What did Jesus mean in John 10:7 when He said, “…I am the door of the sheep?” In ancient times, a sheepfold in the rural areas is just made of small rocks arranged into a pen for the sheep to sleep in at night. Once the shepherd guides the sheep into the pen, he lies down to serve as the gate or the door so that his sheep are protected. This is what Jesus meant; but why did He willingly become the door of the sheep?