Season
of Lent
Sixth
Sunday: John 10:11-18
THE SHEPHERD LAYS DOWN HIS LIFE FOR THE
SHEEP
THE SHEPHERD LAYS DOWN HIS LIFE FOR THE SHEEP
INTRODUCTION
The listeners of Jesus were familiar with the
sheep rearing. They knew the difference in the relationship of a
shepherd to his sheep in contrast to a hired person to the sheep he
pastured. Jesus compared himself to a good shepherd who dedicated
himself for his sheep and even risked his life to save them from any
wolf attack. He sacrificed his life for us to save us from the evil one,
respecting the wish of his heavenly Father. The people Jesus saves would
not be just Jews, but all humanity who would be open to his message.
BIBLE TEXT
(John 10:11) I am the good shepherd. A good
shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (12) A hired man, who is not
a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and
leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them.
(13) This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep.
(14) I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, (15) just
as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my
life for the sheep. (16) I have other sheep that do not belong to this
fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there
will be one flock, one shepherd. (17) This is why the Father loves me,
because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. (18) No one
takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it
down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from
my Father.
INTERPRETATION
(11) I am the good shepherd. A good
shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
I am
Good shepherd
The “good,” here stands for the shepherd’s
commitment for the sheep distinct from normal shepherds. Jesus
exemplifies the goodness of a shepherd by stating that he “lays down his
life for the sheep.” A typical example is David. When King Saul asked
David on his ability to attack the giant Goliath, he said: “Your servant
used to tend his father’s sheep, and whenever a lion or bear came to
carry off a sheep from the flock, I would chase after it, attack it, and
snatch the prey from its mouth. If it attacked me, I would seize it by
the throat, strike it, and kill it. Your servant has killed both a lion
and a bear.” (1 Samuel 17:34-36).
Shepherd
Lays down his life for the sheep.
(12) A hired man, who is not a
shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves
the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. (13)
This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep.
A hired man
Leaves the sheep and runs away.
Wolf catches and scatters them.
The evil spirit is at work against the
Christians and the church, through teachers who misguide their
listeners. The wolf’s catching and scattering shows how the hostile
powers crush Christ’s followers. The shepherd should be vigilant and
risk himself to save the sheep from Satan. The missionaries continue
this advice of Jesus. Even when the persecutors threaten their lives,
they stay with the Christians to protect them and to continue their
mission.
(14) I am the good shepherd, and I know
mine and mine know me.
For this good shepherd, the sheep are his
pet. He names each of them and leads them, calling their names (John
10:3). The sheep know the shepherd, trust him, and go with him. The
shepherd and his sheep know and love each other. Hence, the good
shepherd rescues his sheep out of his love for them rather than his
concern of losing sheep as his asset or income.
(15) Just as the Father knows me and I
know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep.
Jesus compared his knowledge and love for his
sheep to his similar relationship with the Father. The Father knows and
loves his son, Jesus. He sent the son to rescue the humanity. Jesus also
knows and loves us. He expressed his great love towards us by even
laying down his life for us. That proves he is a good shepherd.
(16) I have other sheep that do not
belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my
voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd.
“This fold” implied the Jews. The Jews in the
Holy Land were only a portion of Jews who returned to Jerusalem from
Babylon to reconstruct the Temple and settle in the Holy Land. Besides
the Jews in Babylon, there were many other Israelites spread all over
the world, including “the lost 10 tribes.” They were the ten tribes
separated from the United Kingdom of Solomon under the leadership of
Jeroboam, who protested King Solomon’s son and successor Rehoboam
because he was unwilling to reduce the heavy taxes Solomon imposed. The
separated 10 tribes in the north were known as Israelites. Assyrians
took them into captivity and dispersed them among other nations so they
would not unite against the Assyrians.
