To understand the significance of this title, it’s important to realize how gates functioned in the ancient world. One of the worst tragedies that could befall a walled city was to have its gates breached. Once that happened, the city was left defenseless against marauders. Hence, when Samson carried off the gates of Gaza after its citizens tried to kill him, he was demolishing the city’s defenses (Judges 16:1-3). Sizeable cities had more than one gate and all had to be defended.
City gates also functioned as the locale for various social and administrative activities. Elders would gather at the gates, where judgment would be rendered and business would be conducted. Even prophets used the gates to announce their divine messages to the people of the city.
The Hebrew word for gates is sa’ar. In addition to referring to cities, it was also used of the temple gates. Psalm 118 referred to these as the “gates of righteousness,” indicating that by entering the temple, the Israelites were entering into a place where they would have access to God’s presence. Even heaven was pictured with gates. When Jacob dreamt of angels ascending and descending a ladder, he awoke to exclaim, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven" (Genesis 28:17).
Two primary Greek words are used for “gate” in the New Testament. Pyle can be translated “gate” or “city gate.” Jesus used this word when he told his followers in Matthew 7:13 to “Enter through the narrow gate.” He used it again in Matthew 16:18 when he assured Peter that the gates of hell would never overpower the church. Though many Christians have assumed this passage indicates that the church will never be overcome by evil, it has a far more positive thrust, implying that the church itself is advancing against the gates of hell, which will not hold out against it.
The second Greek word is thrya, which can be translated “door,” “gate,” or “entrance.” This is the word Jesus used when he told his followers in John 10:9, “I am the gate. Those who enter the sheep pen through me will be saved.”
Praying to Jesus, Our Gate
“Something there is that doesn’t love a wall.” If the ancient world had been exposed to the poetry of Robert Frost, they would surely have scoffed at this line, concluding that the poet could not possibly have been serious when he penned it. Of course Frost wrote the poem “Mending Wall” not in the ancient past but in modern times, when walls had long gone out of fashion as a method for defending a city.
When Jesus told his followers that he was the gate, he wasn’t speaking of city walls but about an enclosure in which sheep were penned. The enclosure was far different than what we might imagine. It wasn’t a white wooden fence surrounding green patches of grass on which sheep could spend their days contentedly grazing. Shepherding in Israel was a rugged profession, especially when a shepherd had to lead his sheep out onto the hillsides for pasture. Since it wasn’t practical to bring the sheep home every night, he would stay outside with them. At night, he would lead them into an enclosure with walls but no gate. Once all the sheep were in, the shepherd would simply lie down across the opening. He became the gate, using his body to keep the sheep from getting out or predators from getting in.
By using this imagery, Jesus is telling us that he will keep everyone who belongs to him safe, even at the cost of his life. Whatever tragedies may afflict us, Jesus will not let anything or anyone snatch us from him.
