The Bible refers to our Lord Jesus Christ by many titles, but perhaps the most enduring and intimate—is that of a Shepherd. And no where in all of scripture is He portrayed more clearly as a Shepherd of His sheep—than in John chapter 10. Last week we read, “The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice” (John 10:3-4). When Jesus is Lord over our lives —it is He who leads and guides us as our good Shepherd. But not only that—Jesus is the good Shepherd because He lays down His life for His sheep (v. 11). Today in verses 11-21 we come to the fourth of seven “I AM” statements of Jesus’ deity—and it stays within the world of sheep and shepherds. In it, Jesus declares Himself to be “the good Shepherd” (the Greek text literally reads “the shepherd, the good one”) setting Christ apart from all other shepherds. “Kalos” (good) refers to His noble character (cf. 1 Tim. 3:7, 4:6; 2 Tim. 2:3; 1 Peter 4:10); He is the perfect, authentic Shepherd; in a class by Himself; preeminent above all others. This metaphor is deeply rooted in Old Testament imagery, which was full of good shepherd-kings, like David, who brought peace and prosperity, as well as false shepherd-kings who brought destruction (Ez. 34). The greatest Old Testament shepherd metaphor was, of course, reserved for God Himself (Psalm 23). With this pronouncement, Jesus unequivocally announces that the salvation promised by God had in fact arrived in the person of His Son Jesus, and that the victory of the shepherd-king would come in, as He would willingly lay down His life for His sheep.

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