What the Bible says about Jesus Christ as Good Shepherd
(From Forerunner Commentary)
The three words, "It is I," are in Greek only two words (ego eimi), and they are much more powerful and significant than most Bible readers realize. Jesus says not, "It is I" but "I am," which is a direct assertion of His deity. Moses had asked God:
"Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they say to me, 'What is His name?' what shall I say to them?" And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" (Exodus 3:13-14).
Clearly, Jesus is declaring that He is the Yahweh of the Old Testament. Throughout the New Testament, there are a number of significant amplifications of this: Christ is the "I AM" that is the bread of life; the light of the world; the good shepherd; the resurrection; the way, the truth, and the life; and the Alpha and Omega, among other things (John 6:35; 8:12; 10:11; 11:25; 14:6; Revelation 1:8).
In the Garden of Gethsemane the night before the crucifixion, the "I AM" lesson was made unambiguous. When soldiers came to arrest Christ,
He went forward and said to them, "Whom are you seeking?" They answered Him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, "I am He" ["He" has been inserted by the translators]. And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. Now when He said to them, "I am He," they drew back and fell to the ground. (John 18:4-6)
The disciples in their peril at sea needed the great "I AM." These two words alone should have removed all their fear.
In this incident, the disciples show that they were growing in faith. In the earlier miracle of Christ stilling the storm on the sea, they asked, "Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?" (Matthew 8:27). Now they have advanced in their knowledge to recognizing Jesus as God (as "Son of God" indicates) and worshipping Him.
Recognizing that Jesus is God means that their worship was correct doctrinally. True worship cannot be separate from true doctrine. Jesus says to the woman at the well, "You worship what you do not know" (John 4:22). He could say this to some even in the greater churches of God today who sadly do not know enough about the Father and Christ. We, too, must know Him as the Son of God and fully divine to worship Him acceptably.
Martin G. Collins
The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Walking on the Water (Part One)Related Topics: Christ as the I AM | I Am | Jesus Christ as Bread of Life | Jesus Christ as Good Shepherd | Walking on Water
Because of the unraveling of the church of God in recent decades, the overall flock has experienced a great deal of agitation. In some cases, sheep are distrustful or disdainful of sheep in other legitimate folds. What seems to happen more often, though, is that shepherds are suspicious—and even contemptuous—of other shepherds, and may even engage in turf wars and sheep rustling, inciting further unrest among the sheep. If sheep have suffered abuse or neglect at the hands of a hireling or derelict shepherd, they will be less inclined to trust other shepherds, and peace is the casualty.
God says through Ezekiel that some dominant sheep will push other sheep around, "butt[ing] all the weak ones with your horns, and scatter[ing] them abroad" (Ezekiel 34:21), all the while using up the pasture and then defiling it (verses 18-19). Some shepherds, in letting their attention slip away from the Good Shepherd, have filled the void by elevating themselves. When this happens, a tendency arises to use and abuse the sheep rather than tending and feeding them. Because of the pressures of the times, both sheep and shepherd risk becoming bogged down in the quicksand of the world.
These symptoms can all be understood in light of Jeremiah 18:15-17, where God says that He scatters His people because they have forgotten Him. If He is not the top priority in our lives, He will change our circumstances—our "pasture," which could have many different applications—until we remember and seek Him once again. Thus, the ongoing unrest in the church of God is partly attributable to the carnality remaining within it and partly to the Good Shepherd's skillful management in guiding His sheep into circumstances ideal for growth, which can seem quite disruptive.
It is crucial to understand that, despite the chaos and confusion in the greater church of God, none of it is out of the Shepherd's control. He knew what He was doing when He scattered Israel and Judah, when He scattered the first-century church from Jerusalem, and when He scattered the church in our time. His thoughts and ways are infinitely above ours (Isaiah 55:9), but His acts always accomplish a good purpose. He limits the harm the hirelings can cause, even using their harm for ultimate good, if the sheep continue to look to Him. He oversees the under-shepherds, working in their lives to ensure that His will is fulfilled. He has already literally laid down His life for His sheep; not one who is looking to Him will be lost (John 6:39; 10:27-28).
If we are intent on following the Shepherd's guidance, continually looking to Him for direction, He will lead us to the best pastures. His guidance typically requires us to look to Him for everything. Part of the cost of discipleship is renouncing control of the direction and contents of our lives and submitting to His guidance when our circumstances undergo changes out of our control. When He moves us, it may be uncomfortable, but what it produces is invaluable: a singular focus on Him and a faith—trust—that will carry us into the Kingdom. It is comforting to remember that the Good Shepherd assures us, "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32).
David C. Grabbe
The Shepherd's Guidance (Part Three)