Jesus, The Good Shepherd

The Good Shepherd

The comparison and symbolism of Jesus being The Good Shepherd is seen many times throughout the bible. Better understanding of the relationship between a shepherd and his sheep will allow us to appreciate the interpretation of Jesus being our Good Shepherd. Admirable men of the bible like David, Abraham and Moses were all shepherds. Jesus spoke about the nature of a good shepherd to teach people.  We are given a clear example of this illustration in John 10, The Good Shepherd. In order for us to get the most from this passage, we need to learn the historical context which will help us see why this specific illustration was chosen to characterize Jesus and his followers.

Let’s start off with the basics to help us understand the responsibilities of a herdsman. Shepherding wasn’t just a job to the people who did it, but a way of life. Most of us visualize in our minds a man with a shepherd’s staff trailing behind his flock of sheep, keeping them from going astray. But the relationship between a shepherd and his flock is much more meaningful than one would think.

Because of the abundance of sheep in the land, shepherding was common throughout Israel. The Eastern shepherds of that time walked before their sheep rather than behind, as the Western shepherds would. Many boys would start off as a shepherd, eventually becoming a farmer but never completely abandoning shepherding. Being a herdsman was hard work, enduring extreme weather and rough terrain with very little downtime. Although the shepherd needed to maintain order and be tough, he also needed to be gentle and kind-hearted towards the sheep. Shepherds devote much of their time to their flock because they care so greatly for each one.

The Sheepfold

Some shepherds construct a permanent place for the sheep to be in during nightfall and bad weather. Whereas some shepherds that journey over large expanses build temporary structures able to be assembled on the go.  This enclosed and sheltered construct was known as a sheepfold. The sheep would then be maneuvered into the sheepfold every night by the shepherd. In addition, the shepherd would name off each sheep as it passed through the gate to ensure they were all accounted for. The gate of the sheepfold had no door or lock, just an opening.  A shepherd or gatekeeper, also called a porter, would settle at the opening of the sheepfold and sometimes even sleep directly in front of the doorway.

The purpose of the gatekeeper was to be present while the herdsman wasn’t around during the night. This meant monitoring the sheep, ensuring that they did not get out, and making certain that no predators got into the sheepfold to attack the sheep. Gatekeepers not only had to protect the flock from predators, but likewise from any thief coming to steal sheep from the fold.

In the sheepfold, the gatekeeper would have to stay alert of any threats around. The surrounding walls of the sheepfold were usually 4-6 feet high and anyone looking to steal sheep could get over the walls into the enclosed sheepfold. Sneaking over the fence, robbers would come at night to slash the throats of the sheep and hurl them over the wall to take back to their quarters. A shepherd would either guard his own fold or hire someone too, never leaving them unaccounted for. Having learned this, we can appreciate what Jesus was saying in the first two verses of John 10 that say;

“Very Truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep,”. John 10: 1-2 NIV.

He Calls Them By Name

Shepherds often gave their sheep nicknames that related to their outward appearance and characteristics. Some names were even influenced by incidents a sheep may have gotten themselves into. A shepherd knows the name of every one of his sheep because he cares for them. In the same way, the sheep know the voice of their shepherd. This is important because often the enclosed sheepfold would house multiple flocks.

In the morning, when the shepherd was making his way to the sheepfold, he would approach the gatekeeper. Once the gatekeeper was able to verify that it was in fact the shepherd, he was then given access through the gate. Other times when multiple flocks were in the same enclosure, the approaching shepherds one by one would yell out his own call to his sheep. When that shepherd would call, his sheep would raise their heads and go towards their own shepherd’s voice. This is how multiple flocks kept together could keep from getting mixed up. The sheep know the voice of their own shepherd so well, that even if a stranger using the same call as the herdsman called out to the sheep they would not go to him. John 10 verses 3-5 holds much more significance when we understand the in-depth relationship between a shepherd and sheep.

“The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.  But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” John 10: 3-5.

Through Troubled Waters

Shepherds will tell you that each sheep has its own character separate from the rest. This is clear when watching a shepherd guide his sheep across rivers and streams of water. The shepherd will lead his flock to the waters and allow the brazen sheep to jump into the water and across the other side. After most of the herd make their way to the other side, the shepherd will then focus his attention on the timid and fearful sheep. Full of hesitation and concern, these sheep need help to get across. If one falls into the flowing waters, the shepherd without hesitation will jump in to retrieve his sheep carrying him to dry land. The other sheep will surround the shepherd as he is carrying the sheep back. In such a way, it appears the sheep are aware of the heroic action that took place.

Shepherd vs Hireling

Sometimes when the flock is too large, the shepherd will have to hire help in caring for the sheep. These helpers are hirelings. Unlike the shepherd, the hireling does not possess the same relationship concerning the sheep. For this reason, the shepherd cannot assume that the hireling will guard and protect the sheep in the same way he would. Shepherds are the ones who will risk their life to protect the sheep from wolves, jackals, and hyenas. This sometimes meant being face to face with these wild animals to defend his flock. A hireling would most likely run away rather than protecting the sheep. Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). Jesus made thee ultimate sacrifice of giving up his life for us, his sheep. This exact comparison is made in John 10 in verses 11-18.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep,”.

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 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. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 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,”. John 10:11-18 NIV.

He Leaves The Ninety-Nine

A significant part of being a shepherd was making certain that all the sheep remain together in a flock when traveling around. This served two purposes, one is to keep track of the sheep and the other to keep the sheep safe.  Sheep are helpless in defending themselves from predators. If one gets separated from the flock, it is in danger of being injured or killed. In fact, sheep have no sense of direction and if one goes astray, he must be delivered back to the fold by the shepherd. The sheep’s absence of direction prevents it from getting back to the fold on his own.  If a sheep wanders away, the shepherd will leave his entire flock and devote hours on foot to find his lost sheep. Lost sheep were often found stuck in a ravine or obstructed by the rough terrain. Once the shepherd recovers his lost sheep, he will then hoist the sheep onto his shoulders to carry back to the fold. The Psalmist prayed: “I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands”. (Psa 119:176).

Gathering His Flock

When a shepherd is ready to move his flock from one location to another, he will stand in the center of where they are scattered around and call out to signal them. This was so the sheep would know it was time to gather close together. The shepherd would not move to the next location without all of his sheep being gathered together. Ezekiel 34 describes the Lord as The Shepherd of Israel describing how he will one day gather His people that have been scattered, and will bring them back to Israel.

“For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. (Ezekiel 34:11-13).

The comparisons made between Jesus and a shepherd were done intentionally, and it’s clear to see why. Taking into account what we learned about the roles of a shepherd, we can see the reasoning for this. Just as the sheep completely depend on their shepherd, we too need to rely on Jesus with that same dependency. Just as the shepherd is there for his sheep, Jesus is there to guide us, protect us, sustain us, and rescue us when we are in need. Every single one of His sheep is of great importance to Him. You are of great importance to the Lord.

 Sources Cited

“Shepherds: Manners & Customs - Resources for Ancient Biblical Studies.” Ark of the Covenant  

Bible Gateway (NIV). 

“Jesus the Good Shepherd.”  org. May 26, 2019.