The Good Shepherd
I am the Good Shepherd - continuing the “I am” statements in the Gospel of John.
John 10:11 -18John 10:11 -18
English: World English Bible - WEB
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
12 He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who doesn’t own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep, and flees. The wolf snatches the sheep, and scatters them.
13 The hired hand flees because he is a hired hand, and doesn’t care for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and I’m known by my own;
15 even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 I have other sheep, which are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice. They will become one flock with one shepherd.
17 Therefore the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again.
18 No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down by myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. I received this commandment from my Father.”
The life of a shepherd could be a hard and dangerous one. Not only was the shepherd responsible for finding pasture and water for the physical needs of the sheep, but also for their safety. Not just wild animals, but robbers and bandits as well.
A hired hand would look after them for money. His interest was only in his wages and not the sheep. No wages would persuade him to put his life on the line for sheep that weren’t his own.
This could be a picture of the Pharisees to which Christ had been talking to at the start of the illustration. It is also a picture of false prophets, teachers, religeous or secular systems who would deceive people today.
Who are these other sheep who are not of “this fold” but will become part of the “one flock”? The context is Christ is talking to the nation of Isreal of that time who rightly considered themselves in the sheepfold. What was later revealed was that others outside that sheepfold, what the Bible calls “Gentile Nations” (non-Israeli) would be able to join the flock. Please note, He uses the word flock and not the word fold. he is referring to the Church Age in which we now live.
A true, good shepherd would look after the sheep because he cared for them, he owned them, loved them and valued them. He would defend them against wild animals and robbers. He would die for them. He was committed to his role. This is a picture of Christ, the Good Shepherd, a clear picture that those listening would understand. A picture that King David of old understood for he too was a shepherd. The 23rd Psalm gives a picture of the shepherd’s role, a picture of the Good Shepherd and a picture of what the sheep enjoy with such a shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the Sheep. His death on the cross was a voluntary act. We sing about how it was love that bound Him to the cross, not the nails. We read how He tells Peter in Mat. 26 v 53 that if He wished he could ask the Father to send twelve legions of angels to His aid. But He didn’t, instead he went to the cross.
