The man answered and said to them, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind.If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.”
They (The Pharisees) answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out.
Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?” He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.” Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him.
And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.” Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.”
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.
Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.
As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.
And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
“Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”
Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings.
The New King James Version. 1982 (Jn 9:30-10:19). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
--- The Parable of the Good Shepherd ---
KEY MESSAGE: Yeshua is the Good Shepherd, & we are His Sheep!
Certainly, what Christ is trying to convey comes through loud and crystal clear, but to understand its implications in some detail – and see some wonderful things – we have to look a little closer! Lets jump in……….
We will focus our study on the following aspects:
1. The context given to us in the parable
2. Why are the people of God called Sheep?
3. The office of a Shepherd in Biblical/secular history, and the office/ of Christ and His Servants.
4. The implications of what Christs words to us mean in terms of relationship to Him and others.
1. PARABLE CONTEXT:
Christ healed a Man who was born blind. (John 9:1 is where the story begins – please read it – parts of it are absolutely hilarious!). When he was brought to the Pharisees, they discounted the miracle because it was done on the Sabbath. Per them, NO true man of God healed on the Sabbath. The Pharisees even called the man’s parents and asked them to testify how the man had been cured, but they, fearing excommunication, said “He is of age, let him speak for himself.” The man is interrogated again, but now it is his turn to be surprised at the ignorance of his questioners. In frustration, he repeats his logic for ascribing prophet-hood to his healer, and refuses to change his position that this person was a man of God.
He is excommunicated from the synagogue for his impertinence.
Jesus hears about it, and (in what is absolutely unique about His character in the Bible) accepts the man’s worship, after simply telling him who He is. His anger is kindled against the Pharisees, and religious leaders, whose duty it was to care for their people. Instead, He sees them as ruling with an iron fist, and completely crushing anybody who dared to defy them.
The parable is spoken against them, as a contrast between their “blind” behavior, and resulting outcomes – and His approach, and the resulting outcomes – with the message to them being – My kingdom and acceptance does not come from you – it comes from God & the people. And there is nothing you can do about it!!!!
2. SHEEPLE
If you feel slightly insulted at being called a sheep, you are not alone! We have a real good opinion of ourselves, and when we are told that we are like sheep, well, it doesn’t go down nicely. Well think about it… like sheep, we go astray, need to be fed, cared for & protected from predators. Like sheep, we have no concept or concern for the larger concerns of humanity, or the spiritual battles swirling around us – we just want a full belly, a secure shelter, and to see our kids grow up! Like sheep, we often do really really dumb things, and need to be protected from ourselves, lest we injure ourselves more gravely than the whacks from the shepherds rod.
3. SHEPHERDS
Why does a shepherd love his sheep? Its not because he is looking forward to the mutton they will provide – no – milk, cheese, wool, leather, horns – all are useful – but his bond with the sheep is like that of a father with his children. Even in the secular world, the sheep (dumb animals though they may be) know his voice and follow him, and not strangers. He in turn, is deeply concerned for their well being, going in front of them to ensure the way ahead is safe, they are protected at night, and should danger arise, he is willing to interpose his life and safety between the predator and his prey. All this for animals who cause him grief with their stupidity, getting lost, straying etc.
Maybe this is why the office of a shepherd resonates with the heart of God. Abel was a shepherd, Jacob kept sheep for a wife, David’s job (as the youngest) was to keep sheep. It was shepherds that were privileged to hear the Annunciation on the hills of Bethlehem. And Christ likens not only Himself, but also those who came before (OT leaders of Israel) and the leaders of the Church, to – Shepherds!
Listen to Him in the OT:
“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. (Eze 34:2-5)…..
Wow… do you think He gets mad when He sees people using His name to victimize His flock?
For thus saith the Lord GOD; “ Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD. I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.” (Eze 34:11-16). – Hallelujah!
4. THE RELATIONSHIP
a. It is distinct from that of a hireling, a thief or a robber. The thief or robber comes to steal and destroy, the hireling is merely tending the flock for wages. The true Shepherd knows His sheep from birth and loves each one of them, calling each one by NAME! His desire is for His sheep to have abundant life!
In today’s world, we often see “professional” “church-growth” consultants come to help a “struggling” congregation. Their advice is not free, but usually they will have some excuse for why it is not working! Then they leave… contrast that with the work of a parish priest who has lived, and grown up with his parishioners all his life. THAT’s a SHEPHERD!
Contrast that with Christ : “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones. (Zec 13:7) This prophecy was fulfilled when Christ was captured in Gethsemane! He did not flinch from the sword, he accepted it!
b. Christ is the DOOR of the Sheepfold. He is the only way for a sheep to enter into the sheepfold (Protection and Membership) , and through the Door is the right, and only way to go out to pasture (Food and Provision).
c. He comes with the right authority. In Israel, typically, multiple flocks would be secured within a single fold, and the door managed by a porter. In the morning, the shepherds would come and lead out their individual flocks. When Christ is speaking of the porter, He is making reference to the fact that HE has legal authority over His sheep, and the porter will open the door for Him to go into His sheep. (Some view the porter to be a reference to John the Baptist).
d. The Sheep KNOW His voice!
To those that argue against predestination and election, here is the quote “ I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and -am known- by My own.”
So which came first? The calling of the voice, or the inbuilt relationship that responds to that calling?
Those that are His respond at once to His Revelation of Himself (like the blind man in the story), those that do not will never do so (the Pharisees). The calling translates into our apprehension of who Christ is, and our laying hold on Him for Eternal life! This is given weight by Christ basing HIs authority on the fact that HIs sheep know His voice and WILL respond!
e. He is willing to lay down His life for us. Imagine the heart of God for all those people who have given their lives to save others! Firemen, police officers, soldiers, doctors, scientists… that is the same heart that animates us to do those things – but it is fitting that He concludes the Parable with the final act of the Shepherd – laying down His life, and taking it again so the sheep can have hope!
“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. “ - (Ps 23:1-6).
Hallellujah!