The Good Shepherd Gospel reading: John 10:7-17 Video clip: https://youtube/watch?v=iKwabH-k2fg The Good Shepherd 7 So Jesus said again, “I assure you: I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance. 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired man, since he is not the shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep, leaves them[b] and runs away when he sees a wolf coming. The wolf then snatches and scatters them. 13 This happens because he is a hired man and doesn’t care about the sheep. 14 “I am the good shepherd. I know My own sheep, and they know Me, 15 as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father. I lay down My life for the sheep.16 But I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 This is why the Father loves Me, because I am laying down My life so I may take it up again. **Verses 10:7-9 Jesus reference…’I am the door…’ echoes the messianic passage found in Ps. 118:20 and is the another of Jesus’ seven “I am” sayings in John…see notes from January 2, 2015 study (Verses 6:35, 48). **Verse 10:8 ‘All who came before Me’ probably refers to those who came before Jesus, fraudulently promoting themselves as the Messiah, but leading followers into destruction and doom (Ac. 5:36-37). While the reference to ‘thieves and robbers’ may refer to Israel’s shepherds “who have been feeding themselves” instead of their flock (Ex. 34:2-4). **Verse 10:9 ‘Will come in and go out’ is reminiscent of Moses description of Joshua who led Israel into the promise land (Nm. 27:16-17), as well as echoing covenant terminology, especially be blessed for obedience (Dt. 28:6; Ps. 121:8). **Verse 10:11 Jesus is ‘the good shepherd’ is another of Jesus’ seven “I am” sayings in John…see notes from January 2, 2015 study (Verses 6:35, 48). In the Old Testament, God is the true shepherd and is contrasted with the ‘unfaithful shepherds’ who He will judge (Jr. 23:1-4; Ezk. 34; Zch. 11:4-7). David/Davidic Messiah was also portrayed as a good shepherd (2 Samuel 5:2; Ps. 78:70-72; Ezk. 37:24; Mc. 5:4) as well as was Moses (Is. 63:11; Ps. 77:20). The reference to ‘the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep’ brings to mind David in his youth (1 Samuel 17:34-37). **Verse 10:12 The ‘hired man’ will quickly and without conscience abandon the sheep in times of danger, as he has no attachment to them. Those who were the ‘hired hands of Israel’ (Ezk. 22:27) are contrasted with God and His Messiah, the role of which is patterned after God’s “good shepherd” King David (1 Samuel 17:34-36). **Verse 10:16 The ‘other sheep…not of this fold’ refers to the Gentiles (Is. 56:8) which Jesus projected would be added following His sacrifice on the cross. ‘One flock, one shepherd’ refers to Ezk. 34:23; 37:24, believing that the Jews and Gentiles will join together into one messianic community. HCSB Study Bible, Holman Christian Standard Bible
Posted on: Sat, 03 Jan 2015 12:29:36 +0000
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