What does John 10:28 mean?
In this verse, Jesus expands on the metaphors He used earlier in this chapter. Jesus explained that those who are "His" are like sheep—they only respond to the voice of their own shepherd. How a person reacts to Jesus proves whether they are, or are not, part of His "flock" (John 10:1–6). Jesus also claimed to be like the single opening in a sheep pen: "the door" which was the only means of finding rescue from danger (John 10:7–9). He also proclaimed Himself the "good shepherd," contrasting with selfish leaders such as those He speaks with in this passage (Ezekiel 34). He spoke of His willingness to die for the sake of those who are His (John 10:10–14).Jesus speaks these words while being overtly threatened by His critics. They've cornered Him in an awkward spot in the temple and are daring Him to repeat His claims (John 10:22–24). Rather than simply repeat them, Jesus is expounding on them.
This statement is a crucial part of our understanding of the gospel. Jesus has already made it clear that there are only two categories of people, spiritually speaking: those who are "in," and those who are "out." These two groups are separated by Jesus Christ, who is "the door." Those who belong to Christ are safe from being taken away, as a wolf might grab a sheep in the wild (John 10:12). Here, Jesus uses the same Greek root word found in His description of a wolf who "snatches" a sheep: harpazo. Those who are part of Jesus' flock cannot be taken away.
Jesus also makes an unmistakable reference to the nature of the eternal life He offers: it is permanent and irrevocable. Jesus' literal words in Greek are ou mē apolōntai eis ton aiōna. Ou and mē are both negatives, and eis ton aiōna is somewhat like saying "all the ages," or "for all time." Apolōntai is a reference to loss, condemnation, or death. The eternal life granted by Jesus to His "sheep"—to true believers (John 3:16–18)—cannot and will not ever be stolen, revoked, or lost.
This same Greek phrase also echoes Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus (John 3:16). There, Jesus proclaimed an offer that those who believed would "never perish," which is translated from the same core Greek words: mē apolētai.
