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Context: (OT language about bad shepherds)
· Jeremiah 23:1, 5-6 - Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!”… 5 “Look, the days are coming”—this is the Lord’s declaration “when I will raise up a Righteous Branch for David. He will reign wisely as king and administer justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. This is the name he will be called: The Lord Is Our Righteousness
· Ezekiel 34:10-16 - ‘This is what the Lord God says: Look, I am against the shepherds. I will demand my flock from them and prevent them from shepherding the flock. The shepherds will no longer feed themselves, for I will rescue my flock from their mouths so that they will not be food for them. 11 “ ‘For this is what the Lord God says: See, I myself will search for my flock and look for them. 12 As a shepherd looks for his sheep on the day he is among his scattered flock, so I will look for my flock. I will rescue them from all the places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and total darkness. 13 I will bring them out from the peoples, gather them from the countries, and bring them to their own soil. I will shepherd them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the land. 14 I will tend them in good pasture, and their grazing place will be on Israel’s lofty mountains. There they will lie down in a good grazing place; they will feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15 I will tend my flock and let them lie down. This is the declaration of the Lord God. 16 I will seek the lost, bring back the strays, bandage the injured, and strengthen the weak, but I will destroy the fat and the strong. I will shepherd them with justice.
vv. 11-13 - I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
“Hired Hand” – Not necessarily wicked like the thief, but committed to their own need and safety more than that of the sheep. Committed only as long as the sheep serve their purpose
Bruce Milne - “The aim of many leaders today is their own glory. Not truly loving those they lead, they use them as a means to their own personal satisfaction. It is the leadership of the hireling, not of the shepherd. This principle is certainly not confined to the church. Leadership, whether in political life, industry, business, or community, follows one of these two routes. Either it is directed to the self-life of the leader, or it is directed selflessly for the good of those who are led. The former is the way of the world, which leads to death; the latter is the way of Jesus which leads to life.”
· “Leadership of the World” –> Me-centric (Selfishness)
· “Leadership of the Kingdom” –> Others-centric (Selflessness)
1. Jesus doesn’t avoid challenges; he confronts them.
vv. 14-15 - I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.
“Know” – ginosko - Speaks of a covenantal intimacy – Comes through experience of being with the other person -> Jesus contrasts this with the way the Father and the Son know one another (Beautiful union)
Craig Keener - “Reciprocal knowledge of Jesus and His own is rooted in the reciprocal relationship of Jesus and the Father. A new husband and wife may not yet have explored the fullness of their intimacy, but they have established a covenant relationship within which such exploration is invited. The rest of the Gospel confirms that such intimacy is indeed meant to be characteristic of believers; they are actually in God’s presence continually and can continually learn from the Spirit the intimate matters of Jesus’ heart and character.”
2. Jesus doesn’t want surface level relationship; he invites us into covenantal intimacy.
v. 16 - And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
“Other Flock” – Some have considered this may be scattered Jews in the Diaspora but most believe Jesus is reiterating as He does elsewhere, that the heart of God has always been for all people (nations, tribes, groups) -> Gentiles here
3. Jesus doesn’t exclude certain types of people; he welcomes all people.
vv. 17-18 - For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
Atonement Theories:
· Substitution – Jesus died in our place as the once-and-for-all sacrifice for our sins by taking the penalty that we deserve.
· Christus Victor – Jesus conquered over death, hell, the grave, the devil and all his demon minions so that we might experience victory and freedom in him.
· Examplar – Jesus’ death was an example of what it means to live sacrificially as well as what it means to not retaliate even when faced with horrific injustice and evil.
4. Jesus doesn’t look to save his life; he willingly gives up his life.
John 10:19-21 - Again the Jews were divided because of these words. 20 Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and he’s crazy. Why do you listen to him?” 21 Others were saying, “These aren’t the words of someone who is demon-possessed. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
5. Jesus welcomes you to come as you are, but he loves you too much to leave you as you are