More on sheepfolds and their gates

Image by Andrew Leaney at The Lakeland Fells

Above is another image of a sheepfold with a "gateless gate" for an entrance.

In 1960, in an article published in The Expository Times, Eric Bishop told of a conversation he had while traveling in Eastern Iran. He writes:

"Many years ago I was traveling by donkey from Nishapur in eastern Iran to the village of Sabsevar.  In the afternoon I set out to see the sights about the village. Not far away I came to a mound of earth piled up in a large circle, like a crude rampart, and on the top of the mound all around the circle was a heap of dry thorns. As I stood wondering what this might be one of the villagers approached me. "Salaam," I said, "please tell me what this enclosure is for." 

"Oh, that is for the sheep," he replied. "They are brought in here for the night for safety." 

"Good," I said, "but why have the dry thorns been piled on top of the wall?" 

"That," he replied, "is a protection against wolves. If a wolf tries to break in and attack the sheep, he will knock against the thorns, and they will make a noise, and the shepherd will wake up, and drive off the wolf." 

"That's fine," I said, "but why does the wolf try to climb over the wall? Here is the entrance to the enclosure; it is open. There is no door to keep out the wolf; he could easily enter here."

"Oh no," said my guide, "you do not understand. That is where the shepherd sleeps, the shepherd is the door..."

So Jesus said again,

"Amen, I say to you,

I am the gate for the sheep.

All who came before me are thieves and robbers,

but the sheep did not listen to them.

I am the gate.

Whoever enters through me will be saved

and will come in and go out and find pasture..." 

 

Image of a sheepfold made from thorn bushes: Biblical Studies

 
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