We continue looking at the I am statements in the book of John. The I am as you will recall is a reference at least partially back to the idea that Jesus Himself is God. He is deity, that is drawn from the Old Testament. The I am. The Jehovah God. Then He makes seven definitive statements concerning Himself as the I am. The last one we looked at in John 10 is that He was the door of the sheep. Then He immediately moves right into not only being the door of the sheep, but the good Shepherd. That’s where we pick up today!
John 10:11 says, “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” Jesus is saying that He is that good shepherd. I want to come back to shepherds in a moment, but I want you to note the contrast He makes here between Himself and others who have pretended to be the shepherds of the people. Probably referencing the spiritual leaders of Israel, the pharisees and Sadducees and so forth.
John 10:12 continues, “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. He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me.” Jesus contrasts Himself with those who pretend to be the shepherd and have actually led the people astray. He is the good shepherd. It is a normal, very common metaphor back in the Old Testament. The people of Israel, many of the people, were shepherds and they all knew about sheep and understood the life of the sheep . . .
