background - Our lesson draws upon and draws together a rich array of Israel’s religious imagery, traditions, and motifs. The metaphor of Shepherd was common to Near Eastern thought, especially that a king functioned essentially like a shepherd over his flock-his subjects. Yahweh will seek out his sheep scattered among the nations and recall them home, which of course, offers flowing brooks and fine pasturage in breathtaking mountains vales. [1]

antithesis - The first ten verses of this chapter function as a foil to what we now learn of Yahweh: though human leadership is often irresponsible, Yahweh’s tending of the flock reflects responsible leadership and pastoral care. The prophecy of punishment which precedes pronounces the sins of omission and commission against Yahweh’s people in the form of a woe oracle: God will put an end to irresponsible shepherdship and retake control of the flock. [2]

christ the shepherd - For many Christians, Jesus assumes the role of the good shepherd . . . has a perennial hold on Christian imagination and piety. Some of the most popular pictures of Jesus are those that depict him as a shepherd, leading a flock of sheep . . . In Israel’s ancient Near Eastern world, kings were expected to "tend" their subjects justly, especially those who were most vulnerable to abuse: widows, orphans, the poor, infirmed, and displaced. . . . How a society and its leaders treat those who struggle against disadvantages speaks volumes about that society’s true values . . . [3]

[4] Ever been responsible for taking a group of children to the zoo? Any wander off? Was it a restful experience for those responsible?

Five different groups of sheep are mentioned. What care was needed by each? What has happened to the sheep because of the bad shepherds (5-8)?

What kind of sheep are you? Weak? Sick? Injured? Lost? Are you getting good shepherding? Are you a good follower? How are you growing in your ability to shepherd others?

block #1 - Suggest the plethora of Hebrew and Christian images that show God/Christ as a Shepherd; do a little reflection on the nearest or dearest image you have from the Christ/Shepherd genre. (Or perhaps describe the imagery found in our favorite passages such as Psalm 23, John 10, etc.)

block #2 - Shift to the text by helping listeners appreciate this metaphor of shepherd as a model of leadership in the ancient Near Eastern world in which they viewed the rule of the king as being a shepherd and his subjects, the flock. Especially important is the fact that ancient Shepherd-kings were expected to bear the most vulnerable up-the ones who today might fall through the cracks of our federally-funded programs.

block #3 - evaluate how well our own culture and society have performed as national shepherds; then also suggest how our congregations might shepherd those around us; and finally how Christ desires to shepherd us.

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[1] The New Interpreter’s Bible VI (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2001), page 1461.
[2] Ibid, page 1461.
[3] Ibid, page 1467.
[4] Serendipity Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing Co., 1998), page 354.