In the Gospel of John, Jesus says, “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” (John 10:1-3)

While these words highlight Jesus, the Good Shepherd who ensures that His sheepfold are safe. Our attention is drawn to the motifs of the Gate, and the Gatekeeper. This is further emphasised in John 10:9, when Jesus states, “I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture.”

The ancient cities, tents, and dwellings of Scripture were flanked by the wilderness on all sides. To keep the people and their flocks safe from enemy tribes, hostile wild creatures, and unexpected threats encroaching in, the people who dwelt in such enclaves either created walls, or fences, and also stationed trusted people at different key points of the city or camp ground to keep watch, sound the alarm, and provide the first line of defence. Usually at the cardinal and pivotal North, South, East, and West, were situated gates that not only protected the encampments from marauders and intruders, but also identified the dwellers of that city through special passes, knocks, or codes. At these gates, were deployed gatekeepers who were appointed to guard the thresholds. In 1 Chronicles 9: 17-33, we read an example of how 212 gatekeepers had been deployed on a permanent basis to guard the Tent of Meeting, the treasures of the House of God, the vessels for use, and the parameters of the camp. We see how these gatekeepers, “would spend the night near the house of God, for it was in their charge and they had the duty of opening it each morning.” (1 Chronicles 9: 27); and how “They stayed in the chambers when free of duty, for day and night they had to be ready for service.” (1 Chronicles 9: 33). To carry out their duties, considered sacred, in a timely and effective way, “Their brothers who lived in their own villages took turns in assisting them for seven-day periods, while the four chief gatekeepers were on permanent duty.” (1 Chronicles 9: 25-26) In Ezra 2: 42, it is documented that 139 gatekeepers were deployed, and in 1 Chronicles 23: 5, 4,000 gatekeepers had been appointed together with 4,000 in the worship team.

It is interesting to note, that gatekeepers were complementary to the worship team. They were often deployed together, and could not do without the other.

We might imagine the gatekeeper, in our modern times, the security guard, as someone frail, someone retired, and as someone who is unfit and weak. However in biblical times, these gatekeepers, whose primary duty was to protect the ritual purity of the temple areas (cf. 2 Chronicles 23:19), were also a designated Levitical class. The word, gibborim, Hebrew for strong, valiant, and mighty is used to describe these gatekeepers. It is the same word used to describe the giants – the Nephilim, “the heroes of old, men of renown” (Genesis 6:4), the “mighty men of valour” in Joshua 1:14; 6:2; 8:3; 10:2; 10:7; and in many other references in Ruth, the books of Samuel, and Judges (Lyons & Deliduka, 2022; Pinyan, n.d.; O’Connell-Roussell, 2004).

The gatekeeper’s role is not an easy one. Numbers 25: 6-8 documents the case of how an Israelite brought a Midianite woman into the camp of Israel. A certain Phinehas, son of Eleazar upon seeing this, stood up, and taking his spear with him, followed the Israelite into the tent, where he killed the infidel and the woman. We know from the historical records found in 1 Chronicles 9, that Phinehas, was in fact the chief gatekeeper at that time.

Today, our moral laws are different from those of biblical times, and while what Phinehas did was extreme in today’s context, we too are called to be as zealous as Phinehas was, in upholding and gatekeeping the prevention of the defilement of God’s house and sanctuary.

In that light, while we are not called to spear infidels, we are exhorted to nip in the bud: idolatry, heresy, false information, half-truths, gossip, and anything that leads God’s people astray. We are called to be gatekeepers after the heart of Jesus, the Gate. It is our responsibility to guard the glory of God; to prevent on the first level, the sin of sacrilege, and on the second level, to gatekeep our own hearts less evil and idols enter it.

The motif of the Gate is important in understanding Jesus’ declaration that He is the gate. The gates were key in keeping a city fortified. They were closed at night (cf. Joshua 2:5) to keep unwanted vermin, wild beasts, and enemies out; the gates were where the prophets proclaimed (cf. Jeremiah 17:19-20); the places where the gates were, were instrumental in being the platforms where the Word was read out (cf. Nehemiah 8:2-3); judgements were carried out (cf. Deuteronomy 21:18-21); and legal matters held court and sway at the gates (cf. Ruth 4:1-11). The gate to the city, represented a gateway to the life and the community of the city. Besides the perimeters of the temple, where the entire city was build around, the gates come in as the next important entity of the city. They were where commerce and trade were carried out, where public announcements were issued, and where the most important civic happenings occurred. To say that Jesus is the Gate, thus tells us that Jesus defines the community of believers within (Hoopes & Hoopes, 2014), and it is He Himself who would block and prevent any prevalence of the enemy’s camp, while allowing those of His own to pass through, live, and flourish.

There are two gates that we would need to take note of: First, Jesus is the gate to the Heavenly Father. Second, Mary is the gate to heaven. St. John Henry Newman says that Mary is the gate to heaven because it was through her that Jesus – the Divine from Heaven came forth into Earth (cf. St. John Henry Cardinal Newman, 2019). Mary is also referred to as the gate in the Litany of Loretto. Jesus and Mary thus make up the 2-door Gate to living our fullest life in the Church.

Of these, it is guaranteed by our Lord, that “the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18).

The chief gatekeeper of the Church in this case, is Peter, whom Jesus has commissioned – “upon this rock I will build my Church… I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16: 18-19). As a corollary, this process of gatekeeping is continued in the apostolic succession of bishops and priests.

As lay people, we too have a duty to upkeep, maintain, and polish these gates to Heaven, and to safeguard the people who pass through these gates. We need to safeguard our children, and those under our care in our ministries, and communities. There is definitely a need to ensure that they grow up with the right influences, and formation so as to be able to find the right gates when the time is ready. If these gates are not looked after constantly, and daily care and repair taken to ensure that these gates are in working conditions, we in fact expose our children to harm and danger that creep in. For example, in the area of video or mobile games that we allow our children to play – are we interested in what kinds of content is presented in these games, and do we scan these games for questionable content before allowing our children to play these? Some seemingly innocent games are not appropriate for children (and even adults) – presenting landscapes that are replete with occult symbolism, the glorification of evil and demonic activity, and subliminal messages, or storylines and images that subvert a child’s purity through salacious and lascivious content.

It is our duty to be gatekeepers of integrity and to be firm in our purposes in Christ.

To this end we can call upon the help of the saints, who have been triumphant in their gatekeeping of the virtues and of our Faith.

 

By the Grace of God,

Brian Bartholomew Tan

 

 

 

References

Hoopes, T. & Hoopes, A. (2014). One Shepherd, One Gatekeeper. National Catholic Register. Retrieved February 8, 2023 from https://www.ncregister.com/features/one-shepherd-one-gatekeeper

 

Lyons, C.W. & Deliduka, T. (2022). The Catholic Bible Concordance for the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSV-CE). Emmaus Road Publishing.

 

O’Connell-Roussell. S. (2004). The Saint Mary’s Press Essential Bible Concordance: NRSV Catholic Edition. Saint Mary’s Press.

 

Pinyan, J. (n.d.). The Cross Reference – New American Bible Concordance. Retrieved February 8, 2023 from https://www.catholiccrossreference.online/bible/nab-search.cgi

 

St. John Henry Cardinal Newman. (2019). Meditations on Mary our Mother. Tan Books.