content. That's right. But before we do, I need to address something that has upset me greatly. Oh, no. This is a funny bit. We're going to get real right now because I have told y'all that when Ryan gives this phone number, it's for positive feedback only.

So we didn't have any haters, but we have some people acting silly and saying crazy stuff. Oh, no. So I'm going to allow this person out. Who's been acting silly and saying crazy stuff? I'm not going to say the name. I'm not going to say the name because I'm actually a good person.

But this person is saying some crazy stuff. You remember a few weeks ago we talked about who has the best burger. I do. Well, locally, George's in Oxford has a great burger. They do.

100% agree. They do have a great burger. Now I'm going to stir the pot a bit.

Actually, probably a lot. So now I'm on high alert. Oh, no.

If you've never had a peanut butter burger, you're missing out. I remember this one. Trust me. I know what you're thinking.

I thought it, too. But the first I had was in Charleston, South Carolina at a hole in the wall called Sesame Burgers and Brew. Another place that makes a good one. Let's pause right there. Two places make peanut butter burgers.

We need to find these places and get their license revoked because that's not normal. Another place that makes a good one is Flipside in Columbus, Ohio. Don't think there's one anywhere around here.

Thank you, Lord. Don't just go putting some Jif on a McDonald's double cheeseburger and tell me I'm wrong. There is a place that does peanut butter burgers around here.

Who? There's a place in Raleigh called Calfish. They make the Hunka Hunka Burning Love Burger. Yeah, they do. You're right.

You're absolutely right. It's a peanut butter burger with bacon and banana. But if you find one on a menu at a quality joint that will likely do it right, give it a try. You want me, a grown man. I'm 30 years old.

I'm pushing 31 years old. You want me to try a peanut butter burger? I should come to your house right now and I should swat you. Hold on. Hold on for a second because David is right. There is a peanut butter burger in Raleigh and it's not a burger, but also in Charleston because that's where this listener says that he tried the peanut butter burger. I have had a peanut butter hot dog. There's a place.

Well, hold on. There's a place in Charleston called Perfectly Franks. I don't think it's still in operation, but they serve hot dogs with all crazy kind of toppings. One of them was called the Elvis Presley and it was a hot dog with peanut butter, banana and honey and it was better than you think. I don't think I would be like, wow, this is delicious. I want my hot dogs like this from now on, but it's better than you think. But the key is it's not just regular peanut butter that you get off the shelf.

They mix it special and there's like an extra saltiness to it. It's, it's a special peanut butter, like peanut butter sauce almost. Do y'all think y'all are cute?

No, I don't think y'all are like charming. I'm just trying to widen your palate. But if you go and you put peanut butter on like a McDonald's cheeseburger, you're the villain.

I'm a simple guy. Give me a slab of meat on a bun with cheese and mustard and chili and that's all I need. I don't need, you want peanut butter on your burger, David?

How about slather some, some Welch's jelly on there? You like that? Why are you attacking me? You know what's really good?

Cause I can't attack this listener. He's actually a very good supporter of what's really good. What's really good is hash browns, tomato and fried egg on a burger.

That's very good. That's a breakfast burger. Why peanut butter? I don't like peanut butter on my burger.

I was just letting you know there is a place around here that does it. I lashed out. Hey, if we ever got peanut butter burgers and ate them on the air, would you try it?

For the radio, I would try it, but I would probably cause a big scene. I tell you what, I tell you what, to this listener, let's, let's put, let's put our money where our mouth is. Bring us some peanut butter burger and you can even sit on the show with us cause I know who you are and you're actually a pretty dear friend to me, but I'm very angry.

I'm very, I'm very hot. To my core. Bring us some peanut butter burgers. Bring three of them. Bring one for Dr. Shaw. Bring us four peanut butter burgers. I don't know where you're going to get them.

The Raleigh Place. And we'll eat them on the air and I'll, if I like it, I will publicly apologize for this hideous tantrum that I've thrown. I'll apologize. I can't wait. I'm excited. Let's do it. Let's do it. Let's eat, let's eat peanut butter burgers on the show. This is your challenge.

Now, this is your challenge. I'm putting it in your hands. If it doesn't happen, it is what it is. And I'm just going to go on saying that peanut butter doesn't belong on a burger. And it's crazy that I have to convince adults of that.

