John 10:11;
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
John 10:14
I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.
What does Jesus mean?
Context of the statement:
When Jesus made this 4th claim, He was having a conversation comparing and contrasting Himself with the unrighteous religious leaders at that time.
Any shepherd watches over the sheep. However the true shepherd, a good shepherd, will go the extra mile – they will protect, guide, nurture and care for the flock.
Who are the sheep? We are His sheep.
Why ‘good shepherd’?
The religious leaders were meant to lead people to God. Instead, they were judgmental hypocrites. Jesus likened them to a “hired hand”. They were “hired” to guide the sheep (God’s people), but because they were “hired”, their care for God’s flock was superficial – they only cared about wages. So when danger presented itself, these superficial shepherds would abandon the defenseless sheep.
By contrast, Jesus who is the good shepherd, cares so deeply for His sheep that He gave up His life for them. His love for the sheep is deep and genuine because they belong to Him.
In the face of danger, a shepherd could easily save himself. However, for the sake of his sheep who are defenseless and vulnerable, a good shepherd runs into danger to protect their flock. Similarly Jesus, who had all the power and authority to save Himself while being crucified, chose not to do so and sacrificed Himself for the sake of you and me (His Sheep).
Why did Jesus use the term ‘shepherd’?
In ancient times, shepherding was common. However, it wasn’t an easy job. Due to the lack of industrialisation, sheep were subjected to danger frequently. One of the most common threats was wolf/animal attacks. 1 Samuel 17:26 tells of how David (who later went on to defeat Goliath) killed a lion and a bear while defending a flock of sheep.
Because dangers were many, shepherds had to constantly be on guard and keep watch. Likewise, when we commit our lives to Jesus who is our good shepherd, He will always be looking out for us. Satan and demons are always looking for ways to attack God’s children. But Jesus is always swiftly there to protect, love and save His children from the snares of evil predators.
When we commit our lives to Jesus, He vows to never leave our side (Deuteronomy 31:6).
He knows each of His sheep (His followers) by name, and loves us more than our minds could ever comprehend. As a good shepherd, He chases after every lost sheep – He would leave the rest of the flock just to find the one that is lost because every sheep is precious in the eyes of the good shepherd (Matthew 18:12).
“..I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father”:
The Father knows Jesus deeply and Jesus knows the Father deeply. Similarly, Jesus longs to have a deep and intimate relationship with each of His believers. Those who choose to accept Jesus into their hearts can expect Jesus to be 100% invested in them. They won’t be anonymous or lost in the flock. However, Jesus also expects us to be 100% invested in Him (“I know my own and my own know me”). Jesus’ true disciples have a desire to grow closer to God.
It is an extreme privilege to be known by name by God. His love is greater than our minds can ever fathom and to experience that is a slice of heaven on Earth. His promise to us if we choose to know Him more is that He will always have our back.
