John 10:8 All That Ever Came Before Me Are Thieves and Robbers: but the Sheep Did Not Hear Them.?
Jesus is saying He alone is the Door and the true Shepherd, and every one who tries to lead God’s people without coming through Him and His Word is a thief and a robber. The true sheep don’t follow such voices.
Now notice the context. The Bible says, “He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber” (John 10:1). Then He declares, “I am the door” (John 10:7,9) and “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11). So when He says, “All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers,” He is not condemning the prophets God sent, because those prophets pointed to Him. He Himself said, “Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” (John 5:39), and, “Had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me” (John 5:46). John the Baptist was also sent from God (John 1:6–8). So who are the thieves and robbers? Those who “climb up some other way”—self-appointed leaders, false messiahs, and religious systems that bypass Christ the Door and the revealed Word. That’s exactly what the Lord rebuked in passages like Jeremiah 23 and Ezekiel 34—shepherds who feed themselves and scatter the flock.
“You see,” the proof that the sheep are God’s own is this: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). The elect have an ear for the Word; they won’t be carried by strange voices. Christ leads by His Word and Spirit. Anyone who draws attention to himself, adds another door, or offers life apart from the new birth through Christ is robbing the flock.
Simple logic makes it plain. The same Lord who affirmed Moses and the Scriptures would not call His own sent servants thieves. The “all” of John 10:8 is qualified by the context—“all” who came another way, not through the Door.
Clear conclusion: John 10:8 exalts the exclusiveness of Christ as the only Door and exposes every leader or system that bypasses Him as theft and robbery. The true sheep do not hear them; they follow the Shepherd’s voice in the Word.
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Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Separation from unbelief
55-0228 §11
Now, shall we bow our heads, while we talk to the Author of the Book. Our beloved Father, tonight we approach Thee in that all-sufficient name of Jesus Christ, the beloved Son of God. For this we know, that He will hear us, for we are promised by Him, "that whatever you ask the Father in My name, that I will do." And we know that He would not hear us in our name, or perhaps He wouldn't... He hasn't promised to hear in our name, but He has promised to hear in His name. So we come presenting Him; and realizing as lon...
The Good Shepherd of the sheep
57-0308 §23
Oh, He is a marvelous Shepherd. Let Him feed you. He'll feed you on His Word. The Holy Spirit lives by the Word of God. That great Shepherd of the flock! Certainly. He could not lose one. It would be a disgrace. You say, "Brother Branham, you mean that?" That's what the Bible says. Look, God told Israel, way down in Egypt, "I have given you Palestine." Now, He could have just went up there and excommunicated the whole thing, run them all out with a plague, killed them all off. He could have went up there and sent f...
Experiences
48-0302 §94
Now, bow your heads, everyone now, while we're praying. O Jesus, You're the only One Who can heal our sister. Grant today, Father, that her hearing will come to her, and her veins, the varicose veins will be dried up. Grant it, eternal God, in Jesus Christ's Name. Thou demon, come out of the woman in the Name of Jesus Christ. Hear me? Hear me? I'm whispering, lady. All right, you can raise your heads. Hear me? Hear me? Say, "Amen." [The woman says, "Amen."] Praise the Lord. ["Praise the Lord."] Now, I'm whispering,...
The great coming revival
54-0718A §7
Now, I wish to read two portions of Scripture this afternoon. One of them is found in Saint Luke, and the other one is found in Zechariah. Brother Joseph asked me, "Can the people hear well now?" Everybody can hear well? All the way in the back, can you hear well? If you can, raise up your hands, if you can hear. Not too good yet. Just a moment. [Brother Boze asks the audience, "Can you hear well? Lift a hand if you can hear well? Yeah. All right."]
Hear ye Him
59-0424E §47
But, oh, we think then there... While Peter yet spake these words, before they come out of his mouth, there was a voice come from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son: Hear ye him." That is Moses, don't hear him; the justice, don't hear him. It's all been met in Him. "Hear ye Him." No more laws. No more judgments, because He bears our judgment. I'm so glad. The law could do nothing for me. But what can Christ do for me? Christ represents, not His law, not His justice; but He represents his mercy, His love. God so l...