Traditionally you're right. But, you know, I'd be willing to try it. Okay. Well, question of the day is coming in from Marcus W. This is for Dr. Shaw. Who has, uh, who has your favorite com- Well question of the day is coming in from Marcus W. This is aimed at Dr. Shaw. Who has written your favorite commentary on the book of Genesis? Ooh.

Lots of them out there. I know Dr. Shaw has a lot of good resources, so I'm excited to hear this answer. If you guys have any questions for Dr. Shaw, stick around for the answer to this one.

But if you have any questions, send us a text to 252-582-5028 or send us an email to contact at ClearviewTodayShow.com. We'll be back after this. Hey there, listeners. I'm Jon Galantis.

And I'm Ellie Galantis. And we just want to take a quick second and talk to you about Dr. Shaw's and Nicole's book, 30 Days to a New Beginning, Daily Devotions to Help You Move Forward. You know, this is actually the second book in the 30 Days series. And the whole point of this devotional is to help us get unstuck from the ruts of life. You know, when it comes to running the race of life, it matters how you start, but a bad start doesn't ultimately determine how you finish the race. You can have a good finish, even with a bad start. And that's where this book comes in. No matter who you are or where you are in life, you're going to get stuck.

Instead of going out and buying some gadget or some planner, like I know I've done several times. I know that's right. 30 Days encourages you to find your fresh start in God's Word. Life doesn't have a reset button, but our God is a God who does new things.

His mercies are new every day, which means every day is a new chance for you to start over. You can grab 30 Days to a New Beginning on Amazon.com. We're going to leave a link in the description box below. And if you already have the book, let us know what you think about it.

That's right. Send us a text, 252-582-5028. Share what God has done in your life through this devotional. Hey, maybe we'll even read your story on the air. Ellie, you ready to get back to the show? Welcome back to Clear View Today with Dr. Abbadon Shah, the daily show that engages mind and heart for the gospel of Jesus Christ. You can visit us online at ClearViewTodayShow.com.

If you have any questions or suggestions for future episodes, send us a text, 252-518-5028. Dr. Shah, welcome to the studio this wonderful Friday. It's a great, great day.

It's good to be here. If you guys are joining us for the first time today, Dr. Abbadon Shah is a PhD in New Testament textual criticism, professor at Carolina University, author, full-time pastor, and the host of today's show. You can follow all of his work on his website.

That's AbbadonShah.com. That's right. And we've been talking over the past few episodes about Jesus' I Am statements through the Gospel of John. He says things like, I am the bread of life, I am the light of the world. And these are significant. They're more than metaphors. They're more than just comparisons that he's making. They're significant truths about who he is that he's revealing to his listeners. And so on today's episode, we're going to dive in, explore that a little bit further and talk about another one of Jesus' I Am statements from the Gospel of John. So this one is, I am the door of the sheep.

Now, just to back up quickly, for the benefit of our listeners, our viewers, John's Gospel is not like any other Gospel. I mean, I've been studying New Testament academically for the past 25 years, at least. I mean, since 1995.

So what is it? That's 27 years, 28 years? 28 years. For 28 years, I've been studying it academically.

You can even back up and say maybe 30 years. I've been studying the Bible because, you know, I came to America, went to a Christian college, to Guelph Falls College. You know, electives were in Bible and theology. I even took Introduction to Biblical Languages in my bachelor's level. So it was just a, you know, one semester course.

But nonetheless, the point I'm making here is this. I've been studying New Testament for a very long time. I've been studying the Gospel of John for a very long time. I never cease to be amazed by how much the Gospel of John, how rich it is, so much depth to it. And just when I think, oh, I got it.

I understand the system here. There's more. And I'm not just talking about more themes that are coming out, but no, just the way you studied the Gospel of John.

There's a way, okay, so for the benefit of our listeners, can we veer off a little bit here? So you can look at the Gospel of John just through the lens of literary criticism, just the way the text is written out, just the way the Greek writes. And of course, that could be as close as possible to the real meaning when you study it through the literary criticism. But then there's also the historical grammatical study which takes the literary criticism, but really truly it came before literary criticism, but it focuses on the history, the context, the mirror reading, reading between the lines and seeing how the situation at the time and the way things are written, how does it impact our interpretation? So there's a deeper level there. So there's a literary criticism, but then definitely the historical grammatical meaning, okay, which I think gets a little closer to the context than even literary criticism does. But is that it?

