Jesus the Good Shepherd
(Psalms 23:1–6; Ezekiel 34:11–24)
“Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever does not enter the sheepfold by the gate, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber. Mat 7:15Jhn 10:8-101Jn 4:1Rom 16:18Heb 5:41Pe 1:102Pe 2:1Ezk 34:2-5 But the one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. Act 20:28Jhn 10:141Pe 5:4Psa 23:1Isa 40:11Ecc 12:111Ti 4:14Jhn 10:11-12 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen for his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. Ezk 34:11-162Ti 2:19Jhn 10:4Jhn 10:14Jhn 10:16Psa 78:52-53Rev 3:20Jhn 10:26-27
When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. Deu 1:30Jhn 10:16Jhn 12:261Co 11:11Pe 2:21Jhn 10:8Jhn 18:371Pe 5:3 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will flee from him because they do not recognize his voice.” 1Jn 4:5-6Col 2:6-101Pe 2:1-3Eph 4:11-15Mrk 4:24Pro 19:27Rev 2:21Jn 2:21
Jesus spoke to them using this illustration, but they did not understand what He was telling them. Isa 56:11Pro 28:5Psa 82:5Dan 12:10Isa 6:9-10Jhn 16:25Mat 13:51Psa 106:7 So He said to them again, “Truly, truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. Jhn 14:6Eph 2:18Jhn 10:1Jhn 10:9Ezk 34:31Psa 79:13Heb 10:19-22Psa 100:3 All who came before Me 1were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. Ezk 34:2Jer 23:1Jhn 10:1Act 5:36Ezk 22:25-28Isa 56:10-12Jhn 10:27Jhn 10:5 I am the gate. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved. He will come in and go out and find pasture. Jhn 14:6Eph 2:18Jhn 10:7Jhn 10:1Rom 5:1-2Psa 100:3-4Psa 95:7Psa 23:1-6 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness. Luk 19:10Jhn 6:51Jhn 12:47Jhn 3:17Jhn 6:331Ti 1:15Mat 20:28Jhn 10:1
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. Psa 23:1Jhn 10:14-15Jhn 15:13Rev 7:17Isa 40:111Pe 2:24-251Jn 3:16Ezk 34:23 The hired hand is not the shepherd, and the sheep are not his own. When he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf pounces on them and scatters the flock. 2Pe 2:3Act 20:29Ezk 34:2-6Zec 11:16-17Mat 10:161Pe 5:21Ti 3:31Ti 3:8 The man runs away because he is a hired servant and is unconcerned for the sheep. Php 2:20Jhn 12:6Act 18:17
I am the good shepherd. I know My sheep and My sheep know Me, Jhn 10:272Ti 2:19Jhn 10:111Jn 5:20Eph 1:17Jhn 17:32Ti 1:12Psa 1:6 just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father. And I lay down My life for the sheep. Gal 1:4Jhn 10:11Mat 11:271Jn 2:21Pe 3:18Isa 53:101Ti 2:5-6Zec 13:7 I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them in as well, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd. Isa 56:8Jhn 11:521Pe 2:25Ezk 34:23Eph 2:13-18Ezk 37:241Pe 2:10Jhn 6:37
The reason the Father loves Me is that I lay down My life in order to take it up again. Jhn 10:18Jhn 10:15Heb 2:9Jhn 10:11Isa 53:7-12Jhn 15:9-10Jhn 17:4-5Isa 42:1 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from My Father.” Heb 2:9Tit 2:14Jhn 10:17Jhn 2:19-21Jhn 14:31Heb 5:6-9Isa 53:10-12Jhn 6:38
Again there was division among the Jews because of Jesus’ message. Jhn 9:161Co 3:3Jhn 7:40-43Act 14:4Act 23:7-101Co 11:18Luk 12:51-53Mat 10:34-35 Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and insane. Why would you listen to Him?” Jhn 7:20Mrk 3:21Jhn 8:52Jhn 8:47-48Act 18:14-15Act 25:19-20Act 26:24Act 26:30-32
