Trinity of Jesus Christ
Chapter 10: Door, Shepherd, and Porter

Previous Chapter: Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?

Our Savior, Jesus Christ, was not merely the Son of the Word; the Son of the Father and the Son of the Holy Spirit also dwelt within Him—thus, our Lord is the Triune God. Yet, He was proclaimed simply as the second person of the Trinity, while the Father and the Holy Spirit were hidden within Jesus Christ. Let us examine how it was revealed that the Son of the Father and the Son of the Holy Spirit suffered alongside the Son.


Moses, who described the crucifixion of Jesus Christ as a whole burnt offering, alluded to the fact that the Lord would belong to the tribe of Judah and be crucified in Jerusalem; furthermore, he spoke of the Lord who sacrificed Himself for us [the Son of the Word] as the "Gate," and stated that at this gate, one could partake of the gazelle [the Son of the Father] and the deer [the Son of the Holy Spirit] - 14.but in the place which the Lord chooses, in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I command you. 15.However, you may slaughter and eat meat within all your gates, whatever your heart desires, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you; the unclean and the clean may eat of it, of the gazelle and the deer alike - Deuteronomy 12:14-15

To illustrate this, Jesus Christ gave the parable that He is the door and that there are two with Him, the shepherd and the gatekeeper, but no one understood it - 1.Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2.But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3.To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4.When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5.A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers. 6.This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. 7.So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8.All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them - John 10:1-8

That is why the Lord illustrated this with an example: in those days, those who came to steal sheep would not come alone—there would be at least two of them. One was known as a thief, while the others were robbers. First, the thief would breach the sheepfold to create an opening; he would then go inside through that gap and pass the sheep out one by one, while the robber waiting outside would take them away.

When the owner of the goats came to check the next day, he would notice only the hole and feel distressed to find that the goats had been stolen; however, neither the thief nor the robber would be there.

Illustrating this point, the Lord explained His corrective teaching: He described Himself as the gate and noted that, while people see Him, there are two others, the Shepherd and the one who guards the gate, whom they must also acknowledge and accept.

That is why God instructed Noah to build an ark with three decks, specifically, an upper deck with an entrance; by entering through it, we can inherit all three decks - 14.Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. 15.And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. 16.You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks - Genesis 6:14-16

Death of all three

The Lord explained that the Son of the Father and the Son of the Holy Spirit must die alongside the Son of the Word on the cross. 

First, He stated that the Son of the Word is the gateway through which we reach God in heaven, our eternal home, and that He is the One who lays down His life for us. - 9.I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10.The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly - John 10:9-10

Subsequently, He spoke of the Son of the Holy Spirit who dwells in him, the good shepherd who does not run away from wolves [that is, the Spirit of God who flags against the enemy when he comes like a flood] is going to give his life on the cross. - 11.I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12.He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13.He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep - John 10:11-13


Next, He spoke of the Son of the Father, who dwells within Him, as the Good Shepherd who draws us to Himself, and said that He, too, was going to lay down His life on the cross - 14.I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15.just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16.And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17.For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may 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 I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father - John 10:14-18

That is why the psalmist David calls the Son of the Word "the door," the Son of the Father who is with him, "the King of glory may come in," and again of the Son of the Holy Spirit, "the King of glory may come in." - 3.Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? 4.He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. 5.He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6.Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah 7.Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. 8.Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle! 9.Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. 10.Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory! Selah - Psalm 24:3-10

Next Chapter: Son of Man came eating and drinking