Why is Jesus called our Shepherd? People of His time understood what shepherds did. When Jesus taught and when John wrote shepherding was very common and the analogies were easy to apply. Today I think we miss the depth of what Jesus does for His “sheep”.
Let’s look at a shepherd’s interaction with his sheep.
The shepherd cares for the needs of their sheep. They only have what the shepherd supplies. What do you see in this picture? Does it bring any Scripture to mind?
A Google search tells us this-
-A principal duty at all seasons is for the shepherd to plan food for his flock.
-In spring and summer there is an abundance of green pasture. Fall and winter are harder.
-After the grain is reaped, the shepherd brings in his flock, and the sheep feed on fresh growth, or dried blades, or an occasional ear of grain.
-When this source of food is exhausted then the pasture is sought in other places.
-Often flocks are stationed near to a stream of running water.
-But the sheep are afraid of drinking water that moves quickly.
-The shepherd looks for pools of water or some quiet place where they may drink.
Another interesting thing about sheep is they recognize their shepherd’s voice. They will not follow a different voice. In verses 4-5 Jesus makes the analogy.
4 When he (the shepherd) has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”
Do we only follow our Shepherd’s voice, or do we let other voices lead us? To get us off track other voices only need to distract us from our Shepherd’s voice. They can tell us this thing is okay. It is not sinful. That may be true, but is it fruitful?
In verses 7 and then 11 Jesus makes two of His seven “I Am” statements.
7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the Gate for the sheep.” 11 I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.
John’s readers know what the gatekeeper does. No one goes in the sheep pen without the gatekeeper letting them in. They also know the job of a shepherd is to protect the sheep with their life. Jesus is the Gate to heaven. No one goes into heaven without going through Jesus.
In verses 14-18 Jesus makes it clear He is the Good Shepherd because He will give up His life for His sheep. Not just the Jewish people, but for “other sheep who are not in this sheep pen” meaning all believers throughout time.
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and My sheep know Me— 15 just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father—and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to My voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason My Father loves Me is that I lay down My life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from My Father.”
I find two statements very reassuring. First one is “I know my sheep and My sheep know Me” and the second is “They too will listen to My voice”. We need to search our hearts and know these statements describe us.
Chapter 10 ends with the crowd calling Jesus a blasphemer and trying to stone Him. Verse 10:40 says, “Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days.” As John was writing this I wonder if he thought about the “roller coaster” ride they were on. Leaving a crowd that wanted to stone Him and going to a place that 10:42 says, “And in that place many believed in Jesus.”
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