The word translated “figurative” that we read in chapter 14 is only used in a couple of other places. One is in John 10, the Good Shepherd chapter. In John 10:6, it says, “Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.” The word translated “illustration” is the same word as “figurative” in John 16. In His illustration, Jesus identified Himself as both the door of the sheep, as well as the shepherd. He also said that the shepherd enters by the door. If we try to force the interpretation, it would mean that He entered the sheepfold by or through Himself. That sounds strange to our ears—perhaps even illogical. But when we grasp the essence of His teaching, we won’t stumble by trying to make something that is figurative match up precisely. We can allow Him to hold the positions of both door and shepherd at the same time, even though literally they are separate.
