KJV: And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
YLT: and when his own sheep he may put forth, before them he goeth on, and the sheep follow him, because they have known his voice;
Darby: When he has put forth all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice.
ASV: When he hath put forth all his own, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
| ἴδια | own |
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Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural Root: ἴδιος Sense: pertaining to one’s self, one’s own, belonging to one’s self. |
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| ἐκβάλῃ | he has brought out |
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Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: ἐκβάλλω Sense: to cast out, drive out, to send out. |
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| ἔμπροσθεν | before |
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Parse: Preposition Root: ἔμπροσθεν Sense: in front, before. |
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| πορεύεται | he goes |
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Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular Root: πορεύομαι Sense: to lead over, carry over, transfer. |
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| πρόβατα | sheep |
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Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Plural Root: προβάτιον Sense: any four footed, tame animal accustomed to graze, small cattle (opp. to large cattle, horses, etc.), most commonly a sheep or a goat. |
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| ἀκολουθεῖ | follow |
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Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular Root: ἀκολουθέω Sense: to follow one who precedes, join him as his attendant, accompany him. |
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| ὅτι | because |
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Parse: Conjunction Root: ὅτι Sense: that, because, since. |
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| οἴδασιν | they know |
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Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural Root: οἶδα Sense: to see. |
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| φωνὴν | voice |
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Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular Root: φωνή Sense: a sound, a tone. |
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| αὐτοῦ | of him |
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Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular Root: αὐτός Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself. |
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Greek Commentary for John 10:4
Indefinite temporal clause with οταν hotan and the second aorist (effective) active subjunctive of εκβαλλω ekballō No need of the futurum exactum idea, simply, “when he leads out all his own sheep.” They are all out of the fold. He overlooks none. Εκβαλλω Ekballō does mean “thrust out” if a reluctant sheep wishes to linger too long. He goeth before them Staff in hand he leads the way in front of the flock and they follow (ακολουτει akolouthei) him. What a lesson for pastors who seek to drive the church like cattle and fail. The true pastor leads in love, in words, in deeds. [source]
Rev., more strictly, hath put forth. Instead of leadeth out, in John 10:3. It implies a constraint; as if some of the sheep were unwilling to leave the fold. Meyer says that putteth forth pictures the manner of the leading out. He lays hold on the sheep and brings them out to the door. [source]
The best texts read πάντα , all, for πρόβατα , sheep: all his own. So Rev. [source]
As the Eastern shepherd always does. Having pushed them forth, he now leads them. [source]
“It is necessary that they should be taught to follow, and not stray away into the unfenced fields of wheat which lie so temptingly on either side. The shepherd calls from time to time to remind them of his presence. They know his voice and follow on; but if a stranger call, they stop, lift up their heads in alarm, and if the call is repeated, they turn and flee from him; for they know not the voice of strangers. This is not the fanciful costume of a parable; it is simple fact. I have made the experiment often” (Thomson). [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 10:4
The thought links itself with what Christ had just said about the shepherd and the sheep. Compare John 10:4. I will go before you, as a shepherd before his flock. [source]
So Rev., rightly, instead of shall rule. The word involves the whole office of the shepherd - guiding, guarding, folding, as well as feeding. Hence appropriate and often applied to the guides and guardians of others. Homer calls kings “the shepherds of the people.” To David the people said, “The Lord said to thee, Thou shalt feed (as a shepherd) my people Israel” (2 Samuel 5:2; compare Psalm 78:70-72). God is often called a shepherd (Genesis 48:15; Psalm 23:1; Psalm 77:20; Psalm 80:1; Isaiah 40:11; John 10:11). Peter, who is bidden by Jesus to shepherd his sheep (John 21:16, ποίμαινε , Rev., tend), calls him the Shepherd of Souls (1 Peter 2:25), and the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4); and in the Epistle to the Hebrews (Hebrews 13:20), he is styled the great Shepherd of the sheep. In Revelation 2:27, rule is literally to shepherd (compare Revelation 19:15); but Christ will shepherd his enemies, not with the pastoral crook, but with a sceptre of iron. Finally, Jesus will perpetuate this name and office in heaven among his redeemed ones, for “theLamb, which is in the midst of the throne, shall be their shepherd (Revelation 7:17, Rev.). In this verse the word governor is in harmony with the idea of shepherding, since the word ἡγούμενος originally means one who goes before, or leads the way, and suggests Christ's words about the good shepherd in John 10:3, John 10:4: “He calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out … .He goeth before them, and the sheep follow him.” [source]
