I am the Good Shepherd

I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep (John 10:11). Most Christians who read these words think Jesus (Yeshua) is just using a metaphor understandable to His audience. This statement is much more. It is fulfillment of prophecy, it defines His ministry and it proclaims to the people that He is their God!

Old Testament writers repeatedly identify God (Yehovah) as the shepherd of Israel. The patriarch Jacob calls Yehovah his shepherd (Genesis 46:15) and the Shepherd of the nation of Israel (Genesis 49:24). David in Psalm 23 declares “Yehovah is my shepherd, I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1).

David (Psalm 28:9) and the prophet Isaiah portray Yehovah as a loving shepherd who “Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, in His arm He will gather the lambs and carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes” (Isaiah 40:11). Yeshua is identifying Himself as the Good Shepherd who has come in human form to lead them as He lives among them.

Yeshua recognized that the people needed a shepherd, “Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). That is why “Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness” (Matthew 9:36).

Yehovah similarly was concerned that His people would not be “like sheep which have no shepherd” (Numbers 27:17). Civil leaders in Israel were called shepherds of the people. When God called David to be king He said, “You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be a ruler over Israel” (2 Samuel 5:2).

More importantly, God described the religious leaders as shepherds. God promised the faithful, “I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will feed you on knowledge and understanding” (Jeremiah 3:15).

Finally, the promised Messiah is identified as a shepherd of the people. “And He will arise and shepherd His flock in the strength of Yehovah, in the majesty of the name of Yehovah His God” (Micah 5:4).

We are called to be shepherds today. The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19) instructs us to “make disciples” which is to “shepherd” people in the faith “the lips of the righteous shepherd many” (Proverbs 10:21). The commission comes with a promise to those who obey, “when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory” (1 Peter 5:4).

Yeshua is the Lamb of God who was sacrificed for the sins of all mankind (John 1:29). The Lamb is also our Shepherd for this life and He will continue to be in heaven “the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:17).

The Good Shepherd will guide you in this life and eternally.