Ouch! This is one of the harshest statements ever made by Jesus, at least in my estimation. There is no way to soften the impact on the ones he is talking to on that day of reckoning.
It is not that the statement is wrong—in fact it is a good description of the condition of this group of men who follow him everywhere, with no intent of truly listening, rather they are present only to find fault in his words. The things Jesus shares are the same words heard by all those who believe. His message is not for a select few; it is for everyone. But only those who believe are able to enter into a saving relationship with Jesus. The words of Paul seem to resonate—“Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17). Believing is connected to hearing—but the hearing is not random or indiscriminate. It is hearing the word of God. In that day the Jewish opposition was in fact hearing The Word of God—the Word Incarnate, but they could not recognize it as such. “You are not my sheep,” Jesus tells them.
Jesus words are more descriptive than proscriptive. He is not telling them who they are, and thus their inability to recognize his voice, as he shared earlier (verses 4, 16). He is saying their inability to recognize the voice that seeks to save them is because they have chosen to close their hearts to the voice of the Good Shepherd. They are within earshot of the genuine Word of God, and they do not recognize it. Hey are surrounded by salvation, but they choose to save themselves.
I need to spend time hearing, reading, searching, internalizing, and meditating on the Word of God—both the written one and the One who wants to be known by me more each day. I want to be His sheep, and follow Him wherever he goes. Come think of it—I am His sheep! No one will be able to snatch me out of His loving arms! (John 10:28) as long as that is where I want to be.
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