The Good Shepherd (John 10)

In the Hebrew Bible, there are at least 5 main characters that were directly described as shepherds; Abel, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, and David.

These were only in figure of the ultimate shepherd who was promised before the foundation of the world, that He would shepherd God’s people (Ezekiel 34:11-24; Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:6, Titus 1:2).

This good shepherd would save humanity from sin; give them His life; protect them from destruction; nourish them in Him; and lead them all the way, to the intent that they shall not lack, hunger, or thirst.

In Psalm 23 a Messianic Psalm, David being a shepherd himself and also a prophet, looking head of time, talked about the Lord as this shepherd and longed for the day he (David) would dwell in the house of the Lord forever. This was the dwelling place that Jesus said He was going to prepare (John 14:3,20,23).

From our main text (John 10), Jesus began to open up this powerful truth when He introduced Himself as that good shepherd (John 10:11,14).

In describing Himself as the good shepherd, He was not only showing us how caring and protective He was, much more than that, He was identifying Himself with God. His audience understood that fact and no wonder they accused Him of making Himself equal with God (John 10:31,33).

God had said in the Old Testament through the prophet:
“Now then, my flock, I, the Sovereign LORD, tell you that I will judge each of you and separate the good from the bad, the sheep from the goats” (Ezekiel 34:17 GNT).

Astonishingly to his audience, Jesus would make a claim that He is the one that would carry out this judgment, which was prophesied as a work that God Himself would perform:
Matthew 25:32 GNT “and the people of all the nations will be gathered before him. Then he will divide them into two groups, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.”

In addition to the fact that this shepherd is identified with God, He would give His life for His sheep. This, He would accomplish by dying for the sake and in the stead of His sheep to rise again for their justification (John 10:11,17,18; Romans 4:25; Hebrews 13:20).

How can One that is identified with God die? That is the great mystery of godliness (1 Timothy 3:16) – the story of the incarnation which many celebrate today. Only the good shepherd could fulfill this.

This good shepherd by the reason of His death, burial, and resurrection, would give eternal life to His sheep. This life can never perish, expire, or ever be lost.

Hear Him:
“And I give them eternal life, and they shall never lose it or perish throughout the ages. [To all eternity they shall never by any means be destroyed.] And no one is able to snatch them out of My hand. My Father, Who has given them to Me, is greater and mightier than all [else]; and no one is able to snatch [them] out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:28 AMPC).

The Greek construction of this verse above used double negatives with a subjunctive verb to emphatically deny the possibility of ever losing this eternal life.

This shepherd does not abandon the sheep and flee in the face of danger. He is not in it for His own gain but for your own good (John 10:12-13). He has said, “I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you [assuredly not]!” (Hebrews 13:5 AMP).

Psalm 95:7 NIV “for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if only you would hear his voice.”

The good shepherd wants to bring you into the sheepfold of His pasture. He is not asking you to qualify to become one of His. Of course, you cannot qualify yourself.

Conversely, no matter how far you think you have gone in sin or how deep in religion, you can turn to this great shepherd, the bishop of your soul (1 Peter 2:25). He is lovingly waiting for you with His outstretched arm to receive you, for you to receive of Him the gift of eternal life which He already has for you, and come into His dwelling place where you would live forever. He has come to you. Come to Him, receive of Him while it is still day.

In case you are asking, “What should I do to be saved?” Here is the good news, it is not about what you have to do, but in receiving what he has already done, by believing:
Romans 10:9-10 NKJV “… if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

And to you the believer, relax in Him. The life you have received of Him is eternal, and eternal means everlasting. All things in Him are yours – green pastures, still waters, nothing lacking. Your good shepherd lives forever to secure what He has accomplished for you and in you. You are led by Him and you hear His voice.

Consistently feed on this reality. Recognize what He has done and walk in it.