As we drove up to the farm in Hoskote from the city one morning, a shepherd appeared at
the top of the road with his flock of goats. What a wonderful picture it made with him leading
the goats, clicking his tongue and whistling at them and his dog following up at the end with
one more herder. We stopped to one side and watched them as he carefully herded them
past us, with the goats tripping along in a large black and white flock.
Like most people today, chances are you do not know any shepherds. For the first
Christians, who were familiar with shepherds, the Good Shepherd was a favourite image to
associate with Christ and his followers. In fact, the earliest Christian art depicts Christ as the
Good Shepherd, not the crucified Saviour and often he was portrayed as a beardless young
man. Surprisingly, the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd is still popular. In fact, early
childhood education experts tell us that young children find the concept of a shepherd and
his love for his sheep easy to understand the connection between God and them.
Listening to John 10:1-15 being read in church, where Jesus calls himself the Good
Shepherd, the image of the shepherd in Hoskote and his goats came up. The care with
which the shepherd herded his flock reminded us of the loving, healing, and caring God who
Christ is. To us a shepherd is kind, loving, patient, strong, and self-sacrificing. So likening
Jesus to one is the perfect image for us to look up to. And the sheep or goats, who can be
rather stupid and foolish creatures, are a good symbol of us!
So what is the significance of the shepherd to his sheep? When we think of Jesus as the
Good Shepherd, we’re reminded of how much we need help and guidance in our lives. Just
like a sheep needs its shepherd to guide it on its way, we need God in every part of our
lives. The key takeaway is to willingly follow God’s lead, knowing that we matter a lot to Him
and that should be the main driving force in our lives.
And what does the Shepherd do for his sheep? As our Good Shepherd, Jesus deeply loves
and understands us. He loves us so much that He gave up His own life to save us from our
sins. Despite our mistakes, He offers us unconditional love and total acceptance. When we
realize and accept this unfailing love from God, it can bring about a powerful change in our
lives.
According to the Gospel, Jesus referred to himself as a shepherd and said, “My sheep hear
my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). A shepherd knows his sheep well
and there is a personal relationship between Jesus and his followers. Jesus knows each of
us by name. Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for his
sheep” (John 10:11). Unlike a hired hand who flees to save his life, Jesus saved his flock
from the wolf even though it meant sacrificing his own life.
In the parable where Jesus speaks about his lost sheep, it is a story about Jesus' concern
and care for us sinners. He is the loving shepherd who goes to great lengths to search for
his lost sheep and when he finds it, carries it back on his shoulders rejoicing.
The shepherd uses a staff with a hook on the end to guide the sheep and pull back the stray
ones. Today Jesus guides his flock through bishops, who are known as pastors, which is
Latin for shepherds. Bishops carry staffs called crosiers. The shepherd has a rod to fend off
wild animals that might harm the flock.
And to delve deeper Wiki says the word "pastor" is derived from the Latin noun pastor, which
means "shepherd" and is derived from the verb pascere – "to lead to pasture, set to grazing,
cause to eat". The term "pastor" also relates to the role of elder within the New Testament,
and is synonymous with the biblical understanding of minister.
