Introduction

• The use of shepherd and sheep in OT

– God as shepherd for His people
• Ps 28:9 Save your people and bless your inheritance;
be their shepherd and carry them forever
• Ps 78:52 But he brought His people out like a flock: He
lead them like sheep through the dessert.
• Is 40:11 He tends his flock like a shephed: He gathers
the lambs in His arms and carries them close to his
heart ; he gently leads those that have young
• People of Israel regularly referred to as sheep
– Ps 74:1 Why have you rejected us forever , O God?
Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of
your pasture
– Ps 79:13 Then we your people ,the sheep of your
pasture , will praise you forever; from generation to
generation we will recount your praise.
– Ez 34:11 For this is what the Sovereign Lord says; I
myself will search for my sheep and look after them.
12 As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when
he is with them, so I will look after my sheep. I will
rescue them from all the places where they were
scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.
• We know Jesus is using a shepherd/sheep
analogy with the Pharisees
– In John 10: 1-10 We looked at Jesus as the door
for the sheep
– Now in John 10:11- 16 we will look at the
transition of teaching from being the door to
being the shepherd
 I am the Good Shepherd Jn 10:11
• As the “Good Shepherd” He
reveals His character
– OT men knew Him as “The Good
Shepherd”
• Ps 23; Ez 34:11-16
– The Lord is good
• Nah 1:7 The lord is good , a strong
hold in the day of trouble; and he
knoweth them that trust in Him. Ps
34:8; Jer 33:10-11
– Only one is good
• Mt 19:17 there is not good but one,
that is God
 The Shepherd cares for His Sheep by warning
them of dangers to the flock
1. The danger of the
thief/robber stranger
– Jn 10:1, 5, 8 & 10
• This one steals from the flock
for his own benefit
– Jesus described the
Pharisees in this manner on
a separate occasion
• Mt 23:15
• Their concern was self image
rather than concern for their
disciples
– Mt 23:1-12
The Shepherd cares for His Sheep by warning
them of dangers to the flock
There are thieves and robbers who encroach on God’s people
today
Paul warns Timothy of this in both his letters
1 Tim 6:3-5If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the
sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with
godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an
unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce
envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who
are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a
means of gain.; 2 Tim 3:1-5 But understand this, that in the last days there will
come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud,
arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless,
unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,
treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers
of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such
people.
The Shepherd cares for His Sheep by warning
them of dangers to the flock
We can recognize these people by their fruits
Mt 7:15-20 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's
clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them
by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from
thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased
tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a
diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good
fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize
them by their fruits
The Shepherd cares for His Sheep by warning
them of dangers to the flock
2.The danger of the hireling John 10: 12-13
He tends to the flock strictly for his own benefit
He is content to feed but if danger comes, he runs
He is the watchman in Ez 33:1-6 who fails to warn
the coming of the enemy
He is the shepherd spoken of in Ez 34:1-6
 The Shepherd cares for His Sheep by warning
them of dangers to the flock
3. The danger of the wolf
destroying the flock
– He is the agent of Satan
– He has no concern for the
flock at all
– Consider the following
passages
• Mt 7:15; Beware of false
prophets, who come to you in
sheep's clothing but inwardly
are ravenous wolves 2 Cor
11:12-15; Acts 20:28-29
The Shepherd shows His Care & Concern for the
sheep by laying down His life to spare them
• He substituted His life for theirs
– Jn 10:11, 15; Rom 5:6-8; 1 Pet 3:18; 1 Jn
3:16
I know My sheep and am known by My own
(Vs 14)
• Many define the basic element of the shepherd/sheep
relationship as intimate
– Thayer defines “know” in the following manner
• To learn to know, come to know
• To have knowledge of
• Jewish phrase for intimacy between a man and woman
• To become acquainted with, to know
• Intimacy is more than just knowledge
– Real intimacy, in any personal relationship is always mutual
– Intimate knowledge is not the same as detailed knowledge
 I know My sheep & am known by My own
(Vs 14)
We are to “Know” the shepherd
Pray to know Him better
Eph 1:15-17
Use His word and understanding
1 Jn 5:20
He is not far
Call on Him for He is near
Ps 75:1 & 145:18
Seek Him, He is not far and may be found
Acts 17:26-27; Is 55:6
Find Him before your heart is hardened
Mt 13:15-16
And other sheep I have which are not of this
fold (Vs 16)
• Not of this fold-not Jews
– This is a distinct intimation that the gospel was to be
preached to the Gentiles a doctrine extremely offensive to
the Jews.
– This prediction of the Saviour has been strikingly confirmed
in the conversion of millions of the Gentiles to the gospel.
• Them also I must bring
– Bring into the church and kingdom of heaven.
– This was to be done, not by his personal ministry, but by
the labor of his apostles and other ministers.
And other sheep I have which are not of this
fold (Vs 16)
• One fold - One church
– there shall be no distinction, no special
national privileges.
– The partition between the Jews and the
Gentiles shall be broken down, and
there shall be no pre-eminence of rank
or honor, (Barnes Notes on the Bible)
• Eph 2:11-14; Rom 10:12
• One shepherd –
– That is, the Lord Jesus
– the common Saviour, deliverer, and
friend of all true believers, in whatever
land they were born and whatever
tongue they may speak. (Barnes Notes
on the Bible)
And other sheep I have which are not of this
fold (Vs 16)
• The distinguishing mark of the Christian Church throughout all the
world, is that it has only one head, that is Christ, the only keeper, and
only shepherd of it. (Geneva Study Bible)

• And over this fold, or flock, there is but one shepherd, Jesus Christ;
who is the rightful proprietor, and whose own the sheep are; and who
knows how to feed them, and does take care of them; though there
are many under shepherds, whom he employs in feeding them; in the
original text the copulative "and" is wanting, and the words stand thus,
"one fold, one shepherd"; which not only expresses a peculiar
elegance, but answers the proverb delivered in the same form; and to
which agree the Arabic and Ethiopic versions, which render them, "and
there", or "they shall be one fold of one shepherd"; or one flock which
belongs to one shepherd only; (Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible)
And other sheep I have which are not of this
fold (Vs 16)
• The distinguishing mark of the Christian Church throughout all the
world, is that it has only one head, that is Christ, the only keeper, and
only shepherd of it. (Geneva Study Bible)

• And over this fold, or flock, there is but one shepherd, Jesus Christ;
who is the rightful proprietor, and whose own the sheep are; and who
knows how to feed them, and does take care of them; though there
are many under shepherds, whom he employs in feeding them; in the
original text the copulative "and" is wanting, and the words stand thus,
"one fold, one shepherd"; which not only expresses a peculiar
elegance, but answers the proverb delivered in the same form; and to
which agree the Arabic and Ethiopic versions, which render them, "and
there", or "they shall be one fold of one shepherd"; or one flock which
belongs to one shepherd only; (Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible)
 Conclusion
• Jesus is the great shepherd of
our souls
– 1 Pet 2:25 & 5:4; Heb 13:20
• As a shepherd Jesus does 3
very important things for us
– Leads us
• Ps 23; Mt 6:13
– Feeds us
• Ps 23; Mt 4:4 & 5:6
– Protects us
• Ps 23; Mt 6:25-34; Rom 13:5-6