There had been a Messianic expectation that
the Messiah would unite all the 12 tribes of Israel and restore their
glorious kingdom under one king as it was during the reign of King David
and his son King Solomon. Ezekiel had prophesied the unification of the
northern Israel and southern Judah as the joining of two sticks (Ezekiel
37:15-17). “Thus says the Lord GOD: I will soon take the Israelites from
among the nations to which they have gone and gather them from all
around to bring them back to their land. I will make them one nation in
the land, upon the mountains of Israel, and there shall be one king for
them all. They shall never again be two nations, never again be divided
into two kingdoms.” (Ezekiel 37: 21-22). “David my servant shall be king
over them; they shall all have one shepherd.” (Ezekiel 37:24). Jesus
came as this new king, as a descendant of David. So, when Jesus said, “I
have other sheep that do not belong to this fold” he could mean the
dispersed Israelites all over the world.
Jesus’ mission extended beyond the
Israelites. He came to shepherd all humanity because all are children of
God. God selected Abraham and his descendants so they become a model
nation for other peoples and that “All the families of the earth will
find blessing” in them (Genesis 12:3). Messiah’s goal was to unite all
dispersed nations after the fall of the Tower of Babel and save them
from their sinful nature and present them before his Father. Jesus, the
good shepherd, and spiritual king was gathering all nations as one
flock. Isaiah prophesied about the Servant of the Lord: “I will make you
a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the
earth.” (Isaiah 49:6). Since all are children of God and all have
sinned, no one deserves God’s mercy. However, Jesus came to offer us the
mercy and redemption of God through his redemptive sacrifice and victory
over sin and death.
Jesus served the Jews and Gentiles during his
public ministry. Ordinary people of both groups received his service and
his message. The early Christian community served both. While Peter
focused on the conversion of the Jews, Paul concentrated on Gentiles’
conversion. Thus, church is fulfilling this statement of Jesus that he
will bring together all folds of people in his name. As Jesus
prophesied, the non-Jews also hear the voice of Jesus and join the one
flock of Jesus, the good shepherd.
Jesus continues his mission as he stated to
his apostles: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And
behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Matthew
28:19-20). Jesus reunites all the 70 nations dispersed with separate
languages and spread all over the world at the destruction of the Tower
of Babel. On the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came on the
apostles, the people speaking different languages gathered in Jerusalem
understood what the apostles spoke through the gift of tongue.
The people of all nations and languages can
understand the common language of Christ’s love. Church and Christians
implement this love in action through social service and charitable
activities for people all over the world, regardless of their religion
and language. Christ, the good shepherd unites his fold internationally
under his vicar, the pope.
(17) This is why the Father loves me,
because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.
“God so loved the world that he gave his only
Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might
have eternal life.” (John 3:16). The son’s willingness to lay down his
life for the salvation of mankind pleased God and caused a special bond
of the Father’s love towards the son.
(18) No one takes it from me, but I lay
it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up
again. This command I have received from my Father.
Jesus received the command to lay down his
life for humanity with the freedom to accept or reject it. The Father
always gives such freedom to humanity, even from the time of Adam and
Eve. Acceptance of God’s will is rewarding. Jesus laid down his life for
humanity from his free choice. That pleased the Father, causing a
special love of the Father towards the son.
MESSAGE
1. The sheep in this parable represent the
people of God and shepherds signify parents, teachers, pastors, and
missionaries who care of their people. The wolves are those who misguide
the people from their spiritual journey. God wants all Christians to be
good shepherds who dedicate themselves for the spiritual and physical
wellbeing of God’s people.
2. Jesus contrasted the good shepherd to the
hired persons. Both have different approaches to the sheep. Christians
are answerable to God and should risk themselves to protect those
entrusted to their care from spiritual wolves. Ownership feeling and
commitment from the heart makes the good shepherd different from the
hirelings.
3. Jesus wanted to include all folds of
people in his redemptive activity. Jesus entrusted his disciples to
continue that mission. We are the disciples of Jesus to carry on that
mission, bringing all in the one-fold of Jesus in our time. Let us be
witnesses of the gospel.
4. The Christian missionaries all over the
world give up their comfort and risk their lives for the spreading of
the gospel and enlarging the one sheepfold of Jesus. Let us spiritually
and materially support them.
5. The Father loves the son specially for his
self-sacrifice in fulfilling the will of the Father. Those who continue
the mission of Jesus will also be the favorite children of God.