The Prophecy of the Good Shepherd

claims and references

Jesus made many claims. He made different references to himself. Some of these claims were according to how the people perceived him. They perceived him to me a prophet so he referred to himself as a prophet. They cast aspersions on him as being a drunkard and a gluttonous man, so he referred to himself as a drunkard and a gluttonous man. The Jews presumed to take offense that Jesus, by implication, equated himself with God. The Jews rightly inferred his meaning, but they resisted his words, because as they said to him, he was just a man, so he referred to himself as a man.

There were other claims and references which were seemingly, for lack of a better term, nice, as in perfectly noncontroversial and harmless. One such reference which Jesus made about himself was, not just that he was a shepherd, but that he was the good shepherd. There was nothing noble or prestigious about being a shepherd or for anyone to liken themselves to a shepherd. Even so, this sounded good for the Jews. It was as anemic culturally as it was harmless.It sounds good for us today.

These claims and references which Jesus made about himself are often seized by some either to affirm or to deny one thing or another about him or his teaching. Specifically, often these claims are seized as just another arrow to shoot down and deny the deity of Jesus.

The claims, both in support and in opposition to the deity of Jesus, are often as weak as they are bland. The reason they are as weak and as bland as they are is because overwhelmingly they tend to rely on the arguments and counter-arguments that are akin to an Rorschach inkblot, that is, they are similarly meaningless. Of course, there is always the abundance of single word definitions in isolation as to what a word means, what it could mean, and what it does not mean. This traction-less wheel spinning is what characterizes the opposing arguments concerning the deity of Jesus. There are also the wonder-filled questions about why Jesus did not say one thing or another. This instead of examining what he did say and in this way to be guided by the Spirit toward a better understanding. Generally, the Spirit, it is my understanding, has revealed the answers to these questions in much, much more simpler and clearer ways. The good shepherd is one way how the Spirit has revealed these things for our learning. It is not laced in original language jargon nor is it dependent on a single word definition.

the good shepherd

Having said this it is especially significant what the apostle John wrote in the opening verses of chapter ten in the gospel according to John. We might read those opening words from the vantage point of being in the Lord. Those words seem clear and and they were clear. It was not a deep theological concept which Jesus spoke in the hearing of the Pharisees. However, John notes that Jesus had spoken these words in a figure of speech, hence, what we regard as clear words were not understood by the learned Pharisees.

Then, Jesus reiterated his message about the door through which the shepherd and the sheep enter and a shepherd. However now he speaks of himself personally and declares, I AM the good shepherd, and applies these things to himself in the same manner as did the Lord GOD in Ezekiel, I Myself.

Jesus declares that he is the door. He declares that he is the good shepherd.

the prophecy of Ezekiel

This declaration by Jesus that he was the good shepherd ought to have resonated as familiar with the Pharisees as being the words spoken by the prophet Ezekiel. Perhaps it did resonate with them, but much like the figure of speech, they more were set to oppose and resist Jesus than in understanding his message. They failed to seize on the words of the prophet Ezekiel 34 concerning the Lord GOD (NASB), Sovereign LORD (NIV).

11 For thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. 

12 "As a shepherd cares for his herd in the day when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will care for My sheep and will deliver them from all the places to which they were scattered on a cloudy and gloomy day.

What the Lord GOD declares through his servant, the prophet Ezekiel is that I Myself will 1) search for My sheep, and 2) seek them out. Jesus, as the good shepherd, extended his dedication for his sheep such that he declared that he would 3) lay down his life for his sheep.

We tend to be critical to condemn the Pharisees and the Jews for their failure to understand the words of Jesus. Yet, we are no different if our sole understanding is simply to note that Jesus likened himself to, not just a shepherd, but a good shepherd. However, this is not quite true because did not merely liken himself to a good shepherd. He said, I am the good shepherd.

the tactic of questions and assertions

I noted earlier the approach which some take concerning the deity of Jesus. There is nothing wrong with asking questions. It is how we learn. However when those questions spin endlessly about why didn’t Jesus say this or why didn’t God say that it does raise the question whether our time in the scriptures is with a view to oppose and resist a teaching rather than to teach. This is similarly true of the endless negative assertions about what the passage does not say. This mostly reveals a lack of examination of what has been written. It seems that rather than applying a diligent effort with a goal to understanding some people want ask the same question again, hear the same answer again and gain no understanding. It is a practice of raising an endless barrage of questions, which are by no means without a reply, but which creates the impression that the questioner has an understanding which often is simply not in their grasp. There is a good example of this behavior later in John 10 concerning the insistence of the Jews. They demanded to know from him whether Jesus was the Christ to tell them plainly in verse 24. Jesus replies to them that he has told them, but they do not believe.

Jesus: shepherd, lamb and the door

There is an inference to be drawn between the prophecy of Ezekiel concerning the Lord GOD declaring that I Myself will do and Jesus declaring himself as being the good shepherd. What is inferred is your own understanding of another person’s words. What is implied is what the a person states indirectly to another person. Some may imply what they believe you should infer, but what you infer is strictly your own business and no one else’s business. Some people prefer to argue and perhaps demand that the person tell them directly and exactly what they mean without implying anything. Does this remind you of the Jews demanding that Jesus tell them plainly whether he was the Christ?

conclusion

Too often we want to understand much when we struggle to understand little. We presume to understand deity through a ricocheting of endless questions and negative assertions in lieu of an understanding and grasp concerning deity. We talk about Jesus as the shepherd, the lamb and the door without pausing to weigh the vast and disparate realities of these terms which are of a human, (shepherd) an animal, (lamb) and an object (door).

The Lord GOD did not make such a disparate declaration about himself. At one moment he declares I Myself and the next Jesus declares himself as being that good shepherd. Generally, we are quick to accept the implication that Jesus is the door, Jesus is the lamb and Jesus is the shepherd. Is it because we think of these as harmless and bland and not as discomforting as between the Lord GOD and the good shepherd? If it is discomforting to you know that you stand in the company of Moses when he was called, the prophets, and Paul even as he persecuted the saints in Christ.