John 10:1-21
Title: The
Good Shepherd
Analysis:
Chapter
10 flows nicely from chapter 9 and Jesus begins a discourse about Himself
as the good shepherd to the people. In this passage He speaks of the religious
leaders as thieves contrasting them to Himself as the good Shepherd. In ancient
times a shepherd would tend for a flock of sheep and their physical state.
Sheep were kept in a pen to be protected from wild animals at night and the
shepherd would sleep in the doorway. Those who tried to harm the sheep would
not protect them but rather come at them from another way. This is who the
religious leaders were. They were supposed to tend for the people’s spiritual
needs, but instead they destroyed them. In verse one Jesus describes them as
thieves and robbers.
Jesus
is the good shepherd that would lead His people to green pastures if they
listened to Him. The Sheep know the voice of the real shepherd and they will
follow Him. The true sheep will follow His voice, and they will not listen to the
voice of a stranger (vs. 5).
Jesus
then uses another figure of speech to describe Himself, saying in verse 7,
“Truly, Truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.” And in verse 9, “…if
anyone enters through me He will be saved…” Those who would believe in Jesus as
Messiah, like the blind man did, would receive everlasting life. If they did
not believe in Messiah they would be destroyed by the thieves and robbers who
came only for personal gain. Jesus did not come to destroy, but rather to, “…lay
down His life for the sheep.” Jesus foreshadows His own death by saying this.
Christ
was the good shepherd, one who was committed to the spiritual needs of the
people of Israel. The Pharisees were hired hands (vs. 12) and they did not care
for the needs of the people. Just as a hired hands runs when a wolf attacks the
sheep, so the Pharisees left the people when times of danger came. Verse 14,
talking about Jesus, says, “I am the Good Shepherd and I know My own and My own
know Me.” Jesus truly was the contrast of the Pharisees and a picture of a
faithful shepherd.
Not
only was Jesus the shepherd to the people of Israel, but He would also become
shepherd to the Gentiles as well (vs. 16). He would bring them into His fold
and together they will be one flock with Jesus as their shepherd, for He was to
lay down his life for them.
Although
Jesus said He wold die for His sheep, He makes it very clear in verses 17 &
18 that His death is not the end. It reads, “For this reason the Father loves
Me, because I lay down My life…I have authority to lay it down, and I have
authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”
The
crowds, after hearing this teaching of Jesus were once again divided over Him.
Some said that He had a demon, while others said, “A demon cannot open the eyes
of the blind, can he?” (vs.21).
These people fell into the only two
categories that one can believe about Christ. For some, they rejected Him and
chose to follow the hired hands, while others believed in Him as the Good
Shepherd and entrusted their lives to Him.
Response:
Jesus
is a good shepherd, and just as a shepherd tenderly cares for his own sheep,
our Lord tenderly cares for us. He leads us into green pastures where we will
be nourished and fed. He guards over our lives when we are vulnerable and
blocks out thieves and robbers. And most amazingly, He lays down His very life
for us, sacrificing Himself so that we may live. As a believer I find my
confidence and trust in Jesus as my Saviour strengthened when I know that even
when I fail and sin and stumble into temptation He will still be there to lead
me, feed me, and grant me forgiveness from my sins. He truly is an amazing
shepherd that gives all He has for the life of those who are His sheep.
Blessings,
Lucas C.
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