What does the Bible say about the Good Shepherd?
If you’re considering a new job, there’s a good chance you haven’t thought about becoming a shepherd. As of 2024, there were approximately 40,000 sheep farming shepherds in the United States. Some parts of the world boast that half of their population is made up of shepherds. Shepherding has played a significant role worldwide for centuries. Both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible mention shepherds and shepherding. In fact, God calls Himself a shepherd to His people, and Jesus uses similar language, referring to Himself as the Good Shepherd, to describe His relationship with His followers. Are you curious about why God is a shepherd? Let’s explore what Scripture says about shepherding and the Good Shepherd.
God is our shepherd
Shepherds in the Bible were responsible for overseeing a herd of sheep or goats. Of course, not all shepherds did a good job. Some of them neglected their animals, allowing wild animals to attack them or failing to provide proper care. Shepherding wasn’t just used to describe a person who takes care of sheep; it was also used as a metaphor to describe a caring and protective leader. God is portrayed as our shepherd who
- Protects his people
- Cares for his flocks(people).
- Guides his people
- Lays down his life for his people.
He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young. (Isaiah 40:11 NIV)
What kind of shepherd is God?
He is a shepherd who seeks us.
Scripture says that God initiates a relationship with us. He seeks us like a shepherd looking for his lost sheep. It’s important to remember that God is eager to draw us into a relationship with Him. He makes the first move, stirring our hearts to seek him. He draws us closer to Him.
“For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. ( Ezekiel 34:11-13 ESV)
These verses in Ezekiel are also viewed as prophetic promises from God to His chosen people, the Jews, drawing them to the land He promised them throughout the Old Testament. In 1948, Great Britain transferred the land formerly held by the Ottoman Empire to the Jewish people. Israel became the only Jewish country in the world. Thousands of Jews from all over the world, who were facing religious persecution, migrated to the land.
I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and bring them to their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the streams, and in all the inhabited places of the land. I will feed them in a good pasture, and their grazing place will be on the mountain heights of Israel. There they will lie down in a good grazing place and feed in ]rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I Myself will feed My flock and I Myself will lead them to rest,” declares the Lord God. (Ezekiel 34:11-15 NASB)
Whether or not you believe these verses to be prophetic, they depict God as a good shepherd who leads his people to a safe place.
He is a shepherd who provides for us.
God is self-sufficient. Unlike us, he doesn’t get hungry or have any needs. We, on the other hand, seem to always need help, and God tells us to call out to Him whenever we are in trouble.
For every beast of the forest is Mine,
And the cattle on a thousand hills.
I know all the birds of the mountains,
And the wild beasts of the field are Mine
“If I were hungry, I would not tell you;
For the world is Mine, and all its fullness.
Will I eat the flesh of bulls,
Or drink the blood of goats?
Offer to God thanksgiving,
And pay your vows to the Most High.
Call upon Me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” (Psalm 50:10-15 NIV)
He is a shepherd who wants to have a relationship with us and cares for us
Besides telling us He is there for us when we’re in trouble, God also promises to provide for us.
I will feed them in good pasture, and their fold shall be on the high mountains of Israel. There they shall lie down in a good fold and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. (Ezekiel 34:14-16 ESV)
A good shepherd knows his flocks need to eat and rest. God cares about us meeting our basic, everyday needs as well as our spiritual needs. In the Western World, we’ve become accustomed to taking care of ourselves and being self-reliant. We often forget to ask God for our basic needs, such as food, clothing, and shelter. Interestingly enough, when Jesus was asked by his disciples how to pray, he taught them a simple prayer that asks God for food and forgiveness.
And He said to them, “When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Give us each day our ]daily bread.
And forgive us our sins,
For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And do not lead us into temptation.’” (Luke 11:2-4 NASB)
He is a shepherd who carries us when we can’t walk.