No. Then there's a theological interpretation which takes canonical criticism, it takes biblical theology, it takes historical theology, it takes systematic theology and begins to go look at the text and go, okay, I know what it's saying in the text. I can see that in the Greek. I can see that through discourse analysis, through rhetorical criticism.

I can see what's happening here. But when you put the historical context in it, the meaning deepens. In fact, historical context came before literary criticism.

Okay, so let's put those two aside. But then when you bring in theological, that's when you begin to see things that I will cover this weekend. For example, does the Gospel of John, does John the apostle talk about what we call ordinances? Well, if you just go by the literary criticism, it seems like not really. Of course, he mentions water but it fits in the context of that. Of course, he mentions the bread, the bread of life, but it fits in the context right there in the literary style. Oh, wait, let's bring in historical grammatical study. Does John talk about these ordinances?

Yes, he does. But, you know, how can we be sure if he's really referring to the Lord's Supper or baptism because those things really have not been codified yet. You know, Jesus is just doing his ministry those three and a half years. That's what the Gospel covers.

So historical grammatical context, maybe we're pushing it, but much more than just the literary criticism. But when you bring in theological, right, canonical criticism, we bring all these things in, you go, wait, when was John's Gospel written? More than likely based on tradition, based on the best estimation in the late 80s or mid 80s of the first century, the temple is gone. And many of those rituals and sacrifices are also gone, not just because the temple is gone, but Christians, those who came out of Judaism, right, are able to see that Christ has fulfilled it all. So they're no longer going to those traditions, you know, the blood of bulls and goats is over, bringing all the offerings are done.

So what are their traditions? Well, we do know from church history that their traditions are baptism and the Lord's Supper. So could it be that when John is writing what he's writing in John chapter three, when he talks about the, you know, unless you are born of water and blood, or when he talks about, I'm the bread of heaven, that came down from heaven, if you eat on it, you will never die. Or when it comes to the water and the blood came out, when that soldier peers Jesus aside. How did those people who heard John the first time, or read John's letter in the late 80s, maybe early 90s, did they for a moment stop and think about the ordinance? baptism and the Lord's Supper? Did they, did John intend for those elements to be mentioned on purpose?

To almost confirm the believers, or to reinstate, or not reinstate, like what I'm trying to say here is like, like almost solidify those traditions that have now been established in the church. Well, if you agree that John's gospel has layers of meaning, then you have to give room for the theological interpretation of scripture as well. You see how all of a sudden you go, wait, there's more here. There's so much more.

It's like you're digging, but all of a sudden you strike gold, and then you strike gold again, and then you keep digging further, and there's even more that you can continue to pull out. Not because you're mapping things onto it that aren't originally there, but because you're just understanding more about who John is and the context into which he was writing. Right.

And we need to be careful. We're not saying like some of the early church fathers who were big into allegorical interpretation, that they would find meaning under every bush and every rock. It's like, oh, this means Jesus, but they didn't have anything to back it up.

But here we do have information to back up that John may have mentioned the baptism, may have the baptism and the Lord's Supper in his mind when he said those things. And it's kind of like you were saying, our tendency, I know my tendency for sure is to if I'm digging for something and I hit gold, I'm like, oh, I did it. That's it. And then I go and I go catch that gold. And it takes a certain type of person to say, I'm going to keep digging because there could be more. Because that initial excitement is like, I found it. I figured it out.

Got it. Move on. But like you're saying with the Gospel of John, you keep digging. There's always going to be some more gold. There's always going to be more.

And for one, it's because it's the word of God. Now, the only way you can keep digging is if you keep seeing those, if you use the gold analogy, if you still see those lines of gold, the gold dust coming out, then you know there's something real happening here. If there is nothing there and you got fool's gold, then maybe stop digging. That's right. That's right. That's a great analogy. Yeah. Maybe you need to stop digging there because you're guilty of the same things that Origen and others were, you know, superimposing too many of these allegorical meanings.

Very true. So going back to the door of the sheep, Jesus is the door of the sheep. What does that mean? Well, if you understand anything so far about these I am statements is this. Number one, it is invoking the name of God. So Jesus was claiming deity.

