John 10: 10-21, The Good Shepherd

Jesus has presented himself as the gatekeeper for the sheep pen, watching over the sheep.

John 10: 10-13, A thief, a hired hand, and the shepherd
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 
12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 
13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

Jesus describes the response of three different types of possible caretakers.  The thief has clearly evil intentions. The hired hand has good intentions but no real commitment.  Only the shepherd has full commitment, to the point that he will risk his life for the sheep.

Jesus is not just a gatekeeper. He is also the true shepherd, the one who really cares for the sheep.  A hired outsider, doing a nominal job for the pay, will not sacrifice himself for sheep he does not know.  But Jesus is different and his people, the Jews, are his.

John 10: 14-18, A thief, a hired hand, and the shepherd
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 
15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 
16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 
17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 
18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

Verses 14 and 15 repeat earlier themes -- Jesus knows the sheep and cares for them... and they know him!

The other sheep are presumably the Gentiles, that is, the non-Jews. The other sheep, from a different pen, will join into the larger flock.  This plan has been in place for a long time; Jesus is merely following the instructions from his "Father."

John 10: 19-21, Confused and divided
The Jews who heard these words were again divided.
20 Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?”
21 But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

Some would like to suggest that Jesus is a demon who happens to do good. "Not likely!" say others. Regardless, they are stirred by the words of Jesus; some embrace them; others get angry.