was He a shepherd?
was He a light?
Was He a vine?
was He a way?
these are all terms Jesus uses to describe Himself in John. Surely you don't believe He was a literal door? Or a literal vine? Of course not. In the same book He describes Himself as the bread of life. Was He an actual loaf of bread? Of course not. These are all metaphors He used to describe His role in iur salvation.
To read any other meaning into the text does a tremendous dis-service to the text.
Jesus never said, “I am a real door,” or “I am a real vine.” But he did say, “My flesh is real food, and my blood is real drink.”
Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Christ is that living word that proceeds from the mouth of God! To live is Christ but to die is gain!
In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. Christ Is God’s Word made flesh which dwelt amongst us!
I wish I had understood when I was much younger these similes that I am only now beginning to dimly grasp in my middle age. Whatever else happens in my life, I have been blessed to be given a look at scripture in a way I never could have never guessed for myself that it should be possible. It’s like a butterfly on my shoulder....I don’t want it to go away but I dare not grasp for it or even dare breathe for fear it will fly away!