Number two, we must see the context that was going on at the time Jesus made those statements and what was happening. Just as the Feast of the Passover was a background for the bread of life and the Feast of the Tabernacles, you know, the booths was the background for the light of the world. The Feast of Dedication was the background for I am the door of the sheep. So Feast of Dedication. What is that? We know it today as the Hanukkah.

Oh, I was not going to say Hanukkah. I'm glad you cut me off. I think it.

I was like, I think he's about to find something else. Yeah. I'm glad you did. I got to pull him off the cliff. Thank you.

Thank you. It's the Hanukkah celebrates the restoration of the temple and the dedication of the altar by Judas Maccabeus. To back up a little bit, Antiochus Epiphanes, who was a Seleucid King in 167 BC, for some reason, maybe it was to Hellenize the people of Israel or Judah or the Jewish people, really. Maybe it was to please some of these Pharisee, not Pharisee, but Sadduceean Jewish people, the chief priests who were actually very much for Hellenization. And that's weird to think about that they wanted to be more Greek. That's strange to think about. They were like the temple.

They were like all in the temple. But nobody likes too much radical, fanatical beliefs. Yeah, that's true. So it's like, yeah, if you do that, maybe it'll mitigate some of their passion about God and holiness and Messiah. So let's, there really is nothing new under the sun.

Yeah, nothing new under the sun. So maybe for that reason, Antiochus Epiphanes came into the temple and he desecrated the temple by, what do you do? He not only set up a statue, an idol of Baal Shemem, which is the Olympian Zeus, but he also sacrificed a pig on the altar.

Now, you know, if you don't do that, you know, looking at Old Testament law, that was an unclean animal, but do that in the temple. I mean, this is what he was doing. And maybe he was trying to somehow get support to fight the Ptolemies of Egypt. You know, who knows what he was thinking, but it was really bad. And Jewish people felt like this was the abomination of desolation that Daniel talked about.

And this is it, it's over. And, you know, Antiochus was just an odd fellow. On one hand, you see him do things, you go, okay, that's good. But then you see this and you go, wow, you, you really tried to unholy the Jewish people.

That's what you were doing. And so this went on for about three years until Judas Maccabee is the hammer, right? You know, the hammer time. MC Hammer was not the first one. You know, you had several others who have been the hammer, of course, you know, the one who stopped the Islamic movement towards the north. Maybe we can talk about that another time. Have a show on the hammer. Sure.

Absolutely. But then Maccabees was also the hammer and he regained temple control, cleaned it, restored it, rebuilt a new altar. So every year this was an eight day festival, eight day festival, a time of joy celebration. You can imagine because the temple has been restored. The altar has been rededicated.

And now we're back to where we were supposed to be. So this was the Feast of Dedication. It was also known as the Feast of Lights or Festival of Lights because they would light one candle per day on this seven candle menorah.

Hanukkah today has nine candles, but the candelabrum that was in the temple was a seven candle menorah. So anyways, so Jesus stands there and he says, John 10 one, most assuredly I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some of the way, the same is a thief and a robber. I mean, that's what Antiochus Epiphanes did. That's right. Right. He came in some other way. He was not the original one.

Something else. How about all the corrupt and hypocritical religious leaders in Israel at the time, you know, we're going back the past couple of hundred years before the coming of Christ, you know, the priesthood was going downhill. In fact, in 174 BC, this is prior to Antiochus Epiphanes coming into the temple and desecrating everything, right? In 174 BC, a man by the name of Jason bribed Antiochus Epiphanes to become the high priest.

Think about that. Just sold it to him. Bought his way into a position of religious prominence. Yeah, you cannot do that, you know, and then again, three years later, so it's like 171 BC, a man by the name of Menelaus, who was not even a Levite, also bribed his way to the position. So this was what was going on. And then in 37 BC, with the coming of Herod the Great, the high priesthood kind of became a Roman appointment.

Wow. So when Jesus said in John 10 and verse one, most assuredly he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, he had these these people in mind. Antiochus Epiphanes, Jason, Menelaus, the Roman appointees, you know, he's saying, because they're not coming in the right way. They're not coming in the right way.

By the way, that's one of the reasons why the Qumran community was born. But they said, we're not going to the temple. I mean, look at that. Yeah. Those are not the shepherds of Israel.

Right. So they didn't go in. Also, in Leontopolis, I should say, in Egypt, which I really wanted to go there. And it was, I could see the place, but it was, you know, on an island.

