Life of Christ 105
Immediately following
Jesus' healing of the blind man and his corresponding tangle with Israel's
religious leadership and excommunication from his synagogue, Jesus speaks this
parable (John 10.1-21) probably to the crowd around Him at the Temple.
In a sense, you can look
at the whole earthly career of Jesus Christ as a tug of war. On one side are
the Pharisees, with their traditional and extra-biblical approach to religion.
On the other side was Jesus. The common people of Israel are in the middle.
Both sides are seeking to pull the common people toward their own side, and away
from the other side.
It is exactly this to
which Jesus is speaking. Israel's religious leadership, composed primarily of
Pharisees, has shown themselves in the last two chapters of John to be
exceedingly poor shepherds. With this parable we see Him plainly asserting
Himself as the right shepherd, the good shepherd, the only possible correct
choice of shepherd for the flock of Israel.
Why was Jesus the good
shepherd? 'I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the
sheep' (John 10.11). These people to whom Jesus was speaking knew what a good
shepherd looked like. Their society was much more agricultural than our own,
and even in the big city of Jerusalem there were constant interactions with
live sheep and thus shepherds. Not only that, but every good Jew knew well the
life of David, Israel's greatest king. As a young man, shepherding his father's
flocks, he had put his own life on the line to protect the flock from a lion
and a bear.
The sheep folds of the
day were often glorified corrals, with only one means of entrance and exit. The
shepherd, after grazing the flock all day, would drive them back to the fold
for the night. Once they were safely penned he would lay down and sleep in the
only doorway, thus putting himself directly between the flock and any danger
that might approach. Sheep, completely defenseless creatures, needed such
selfless care in order to survive.
Jesus, in every sense of
the word, gave up His own life for us. The sweet psalmist of Israel, already
mentioned, in his most famous poem, said, 'The Lord is my shepherd.' In other
words, of all the shepherds available I have the very best one. All over my
city tonight tens of thousands of young men have chosen the violent,
bloodthirsty, selfish, thuggish gangs to be their shepherd. All over my city tonight
hundreds of thousands of sincerely religious people have chosen heretics like
the Jehovah's Witnesses or the vicar of hell in Rome as their shepherd. Others,
looking in the mirror, choose the finite foolishness of their own wisdom as
their shepherd. What a gracious God I have to so enable me as to choose, for my
shepherd, the best shepherd of all.
The Lord is my shepherd, yea, my Good Shepherd.
Consequently, I shall lack nothing. I shall lie down in green pastures. I shall
drink from calm waters. When I am cast down I shall be restored. I shall be led
with great care, for my Shepherd's name is at stake. I shall fear no evil, for
my Shepherd is ever with me. I shall graze on tablelands thoughtfully prepared
for me. I shall be protected from my enemies. My life literally overflows with
blessings. Goodness and mercy follow after me. And then, when this life draws
to a close, I will dwell with my Shepherd in His house, forever.
I have the best
shepherd of all. I have the Good Shepherd.
No comments:
Post a Comment