(Verse 1) - The phrase ''Verily, Verily" is never used at the beginning of a discourse. It is always used to underscore or introduce a main point in an ongoing discussion. These is its' use here. It is making the strong conclusion that those who fit into the category Christ describes before (being blind) fit also into the category He describes after (false shepherds or hirelings).

The Pharisees professed to be the guides or shepherds of the people. Jesus had as much as charged them with being blind and unqualified to lead them. Here, He contrasts the nature of the true shepherd with that of the "hireling" or false shepherd. The imagery here, called a parable in verse 6, is very beautiful and would have been well known and easily recognized in those times and in that place. The shepherd genuinely cared for the sheep and invested themselves in their care. The hireling, on the other hand, has no stake in the sheep and is involved with them only for the payment they received as a result of their days work.

The Messiah was predicted to be of this character. Ezekiel 34:23 tells us the Messiah would have the  character of the shepherd, akin to that of David. He would feed the sheep. Ezekiel 37:24 again compares the coming King to David, the shepherd. Zech. 13:7 speak of the sword being raised against the shepherd and the sheep being shepherd. All Israel knew that the Messiah was to be of the character of a shepherd.

The sheepfold was an enclosure made in the fields into which the sheep were herded at night to protect them from thieves and from wolves. It was not commonly covered, as in a barn because of the mild weather. The figure here is of the Jewish people, or more likely, the general people of God. They are often likened to a flock: (Ezek. 34:1-19; Jer. 23:1-4; Zech. 13). These was only one entrance that could be guarded, usually by both the shepherd and the herding dogs. There was no other way into the sheepfold except to climb over the wall.

The door here is the Lord Jesus and represents the only legitimate way into the sheepfold. The only way to legitimately get into the sheepfold is to come by means of Christ. Many take this to refer to salvation, and certainly, at least in concept, it does apply. No one gets to be a part of the flock, inside of the sheepfold, unless they come by means of the work and righteousness of Christ. That is an absolute and, Biblically, is non-negotiable.

However, the particular application here is not to salvation but to spiritual leadership. Jesus is the only legitimate means by which spiritual leaders are given to the church. Spiritual leadership is not, ought not be, and must not be just another vocation. It is not to be entered into on whim or for any human reason. It is a calling from God that must be treated as such.

The Pharisees claimed to be spiritual leaders but were not so by His appointment. They were there for various reasons, many of them human and self-centered. Their reasons are not much different than many in ministry today. They were not there because God had called them and installed them in the place of leadership over His (God's) flock.

There is an argument for the deity of Christ here. Who is it  Who has authority over all of the flock of God and over all of leaders of that flock? If is God Himself! If Jesus is the Door, and all leaders must enter by His appointment, the He must be God! Only the Father has authority over All those who leader His flock. For Jesus to claim that authority is the same as His claiming to be God.

''Some other way" indicates that we are talking about the external church and not the true, spiritual church of the redeemed. No one can truly enter the genuine church of God except by the means God has ordained. This is clear from the rest of the Word of God. If this is so, then the robbers and thieves are not a part of the legitimate church. Yet , we are told these thieves and robbers are in the sheepfold. If they are in the sheepfold and yet are not there legitimately then we must be talking about the external or visible church.

These false leaders are characterized  in two ways:

Thieves - those who enter silently and steal the property of an other. We would call them burglars. These all those who are not overt in what they are doing. They may not even be entirely aware of their status themselves. They one working from within the orthodox church to turn it to their own purposes instead of God's.

Robbers - those who take by violence and bloodshed. These are those who are trying to take the church by storm. They foist heresy and false doctrine on the church in God's name, calling it spirituality and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

This is harsh characterization, but there is a very good reason for it. The leaders were leading not from love or for the benefit of the sheep but from ambition, love of power, wealth, or ease. They are here, not for the welfare of the church, but if or their own interests and agenda. They had made the flock just another human political institution. 

How do those facts apply to my life?:

There are many in the church today who fit this description! We must be aware of the truth that such people are among us.