Module 2:4 Jesus As The Good Shepherd

Last updated: November 18, 2020

2:4 Jesus As the Good Shepherd

In the New Testament we find the revelation of God in the flesh, the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Good Shepherd of the sheep. Jesus display all of the attributes of God’s shepherding heart. As we see His life unfold in the New Testament gospels, we see the heart of Jehovah made manifest. Jesus Christ was the good shepherd of His sheep in the gospels as Jehovah was the Great Shepherd of Israel in the Old Testament. The following scriptures show Jesus as the Good Shepherd of the New Testament:

John 10:11,14 “I am the good shepherd”
Hebrews 13:20 “Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep”
1Peter 2:25 “Return unto the shepherd and bishop of our souls
1Peter 5:4“When the chief shepherd shall appear”

As we listed the heart attitudes of the Lord in the Old Testament, so we list the heart attitudes and actions of Jesus Christ, the pattern Shepherd in the New Tesament. Most of these insights are derived from 10. Jesus:

Matthew 9:35,36;
John 210:15b
Cares for the sheep.
John 10:3Relates to the sheep
Condemns all who reject the Door of the sheepfold,
John 10:1and enter some other way, as thieves and robbers.
John 10:3 Condemns all who came before Him as thieves and robbers.
John 10:1 Provides a sheepfold for the sheep.
John 10 3,4 Leads the sheep.
John 10:2Enters by the Door Himself.
John 10:3aHas the doorkeeper opens to Him.
John 10:6Provides spiritual insight for the sheep
John 10:3b, 27aMakes His Voice plain to His sheep.
John 10:3cCalls His own sheep by name.
John 10:3dLeads His own sheep out into pasture.
John 10:4a,bGoes before His own sheep as He leads them out.
John 10:4c, 27cHas the sheep follow Him
John 10:4dHas the sheep recognize His voice.
John 10:7,9aIs the Door of the sheep.
John 10:9Feeds the sheep.
John 10:10b Gives life to the sheep by protecting them.
John 10:10b,11b,15c,17Gives His life for the sheep.
John 10:11a,14aIs the Good Shepherd of the sheep.
John 10:12a,13aIs a true shepherd of His sheep and the opposite of a hireling.
John 10:12cIs the owner of the sheep and not a hireling.
John 10:12dSees when the wolf comes to destroy the flock.
John 10:12e,fStays near the sheep when the wolf comes in contrast to the cowardly hireling.
John 10:14b,27bKnows His own sheep.
John 10:14cIs known His own sheep.
John 10:15bKnows the Father.
John 10:15aIs known by the Father.
John 10:16aHas other sheep in other folds
John 10:16cBrings in the other sheep also.
John 10:16dIs heard by the other sheep as well.
John 10:16eIs the One Shepherd and owner of all folds.
John 10:17cTakes up His life again because He laid it down.
John 10:18abcLay His life down freely and of His own initiative.
Has the authority to lay down His life because.
John 10:18dGod Himself has commissioned Him to do so.

The Lord Jesus showed us the attitude and actions of a true shepherd throughout His entire ministry. He set forth an example for all the shepherds of God’s flock. Jesus was a man of compassion and love. He did not rely on crowds and multitudes of followers to measure his success in shepherding. On the contray, He was not satisfied until He met the individual needs of each sheep. Today how do the shepherds of the Church see the people of the Lord? Do our shepherds see the people of God as a crowd of sheep hungry for rich food and entertainment? Or do they see them as broken people in great need of love and compassion? Today unfortunately the majority of Church leaders are not doing the work of a true shepherd. The Church desperately needs true shepherds, who will lay down their lives for the sheep, as Jesus did. The Church needs spiritual shepherdsto heal the broken – hearted and bind up the wounds of the hurt. The contemporary Church has enough theologians who love to write or verbalize the knowledge of God. She needs shepherds who have true spiritual ministries to God’s people.