The Narrow Path Ministries

I think I remember Steve on his radio show implying, as is traditionally believed, that it was the devil who is the thief who comes to steal and destroy in John 10:10. I could be wrong. It was a while back and my memory of it is hazy and so am willing to be corrected. If so, sorry Steve.

Today I read here that that traditional interpretation is not correct, but that the thief is the false teacher who attempts to lead the believer away from the path of salvation in Christ:

http://textbooktous.wordpress.com/2013/ ... john-1010/

Who is the thief? The devil or the false teacher?

Thanks

Ian wrote:]Who is the thief? The devil or the falsle [sic] teacher?

Interesting. I don't see any justification for stating that Jesus had Satan in mind. It sounds like He had in mind false Messiah's before Him and/or those (arrogant Pharisees, most immediately) who tried to prevent others from trusting and obeying Him.

Wrote too soon (22.55):

http://www.thenarrowpath.com/mp3s/bible ... -10.21.mp3

Sorry Steve

Ian wrote:I think I remember Steve on his radio show implying, as is traditionally believed, that it was the devil who is the thief who comes to steal and destroy in John 10:10. I could be wrong. It was a while back and my memory of it is hazy and so am willing to be corrected. If so, sorry Steve.

Today I read here that that traditional interpretation is not correct, but that the thief is the false teacher who attempts to lead the believer away from the path of salvation in Christ:

http://textbooktous.wordpress.com/2013/ ... john-1010/

Who is the thief? The devil or the false teacher?

Thanks

This sounds very logical.

So tell me, if we apply this standard of logic to Genesis chapter 3, who was it that tempted Adam and Eve. The devil or an animal?


Graeme

I don't think that's the same logic at all, Willowtree.

Jesus had said, "“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" (vs1 ESV).

Clearly Jesus is talking about someone who does not care for the sheep, but who goes in another way in order to steal them. I suppose one could imagine that Satan might do that. But it seems more likely that Jesus was referring to human beings.

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Perhaps so, Dizerner. Maybe Willow will clarify.

dizerner wrote:I think willow is implying Satan uses beings under his influence...

Thanks for your responses. I had always thought that in verse 10 Jesus is making a clear contrast between himself and the devil, even though, as you point out, the story line is that the thief is a man, and probably the scribes and the Pharisees.

For one thing, the man who tries to climb into the sheepfold but does not use the gate seems to be motivated to scatter the flock. The scribes and the Pharisees, apart from their refusal to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah, would not have considered that they were scattering the flock. In all likelihood, they probably thought that they were preserving and leading the flock. I doubt they saw themselves in the story as thieves and destroyers.

The intensity of the contrast, also makes me think that a mere man is no opposition to Jesus. In the story, the shepherd and the thief, if both men, were likely equals in strength and strategy. When Jesus says that the thief comes not to steal and kill and destroy, but that he came to give life, and that to the full, I read this as a contrast between equals (Jesus vs thief). I do not see Jesus (God) vs a sheep thief (man) as an equal contest.

Of course, there is the story, and then there is the application of the story, which is the beauty of a parable - you can make a powerful point without being convicted of an accusation because you simply told a story.

I raised the question because I felt from the first post, that though the observation was interesting, I wondered what the significance of it was, if any. if the 'thief' of verse 10 was, in reality, anyone less than the devil, then it seemed to me that the power of the story had been lost.

I do appreciate your dialog on this. Thanks.

Graeme

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