“A snatch of Herod‘s theology and philosophy” (Morison). John wrought no miracles (John 10:41), but if he had risen from the dead perhaps he could. So Herod may have argued. “Herod‘s superstition and his guilty conscience raised this ghost to plague him” (Gould). Our word energy is this same Greek word here used It means at work. Miraculous powers were at work in Jesus whatever the explanation. This all agreed, but they differed widely as to his personality, whether Elijah or another of the prophets or John the Baptist. Herod was at first much perplexed (διηπορει diēporei Luke 9:7 and Mark 6:20). [source]
May not the singular number fall in with what has just been said?- the flock, the temple-flock, specially devoted to sacrifice. The pronoun their would furnish no objection, since it is common to speak of the flock as belonging to the shepherd. Compare John 10:3, John 10:4. [source]
The wilderness was John‘s abode (Luke 1:80) so that he began preaching where he was. It was the plain (Genesis 13:10.) or valley of the Jordan, El Ghor, as far north as Succoth (2 Chronicles 4:17). Sometimes he was on the eastern bank of the Jordan (John 10:40), though usually on the west side. His baptizing kept him near the river. [source]
In every case but one where the word ἐκβάλλω occurs in John, it is used of casting out from a holy place or society. See John 2:15; John 9:34, John 9:3; 3 John 1:10; Revelation 12:2. Compare John 10:4. [source]
Marking the interruption to Jesus' retirement (John 10:40). [source]
Rev., more correctly, there arose. The word σχίσμα , division, from σχίζω , to cleave, describes a fact which continually recurs in John's narrative. See John 6:52, John 6:60, John 6:66; John 7:12, John 7:25sqq.; John 8:22; John 9:16, John 9:17; John 10:19, John 10:24, John 10:41; John 11:37sqq.; John 12:19, John 12:29, John 12:42; John 16:18, John 16:19. [source]
Literally, “One belonging to another” (from αλλος allos opposed to ιδιος idios). A shepherd of another flock, it may be, not necessarily the thief and robber of John 10:1. Note associative instrumental case after ακολουτησουσιν akolouthēsousin (future active indicative of ακολουτεω akoloutheō John 10:4). Note the strong double negative ου μη ou mē 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 πευγω pheugō and ablative case with απο apo 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. [source]
Effective repetition. And mine own know me Jesus as the Good Shepherd knows his sheep by name as he had already said (John 10:3) and now repeats. Yes, and they know his voice (John 10:4), they have experimental knowledge (γινωσκω ginōskō) of Jesus as their own Shepherd. Here (in this mutually reciprocal knowledge) lies the secret of their love and loyalty. [source]
As in John 7:43 in the crowd (also in John 7:12, John 7:31), so now among the hostile Jews (Pharisees) some of whom had previously professed belief in him (John 8:31). The direct reference of παλιν palin (again) may be to John 9:16 when the Pharisees were divided over the problem of the blind man. Division of opinion about Jesus is a common thing in John‘s Gospel (John 6:52, John 6:60, John 6:66; John 7:12, John 7:25.; John 8:22; John 9:16.; John 10:19, John 10:24, John 10:41; John 11:41.; John 12:19, John 12:29, John 12:42; John 16:18.). [source]
In contrast with you they are not in doubt and suspense. They know my voice and follow me. Repetition of the idea in John 10:4, John 10:14. [source]
Επειτα Epeita (only here in John) means thereafter (Luke 16:7) and it is made plainer by the addition of μετα τουτο meta touto (cf. John 2:12; John 11:11), meaning after the two days had elapsed. Let us go into Judea again Volitive (hortative) subjunctive of αγω agō (intransitive use as in John 11:11, John 11:16). They had but recently escaped the rage of the Jews in Jerusalem (John 10:39) to this haven in Bethany beyond Jordan (John 10:40). [source]
Periphrastic imperfect active of αστενεω astheneō old verb (from αστενης asthenēs α a privative, and στενος sthenos strength). Lazarus See note on Luke 16:20 for the name of another man in the parable, a shortened form of Eleazer, only other N.T. use, but in Josephus and rabbinical writings. No connexion between this Lazarus and the one in the parable. Of Bethany Use of apo as in John 1:44 Philip of Bethsaida and John 1:45 Joseph of Nazareth. This Bethany is about two miles (John 11:18) east of Jerusalem on the south-east slope of Olivet and is now called El Azariyeh, from the name Lazarus. Jesus is still apparently at the other Bethany beyond Jordan (John 10:40). It is doubtful if a distinction is meant here by απο ητανιας apo and απο ek between Bethany as the residence and some other village Note εκ της κωμης Marthas not Μαριας και Μαρτας Marthēs for the genitive. Elsewhere (John 11:19; Luke 10:38) Martha comes first as the mistress and hostess. The two sisters are named for further identification of Lazarus. Martha was apparently the elder sister (John 11:5, John 11:19; Luke 10:38.). “The identification of Mary with Mary Magdalene is a mere conjecture supported by no direct evidence, and opposed to the general tenor of the Gospels” (Westcott). [source]
Second aorist active indicative of γινωσκω ginōskō Another comment by John concerning the failure of the disciples to know what was happening (cf. John 2:22; John 7:39). At the first Adverbial accusative, as in John 10:40; John 19:39. Was glorified First aorist passive indicative of δοχαζω doxazō to glorify, used of his death already in John 7:39 and by Jesus himself of his death, resurrection, and ascension in John 12:23; John 13:31. Then remembered they First aorist passive indicative of μιμνησκω mimnēskō It was easier to understand then and they had the Holy Spirit to help them (John 16:13-15). Were written of him Periphrastic past perfect passive of γραπω graphō with neuter plural participle agreeing with ταυτα tauta (these things) and singular verb, though the plural ησαν ēsan could have been used. Note the threefold repetition of ταυτα tauta in this verse, “clumsy” Bernard calls it, but making for clarity. The use of επ αυτωι ep' autōi for “of him” rather than περι αυτου peri autou is unusual, but occurs in Revelation 10:11; Revelation 22:16. They had done First aorist active indicative of ποιεω poieō simply, “they did.” [source]