Christology Through Figures
By Jerry Batson, Th.D.
Special to The Alabama Baptist
The figure of Christ as a shepherd, which was last week’s point of reference, also has interwoven with it the additional figure of the door of a sheepfold as one of Christ’s verbal self-portraits.
In John 10 He twice declared, “I am the door” (vv. 7, 9). This figure, like that of a shepherd, draws attention to common sheep-keeping practices of Christ’s day. At the close of day, several shepherds would lead their flocks into a common sheepfold for the night. The fold, usually constructed of stacked stones, had but a single door to enter and exit. This door was one of the figures of speech Christ chose by which to speak of Himself and His mission.
Entranceway
When we think of Christ as an entranceway, we might envision Him as the divinely provided entranceway into the presence and family of God. Such would be the significance of Jesus’ well-known declaration, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). He not only embodied the very life of God and declared the truth about God, He came as the only way to God.
Since Christ is the entranceway to God, He is also the entranceway into heaven and into eternal life. There is a decided or definite singularity about Christ as the door; He is the only door. Many routes to heaven do not exist — only one. Jesus was quite clear, “If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved” (John 10:9). He termed anyone who tries to enter other than through the designated door as “thieves and robbers” (10:8). The kingdom of God has no back or side door.
Exit path
The same door that was the entranceway into the sheepfold was also the only exit path to the sustenance found in the nearby pastures and streams. Hence by analogy, Christ is the God-appointed way to spiritual nourishment and its resultant spiritual health. Jesus said this healthy life was intended to be abundant life. As He explained, “I am come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).
Since Christ is both the entranceway and exit, personal faith in Him is the required key to the opening of the door. By faith we enter His fold and by faith we go forth to receive nourishment. He is firmly and eternally positioned as the door.
The ascended Christ described Himself as “He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens” (Rev. 3:7).
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