John 10:9

[YLTYLT]

What are your opinions of the meaning of the bolded part of this verse:

I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.


Specifically what does the phrase "go in and out" mean to each of you?

[B. W.]

What are your opinions of the meaning of the bolded part of this verse:

I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

Specifically what does the phrase "go in and out" mean to each of you?

John 10:9, "I am the gate. All who come in through me will be saved. Through me they will come and go and find pasture." CEV

This CEV translation conveys what the words in question mean the best.

Albert Barnes states in his work — Notes on the Bible:

John 10:9 - Shall go in and out ... - This is language applied, commonly to flocks. It meant that he shall be well supplied, and defended, and led “beside the still waters of salvation.”

Matthew Henry's Commentary states it like this for John 10:9:

2. In the mean time they shall go in and out and find pasture; this is the privilege of their way. They shall have their conversation in the world by the grace of Christ, shall be in his fold as a man at his own house, where he has free ingress, egress, and regress. True believers are at home in Christ; when they go out, they are not shut out as strangers, but have liberty to come in again; when they come in, they are not shut in as trespassers, but have liberty to go out. They go out to the field in the morning, they come into the fold at night; and in both the Shepherd leads and keeps them, and they find pasture in both: grass in the field, fodder in the fold. In public, in private, they have the word of God to converse with, by which their spiritual life is supported and nourished, and out of which their gracious desires are satisfied; they are replenished with the goodness of God's house.

My Comment

My comment would be in line with these quoted statements above: be well supplied, and defended, and led “beside the still waters.” As Christians we shall go in and out and find pasture...they find pasture in both: grass in the field, fodder in the fold. In public, in private, they have the word of God to converse with, by which their spiritual life is supported and nourished, and out of which their gracious desires are satisfied; they are replenished with the goodness of God's house…

We enter through Christ coming through him as the gate and we go and find pasture — here and now and finally forever in eternity. The phrase used and quoted in translation, 'go in and out' is an expression / idiom used to denote how a good Shepard leads his flock to good pasture and water. It does not imply that one can enter heaven's Gate, Jesus, and thus leave, in order to come and go as they please.

Note the Context — John 10:9-30 and focus on:

John 10:28-30, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and my Father are one.” KJV

This does state that one does not go in and leave at will; therefore, the idiom remains defining the text - John 10:9, to be better translated: "I am the gate. All who come in through me will be saved. Through me they will come and go and find pasture." CEV
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[YLTYLT]

B.W.

Thank you,

I had thought that it could possibly mean that at times we may not necessarily always yield to the Holy Spirit. But I did not know of any other scripture with this phrase to support that meaning.

I expected that it was some sort of idiomatic phrase typically used in another context. But I was not sure how to determine what it meant. I had seen Matthew Henry's Commentary and wondered if there was a more generic meaning to the phrase.

The only other place I found this phrase was in Exodus 32:27. But I would not expect idiomatic phrases to necessarily transport from Hebrew to greek.

Oh And I definitely agree that it does not imply that one can enter heaven's Gate and leave in order to come and go as they please.


And B.W. Thanks, again.

[FFC]

I think it just means that once you are saved you have full access to God and His blessings anytime you want. You are free to go in and out...or come and go as you please.

[B. W.]

B.W.

Thank you,

I had thought that it could possibly mean that at times we may not necessarily always yield to the Holy Spirit. But I did not know of any other scripture with this phrase to support that meaning.

I expected that it was some sort of idiomatic phrase typically used in another context. But I was not sure how to determine what it meant. I had seen Matthew Henry's Commentary and wondered if there was a more generic meaning to the phrase.

The only other place I found this phrase was in Exodus 32:27. But I would not expect idiomatic phrases to necessarily transport from Hebrew to greek.

Oh And I definitely agree that it does not imply that one can enter heaven's Gate and leave in order to come and go as they please.

And B.W. Thanks, again.

Psalms 23 conveys the same idea too...

Psalms 23:1-6

1 "You, LORD, are my shepherd I will never be in need.
2 You let me rest in fields of green grass. You lead me to streams of peaceful water,
3 and you refresh my life. You are true to your name, and you lead me along the right paths.
4 I may walk through valleys as dark as death, but I won't be afraid. You are with me, and your shepherd's rod makes me feel safe.
5 You treat me to a feast, while my enemies watch. You honor me as your guest, and you fill my cup until it overflows.
6 Your kindness and love will always be with me each day of my life, and I will live forever in your house, LORD. " CEV

Again, the CEV version has a nice English translation of this Psalms — there are other translations too that are also very good.
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