The Good Shepherd
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff –
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
my whole life long.
Psalm 23
After our grandson’s birthday party at the barnyard, as I walked to our car, I stopped to talk with a few people who were looking at sheep in a pasture. They were commenting on two tiny little lambs walking carefully next to a large sheep. A woman said they were less than an hour old. I watched them walk around sniffing and staring at their new world, amazed at their mobility, considering the relative helplessness of newborn humans.
Standing there on the beautiful spring day, taking it all in, a portion of Psalm 23 came to mind – “your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” On their own, it seems the sheep would easily be consumed by predators. Their survival depends on protection from others who care for them, so they quickly learn to identify their protectors and soon find comfort trusting in their care.
David was the shepherd who took a break from his primary job to slay a giant. He understood what shepherding entailed. He knew the difficulties of the job and the irrational behavior of those entrusted to his care. He was assigned the task of guiding his sheep to pastures and water where they might flourish, protecting them from predators and hazards, and keeping the flock together so he could protect them.
The former shepherd paints an image in which he is a lamb, and his Lord is his shepherd, guiding him to healthy places where he might flourish and protecting him from evil forces. The Lord leads His sheep to the healthiest of pastures with pure water. He restores His sheep’s life and guides them along the best possible path for flourishing. His rod and His staff protect His flock. He does not strike sheep with them – He uses them as tools to guide His sheep in the right direction, and to keep enemies away. The Lord provides goodness, mercy and everything necessary for a full, satisfying, whole and joy-filled life – the Lord prepares a full table, provides an overflowing cup, and adorns luxuriantly with oil.
David experienced this life abundant. He knew it. It was his reality. Jesus explains that He is the Lord who provides it. Jesus is the Lord, our Lord. Repeating imagery from the psalms, Jesus describes Himself as the gate for the sheep and the Good Shepherd. Jesus says,
“Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. John 10:7-11
David says that Jesus provides green pastures and still waters, and He restores his life. Jesus repeats the concept saying He provides life abundant. He is the gate for the sheep, and through Him we gain life abundant, new life, spiritual life, the kingdom of God. Through Him we gain communion with God Almighty, the holy One, the Creator of the universe, and our souls are made whole.
The sentence “I am the good shepherd” contains two specific declarations of divinity. By saying “I am” Jesus repeats the first-person name of God, and His hearers would have understood the meaning of His declaration. The designation of “good shepherd” is another declaration of divinity because only God is good.
Mark records the following:
As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. Mark 10:17-18
Jesus says that only God is good. Notice that Jesus does not correct the man. Jesus does not tell the man it was inaccurate to call Him “good,” He merely verifies that the man knew what he was saying.
Not only does Jesus allow the man to call Him “good,” in many different times, places and ways, Jesus allows people to worship Him and declares His divinity. He explains that He is the Messiah, the Son of God. He explains that He shares a unique relationship with God, a relationship unlike any other human, and that He was in heaven before coming to earth, and that He saw Satan fall from heaven. He also explains “Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58), a clear statement of eternal existence combined with a declaration of divinity by claiming the first-person name of God. So we have this amazing teacher who teaches with authority and power unlike any human through whom God’s glory flows in the form of healing and casting out demons. Evil spirits recognize Him and obey His commands. Even the forces of nature obey His commands.
Jesus is God. He is the Good Teacher. Jesus is the Lord, the gate, the Good Shepherd. He provides wholeness, satisfaction, fullness, life abundant. David knew this life and wrote about it in Psalm 23. Do you? Have you experienced His green pastures, His good and merciful provision? May you enter through Him, may you know Him, may you follow Him, may you receive His life abundant, His mercy and His goodness. Amen.