I AM the Good Shepherd
John 10:11-18
King James Version (KJV)
11I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 12But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
14I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
17Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18No 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. This commandment have I received of my Father.
Felix Just, SJ, has compiled a list of forty-five times in John’s gospel that Jesus says “I AM” (Greek, ego eimi) of himself. The relationship to YHWH (I AM), the Hebrew name for God, is no coincidence in John, the spiritual gospel that presents Jesus as God the Son. Nine of the sayings are absolute (e.g., 8:58, Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”). Sixteen are predicates giving various metaphorical images:
- I AM the bread of life
- I AM the light of the world
- I AM the one bearing witness to myself ...
- I AM from above
- I AM the door of the sheep
- I AM the good shepherd
- I AM the resurrection and the life
- I AM the way, and the truth, and the life
- I AM the true vine
Our tradition on the Fourth Sunday of Easter is to hear Jesus name himself the good shepherd. Again, it is an assuring, comforting picture of our God and Savior, and of ourselves being cared for so lovingly. One of my favorite images is in the commendation prayer of the burial office, as we send ourselves off into the care of the Shepherd who claims us for all eternity:
Into thy hands, O merciful Savior, we commend thy servant
N. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech thee, a sheep of thine
own fold, a lamb of thine own flock, a sinner of thine own
redeeming. Receive him into the arms of thy mercy, into the
blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious
company of the saints in light. Amen.
N. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech thee, a sheep of thine
own fold, a lamb of thine own flock, a sinner of thine own
redeeming. Receive him into the arms of thy mercy, into the
blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious
company of the saints in light. Amen.
TW+