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Answers to Correspondents.
pp. 110 - 111
No. 16.--UNSIGNED.--"Who is the Porter in John 10: 3?"
It is impossible to answer with certainty. It is part of a "proverb" (verse 6) translated
there "parable." In the explanation that follows (verses 7-18) the interest centres around
the Shepherd as the door of the sheep, and the one who gives His life for the sheep. The
only passage in these verses that has the remotest reference to the Porter is verse 15. "As
the Father knoweth Me." Subsequently, in verses 24-42 the question concerning whether
the Saviour was "the Christ" or not is revived. His answer is a reference to the works
which He did in His Father's name. This is followed by the words, "My sheep hear My
voice, and I know them and they follow Me." Here we are taken back to the opening
verses of John 5:; and it will be seen that where, in the "proverb," Christ speaks of the
"Porter," in the two explanations He speaks of the witness of the Father.
There is a special reference here also to the witness of John the Baptist. He declared
that the reason why he came baptising was "that He (Christ) should be made manifest to
Israel," and John it was that opened the door to the Good Shepherd in the first instance,
which, combined with the voice from heaven (Matt. 3:) proved to all who had ears to
hear that here, in the Person of the Saviour, was the true Shepherd. This seems to be the
meaning of the "Porter" in John 10: 3.
No. 17.--"What is the meaning of first part of Isa. 53: 12?"
"Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great,
And He shall divide the spoil with the strong" (A.V.).
These words are a part of a section devoted to the reward and triumph who follow the
great work of redemption. This section includes verse 10 to verse 12.
The following is a simple structure of the portion:--
A | 10-. His soul made an offering for sin.
B | -10, 11-. Reward; seed, days, pleasure, satisfied.
C | -11. Justification and bearing iniquities.
B | 12-. Reward; therefore spoil divided with strong.
A | -12. Because He poured out His soul unto death; sin, intercession.
The word translated twice "divide," is from the Hebrew Chalag "to be smooth, even,
equable." In Isa. 34: 17 we may see its close connection with the apportioning of an
inheritance. The idea underlying the word is that there is a perfectly equable distribution
made. When you also observe that in the large structure of Isa. 52: and 53:, the passage