Have you ever had a dream where you were present in two different roles? I have. One time I was an eagle in a room trying desperately to get off a table to fly out the window while someone was working on me to repair a wound, and I was also the person working on the eagle. Another time I was myself walking out of the grocery store with a carton of eggs, but I was also one of the eggs that jumped out of the carton and bounced across the street. In both dreams, I had the thoughts and feelings of both roles.
I have no explanation for that, but they remind me of what I see in John 10 when Jesus describes who He is. In the book of John overall, Jesus refers to Himself metaphorically in a way you don’t see in the other gospels. A few examples, He says, I am the bread of life; I am the light of the world; I am the true vine.
In John 10, Jesus is two things at the same time. It would seem strange, but not any stranger than my dreams. Let’s meditate on the meaning of His descriptions of Himself: I am the door of the sheep (John 10:7) and a few verses later I am the good shepherd (John 10:11).
First, He is the door of the sheep. He said that twice. In verse 9, I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved and shall go in and out, and find pasture. Thanks to Bible-history.com, pictured here is a sheepfold (mentioned in verse 1). The sheep go in and are safe. There’s only one way in… that door. That should interest us, since we know we are sheep. What are the sheep who go through that door safe from? In context, The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (verse 10)
So, Jesus is the only way into that safe sheepfold. It kind of reminds me of a similar metaphor in Proverbs 18:10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
At the same time He’s the door…our only entrance… He’s also the shepherd in the very next verse. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. In fact, in real life, the shepherd sleeps at the doorway so any intruders have to get past him to get to the sheep.
We can rest easy knowing that not only do we have a place, His sheepfold, we have a way into it, only through Him, and we have Him as our guide and protector.
So it’s not too hard to picture Jesus as two things at once. But hang on. In John, Jesus presents Himself as three things at once in another verse: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)
There He is again as the way, or the entrance. No one is coming to the Father except by Him. He’s also the truth we must receive to come to the Father. He’s also the life—the source or origin—of the life we need to come to the Father. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. (1 John 5:11-12)
Jesus has many roles. All of them bring out some amazing aspect for us to meditate on and praise Him for.
Jesus is all the world to me, my life, my joy, my all; He is my strength from day to day, without Him I would fall. When I am sad, to Him I go, no other one can cheer me so; when I am sad, He makes me glad, He's my friend. (From the song “Jesus is All the World to Me,” by Will Thompson, who lived from 1847-1909)
Jody