LS-16-The Good Shepherd

The Good Shepherd I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd layeth down His life for the sheep.--John 10:11.

Many beautiful things are said in the Scriptures concerning the relation of the Lord to His disciples, under the figure of the shepherd and the sheep. You will recall some of them readily. "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters." "He will feed His flock like a shepherd, He will gather the lambs in His arm and carry them in His bosom, and will gently lead those that have their young." In our Lord’s words also, very tender and beautiful expressions are found, under this metaphor, setting forth His love and care for His disciples, and their confidence and trust in Him. "He goeth before them, and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice." "I am the Good Shepherd; and I know Mine own, and Mine own know Me." But it is not this which is the most striking thing in the words of the Master when He speaks of the Good Shepherd. He emphasises strongly, and we are impressed by the fact that the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep. That in itself might not be unusual in any good shepherd. Jesus indicates that it would not. The hireling fleeth at the sight of danger, but any good shepherd would be prepared to protect his sheep with his life. That has often been true-true of the actual shepherds who have time and again given their lives on behalf of their flocks; true also of many spiritual shepherds--prophets and apostles, missionaries and ministers of the cross, who in times of persecution have died rather than betray their trust.

There is another element in the statement of the Lord Jesus, however, which is more significant still. It is not only that He, as the Good Shepherd, is prepared to die for His sheep, it is the fact that He intends to do so. He knows that their peril is such that He must give His life to save them. The nature of the evil which threatens them is such that His life must be surrendered. The shepherd who dies in defending his flock does not intend to die he dies because the wolf or the bear is too strong for him. But our Lord gives His life voluntarily. "I lay down My life. ... No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay It down, and I have power to take it again." His dying for men was in some way different from the sacrifices of those who have died in the service of the Church and of God. The unique character of His death is indicated in the words so often used as we celebrate this Supper: "This Is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many, unto the remission of sins."