King James Bible
"All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them."
Jesus refers to false messiahs and corrupt religious leaders who claimed divine authority without God's commission. The phrase contrasts these pretenders with Jesus as the legitimate shepherd sent by the Father, emphasizing his unique role in salvation history. These harsh terms characterize those who exploited God's people for personal gain rather than serving them. Thieves work by stealth while robbers use violence—together depicting leaders who harm the flock through deception and oppression instead of providing spiritual nourishment. True believers, guided by God's Spirit, instinctively recognized these false shepherds as illegitimate and refused to follow them. This affirms that God's genuine sheep possess spiritual discernment to distinguish between authentic and counterfeit spiritual authority.