But others replied, “These are not the words of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” Exo 4:11Isa 35:5-6Mat 11:5Psa 94:9Exo 8:19Jhn 9:32-33Jhn 9:6Mat 4:24
Jesus at the Feast of Dedication
At that time the Feast of Dedication 2took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple courts 3in Solomon’s Colonnade. Act 3:11Act 5:12 So the Jews gathered around Him and demanded, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jhn 1:19Luk 22:67-701Ki 18:21Jhn 8:25Jhn 8:53Mat 11:32Co 3:12Jhn 16:25
“I already told you,” Jesus replied, “but you did not believe. The works I do in My Father’s name testify on My behalf. Jhn 10:38Jhn 8:58Heb 2:3Jhn 14:11Jhn 5:17-43Act 10:38Jhn 10:32Jhn 11:47 But because you are not My sheep, you refuse to believe. Jhn 8:472Co 4:3-4Jhn 10:27Jhn 12:37-40Jhn 6:65Rom 11:7-81Jn 4:6Jhn 10:4 My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. Jhn 10:16Jhn 10:141Co 8:3Rev 3:20Jhn 10:3-4Heb 3:7Jhn 5:25Jhn 8:12 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand. Jhn 6:39-40Jhn 6:37Jhn 3:15-16Heb 7:25Jhn 18:9Rom 8:29Isa 54:17Php 1:6 My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand. Jhn 6:37Jhn 17:2Jhn 17:9Jhn 14:28Jhn 17:6Mal 1:14Jhn 17:11Exo 18:11 I and the Father are one.” Jhn 1:1-2Jhn 14:9Jhn 17:21-23Jhn 5:23Jhn 8:58Mat 11:27Mat 28:19Jhn 5:17
At this, the Jews again picked up stones to stone Him. Jhn 5:18Jhn 8:591Sa 30:6Exo 17:4Jhn 11:8Act 7:52Act 7:58-59Mat 21:35 But Jesus responded, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone Me?” 1Jn 3:121Sa 19:4-62Ch 24:20-22Act 10:38Act 2:22Ecc 4:4Jhn 10:37Jhn 5:19-20
“We are not stoning You for any good work,” said the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because You, who are a man, declare Yourself to be God.” Jhn 5:18Jhn 10:30Lev 24:16Php 2:6Psa 82:6Rom 13:11Ki 21:10Lev 24:14
Jesus replied, “Is it not written in your Law: ‘I have said you are gods’ 4? Psa 82:6-7Exo 7:1Psa 82:1Exo 4:16Psa 138:1Exo 22:28Jhn 12:34Jhn 8:17 If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and the Scripture cannot be broken— Mat 24:35Rom 13:1Gen 15:1Luk 16:17Luk 24:44-46Act 1:16Jhn 19:36-37Mat 26:53-56 then what about the One whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world? How then can you accuse Me of blasphemy for stating that I am the Son of God? Jhn 3:17Jer 1:5Jhn 5:17-18Jhn 10:30-33Jhn 20:28Jhn 20:31Jhn 6:27Isa 61:1-3
If I am not doing the works of My Father, then do not believe Me. Jhn 15:24Jhn 10:25Jhn 10:32Jhn 12:37-40Jhn 14:10Jhn 5:31Mat 11:20-24 But if I am doing them, even though you do not believe Me, believe the works themselves, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I am in the Father.” Jhn 10:30Jhn 14:20Jhn 10:25Jhn 14:9-11Act 2:22Jhn 17:21-23Jhn 3:2Act 4:8-12
At this, they tried again to seize Him, but He escaped their grasp. Jhn 7:30Jhn 8:59Jhn 7:44Luk 4:29-30Jhn 10:31
John’s Testimony Confirmed
Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had first been baptizing, and He stayed there. Jhn 1:28Jhn 11:54Jhn 3:26Jhn 7:1 Many came to Him and said, “Although John never performed a sign, everything he said about this man was true.” Jhn 1:33-34Jhn 1:29-30Jhn 1:27Jhn 2:11Jhn 3:26-36Luk 12:1Luk 5:1Luk 7:26-30 And many in that place believed in Jesus. Jhn 4:41Jhn 12:42Jhn 11:45Jhn 2:23Jhn 4:39Jhn 7:31Jhn 8:30