I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD.
John 10:11-21.
In John 10 Jesus effectively castigated the Pharisees for their failures as the spiritual shepherds of Israel. The image was familiar in a pastoral society, and echoed the Old Testament (e.g. Jeremiah 23:1-4).
JOHN 10:11. In the fourth “I am” saying of John’s Gospel, Jesus appears as the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep. The teaching of Jesus is that He is THE Good Shepherd who seeks out the lost sheep, and dies for His flock. As the promised Messiah, ‘His soul is made an offering for sin’ (cf. Isaiah 53:10).
JOHN 10:12-13. This is in contrast to those who are not shepherds at all, but merely hired helps. The Pharisees, whatever they imagined their pedigree to be, were like the kind of careless hired helps to whom Jesus is referring. Under their watch, for example, the Lord observed their charges to be ‘like sheep without a shepherd’ (cf. Matthew 9:36).
JOHN 10:14. Jesus repeats, “I AM the Good Shepherd.” The Good Shepherd knows His sheep, and is known by them. He knows our ‘going out, and our coming in’ (cf. Psalm 121:8). He cares for His flock, and actually came into this world to lay down His life for His people. Thus He is made known to His sheep.
JOHN 10:15. The mutual knowledge of Christ and His people is modelled upon His relationship with the Father. The self-sacrifice of Jesus is rooted in His relationship with the Father. The Good Shepherd laid down His life for those whom He calls out of darkness into everlasting light.
JOHN 10:16. Jesus is the Shepherd of Israel (cf. Psalm 80:1), but His flock includes those out of every nation, throughout all of time, who respond to His call. He is calling us by name, and we hear His voice. We are one flock, under one Shepherd.
JOHN 10:17. Jesus was aware of the Father’s love and approval as He prepared Himself for both death and resurrection. And He knew that He would rise again, having overcome death on our behalf.
JOHN 10:18. It is perfectly clear in this verse that Jesus lay down His life voluntarily. No-one took it from Him. Jesus would lay down His life, and take it up again, by His own power. Jesus claims that He has this commission from the Father. We are the happy beneficiaries of His great sacrifice on our behalf.
JOHN 10:19. Sadly, as usual, Jesus’ wonderful teaching caused division amongst His hearers.
JOHN 10:20. The frustration of the Jewish authorities is seen in their resorting, not for the first time, to accusing Him of having a devil, and being mad.
JOHN 10:21. But there were still those among them who were thinking more rationally. “These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?”