We just couldn't do it. But they tried to build a temple there to Israel's God, because they didn't want to go to Jerusalem. Jerusalem temple is gone.

It's desecrated. So Jesus says those words. But then he says in John 10, too, he goes on to say, he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. To him, the doorkeeper opens and the sheep hear his voice and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

The word for lead them out is exago. It's the same word for leading the apostles out of prison. You know, in Acts chapter 519, he leads them out.

The shepherd leads them out. So Jesus has dealt with Antioch, his epiphanies, Jason, Menelaus, all the Roman appointees, all the corrupt priesthood, the Sadducees. But now he's turning to the Pharisees and the scribes because they have spent their time keeping people locked up.

Wow. Keeping them pinned up in the prison of their own making. Legalism. Legalism. And Jesus, I mean, you know that.

I mean, if you read the Bible carefully, I mean, again and again, you know, Jesus chastises them because they made all kinds of laws. Listen to this one. Can I read this one here?

Go for it. Matthew 23. Then Jesus spoke to the multitude and to his disciples, saying, the scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses's seat. Therefore, whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works. It means do what they tell you about the law, the Bible, Old Testament, but don't follow their examples and their petty legalism. For they say and do not do. So they had a long list of do this, don't do that, don't do this, don't do that, do this.

And they wouldn't even themselves follow that. And then Jesus said in verse four, for they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear and lay them on men's shoulders, but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. Wow. Okay. So, you know, you messed up there. Now you got to, you got to do this and this and this and this and this, and you got to go to the temple and you got to offer the sacrifice.

And then you also should do something in the synagogue and you got to make sure you're, you know, the next three harvest, you got to do this and that. Well, what, what, what about you when you send, do you do the same thing? Well, I mean, you know, my heart is unto the Lord.

He knows my heart, nothing new under the sun at all. So you want me to do it, but you're not going to do it. But don't even ask that question.

Why would you even ask that question? How sad for you? Okay. Well, I'm sorry. I'll do it.

I'll do it. So they were binding people and Jesus came. What did he say in John 8 31? Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed him, if you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth. The truth will make you free.

That's why he said that. Jesus is saying, I have come to set you free. These people are tying you up.

They're locking you up. I hope that's making sense. That's the context. And then it says in John 10 four, then Jesus said, and when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them and the sheep follow him for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him for they do not know the voice of strangers. And Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which he spoke to them. Then Jesus said to them again, most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All whoever came before me are thieves and robbers. So not just Antiochus Epiphanes, not just the corrupt priest, not just the Roman appointees, but also these scribes and Pharisees. They all are thieves and robbers. But the sheep did not hear them.

I said, wait a minute. Didn't some people listen to them? Didn't some people follow them?

Yes. But the sheep that Jesus is referring to are the common people. They didn't follow him, but they're following Jesus. And it says, verse nine, Jesus said, I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved. So not only is he saved, but it's the next line. We'll go in and out and find pasture.

It means no gate locking behind you. He will protect you. He will lay down his life. He'll be the shepherd who lies down on that little pallet and guard the gate, but he's not going to sit here and tie you up and say, hey sheep, get back here. Go do all those rituals I told you to do.

That's why we say the blood of Christ gives us freedom. That's right. If you guys enjoyed today's episode or you have questions or suggestions for future episodes, send us the text to 252-582-5028, or you can email us at contact at ClearviewTodayShow.com. You can support us financially on that same website. There's a button there to donate. Every gift that you give goes to building up this radio show and makes you a partner with us, makes you a teammate. We count you as one of our teammates, one of our partners in reaching as many people as possible with the hope of this door of the sheep, Jesus Christ.

That's right. We had a question come in yesterday from Marcus W. Dr. Shah. Who is your favorite biblical commentary on the book of Genesis? Book of Genesis. Okay.

I have several, so let me just say it this way. If I want to really get into the text and focus on the text, there are several good ones out there, but one that always helps me out is the one by Victor P. Hamilton. It's a two volume commentary on Genesis.

He's done a great job. There's also Gordon Wenham's commentary. There's also Kenneth Matthew's commentary, but Victor Hamilton always does a great job and I'll turn to it time and again. But then there's also Jonathan Serafati's commentaries from creation.com, Creation Institute.

But I have like 20 commentaries that I look at when it comes to Genesis. Man, that's awesome. We love you guys. We'll see you next time on Clearview Today.