Yahweh (Jesus) Is Our Shepherd

August 13th, 2025
by Lance Waldie

John 10:11-15 “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and I know My own, and My own know Me, 15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.”

In Psalm 23 David spoke of the Lord (Heb. Yahweh) as his Shepherd. In John 10, Yahweh is Jesus! He is the “good shepherd”! The word translated “good” means “intrinsically beautiful; fair.” So, Jesus calling Himself “good” is the same as calling Jesus “God” (Mark 10:17-18)—the Shepherd that David worshiped, saying, “I lack for nothing” (Psa. 23:1, NLT).

As for sheep, when darkness comes, physical danger lurks. Wild animals—lions, wolves, bears, leopards, and hyenas—were common in Israel at that time, preying upon both people and sheep. David himself, as a young shepherd, spoke of killing a lion and a bear on occasion (1 Sam. 17:34-35, 37). Here, Jesus speaks in this context about under-shepherds, or hirelings, who were not true shepherds. Left to watch another shepherd’s flock, they were known to flee when thieves or wild animals threatened. This was because they cared more for themselves than the sheep of another shepherd’s pasture. This can be seen in Israel who had many false prophets in her past, selfish kings, and would-be messiahs who cared nothing for Israel. As a result, God’s flock suffered (Jer. 10:21-22; 12:10; Zech. 11:4-17) when their leaders permitted the scattering of the Jews through false teachings. Such shepherds did not love what God loves, namely the protection and proper instruction for His people (cf. Jer. 23:1; Ezek. 34:6).
J
esus was (and is) the Good Shepherd. In stating this, Jesus was not categorizing Himself as one among many shepherds, for although “a” good shepherd might put his life on the line for his sheep, “the” Good Shepherd would die for the entire flock. Whereas the death of a shepherd would prove to be devastating to his flock, leaving his sheep to the wolves, the death of the Good Shepherd (Jesus) unites and strengthens His flock and gives us eternal life through faith.

Throughout the Bible, God’s people are compared to sheep. And sheep, because of their inept nature, must have a shepherd to guide and protect them. Sheep wander easily and are unable to find their way back to the fold (Luke 15:3-7). Also, sheep have little to no defense mechanism, so they require a shepherd to protect them (cf. Ps. 23). Now to “know” (Gr. ginōskō) one’s sheep, as Jesus does, transcends that of mere cerebral familiarity; rather, it speaks of an intimate bond between Jesus and His followers, between God and His people (cf. John 17:3). As such, Jesus knows the names of His people (cf. John 10:3) as a shepherd knows His flock. He knows those who are His, and He knows those who are not (cf. 8:44). Those who know and love Christ hear and heed His calling. Those who do not will pay little to no attention to Him.

Food For Thought
Jesus said He would die for His sheep. But did He only die for those sheep? Didn’t His death have some application for the entire world, as in John 3:16 and 6:51? Indeed! But though His shed blood was sufficient to redeem all of mankind, it was only efficient to save those who would believe—the Elect—the ones who hear and heed the call of the Good Shepherd, the ones drawn by God the Father to God the Son (John 6:44; 65). His reference to Himself as the Good Shepherd clearly puts Jesus on par with God. By laying down His life for the sheep, Jesus contrasts the OT sacrifices. After all, back then, it was the shepherd who had to have a sheep slain for him in order to atone for sins. But Jesus is the Shepherd who died for His sheep!