Sometimes our lives fall apart. We are overcome with illness, have a terrible accident, or someone we love suddenly dies. We are so overcome with grief and suffering that we may not be able to move. As our good shepherd, God promises to carry us.
He will feed his flock like a shepherd.
He will carry the lambs in his arms,
holding them close to his heart.
He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young. Isaiah 40:11 (NLT)
What other Old Testament verses call God a shepherd?
When Jacob prayed for his son Joseph, he referred to God as his shepherd.
Then he blessed Joseph and said, “May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked faithfully, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, (Genesis 48:15 NIV)
Jacob also blessed Joseph, referring to God once again as the Shepherd.
But his bow remained in strength, And the arms of his hands were made strong. By the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob. (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),(Genesis 49:24 NKJV)
David penned the iconic Psalm 23 that many people have sung, prayed, or found comfort in. This psalm clearly describes God as a good shepherd of his people.
The Lord is my shepherd; I will not be in need.
He lets me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul.
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For the sake of His name. (Psalm 23:1-3 NASB)
What does Jesus say about being a good shepherd?
Bible scholars tell us that Jesus made seven “I am” statements about himself. These include:
- I am the bread of life (John 6:35)
- I am the light of the world (John 8:12)
- I am the door of the sheep (John 10:7)
- I am the way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:6)
- I am the true vine. (John 15:1)
- I am the resurrection and the life. (John 11:25)
- I am the good shepherd. (John 10:11)
Good Shepherd-
One of the “I am” statements Jesus made was calling himself a good shepherd.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (John 10:11 NIV)
This “I am” statement is significant because Jesus didn’t just call himself a shepherd, but he describes himself as a good shepherd. Jesus often referred to those who followed him as his sheep.
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. (John 10:27 NLT)
Door of the sheep-
Jesus called himself the door of the sheep in John 10:7, meaning that he is more than a good shepherd. He is the way to salvation.
So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. (John 10:7 ESV)
The resurrection-
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this? ( John 11:25-26 NKJV)
Who is Jesus speaking to?
One interesting note about Jesus’ “I am” statement is that in all the other six “I am” statements, he is speaking to a group of people, but when he makes this “I am” statement, he is talking to one person, a woman, Martha the sister of Mary and Lazarus. In this scenario, Lazarus had died. Jesus arrives on the scene four days later. He is met by Martha, who is grieving for her brother and asking why it took him so long to come, because if he’d been there, she knows he could have healed Lazarus. Jesus suggests that not only can he heal, but he can also give eternal life.
It’s significant to note that Jesus reveals who he is to this woman because in ancient times, women were second-class citizens compared to men. Jesus reveals his tender heart as a good shepherd.
Why does Jesus call us his sheep?
The fact that Jesus calls us sheep isn’t necessarily a compliment. Sheep are defenseless beings. Sheep need constant care. They tend to get lost, fall off cliffs, and become prey to predators. Jesus, being our good shepherd, understands our weaknesses and our need for a savior.
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 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 command I received from my Father.” (John 10:14-19 NIV)
Only Jesus has the power to save and deliver, and because of this, He laid down His life for us.
How does Jesus relate to those in need?
Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. (Matthew 9:35-36 NKJV)
Jesus was compassionate to his followers and to those who didn’t follow him. Having lived on earth fully God and fully man, he understands human suffering and need. His heart is for the weary and suffering. He longs to draw people to himself to find rest.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 8:28-30 NIV)
I will seek that which was lost, and will bring back that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but the fat and the strong I will destroy; I will feed them in justice. (Ezekiel 34:16 ASV)
God, as a good shepherd, wants to draw people into a relationship with Himself. He sent Jesus to pave the way for us to have a right relationship with God, the Father. Scripture’s image of God and Jesus as shepherds helps us understand God’s heart for us. He knows that even with our good intentions, we are unable to save ourselves. Like sheep, we need someone to ask for help in providing even the most basic needs. In his wisdom, God provided his son, Jesus, as our good shepherd who has laid down his life for us on the cross.
