SHEPHERD IMAGERY IN THE BIBLE

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OLD TESTAMENT

God is the Shepherd (Gen 49:24; Ps 23; 80:1).

God’s appointed leaders are underspends (Ezek 34).

Many people in the Old Testament were shepherds by trade, like Abel, Abraham, Isaac, Rachel, Jacob, Moses, and David.

Foreign leaders were sometimes called shepherds when their leadership impacted God’s people (Isa 44:28).

The prophets depicted the distress of Israel without leadership or with bad leaders in terms of a flock without a shepherd (Ezek 34:1-10; Zech 10:2; 13:7).

The Prophets used shepherd imagery to point to the Messiah to come (Ezek 34:22-24; 37:24; Isa 40:11; Zech 13:7; see also Matt 26:31; Mark 14:27).

NEW TESTAMENT

Jesus is our Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:3-4)

Jesus is our Good Shepherd (John 10:1-30).

Jesus is our Great Shepherd (Heb 13:20).

Jesus had compassion on the large crowds who came out to see h I’m because they were “like sheep without a shepherd” (Matt 9:36; Mark 6:34).

Jesus used sheep and shepherds in his parables (Matt 12:11-12; 18:12-14; 25:31-46).

Jesus commissioned his disciples to care for his sheep (Matt 10:6, 16; John 21:16-17).

Jesus is the lamb of sacrifice (John 1:29; Acts 8:32; 1 Peter 1:19; Rev 5:6).

Elders are shepherds under Christ (1 Peter 5:2).

SHEPHERD’S DUTIES	JESUS ACTIONS
Leads the Sheep to safe pasture and water	Calls disciples to follow wherever he leads (Matt 4:18-22; John 10:4-9)
Protects the sheep from predators, pests, parasites, other sheep, and natural dangers.	Warns, intercedes, and rescues (Mark 8:15; John 17:12-15; Matt 20:28; John 10:15).
Feeds the sheep, including removing poisonous plants and providing access to foliage on high branches or after a snowfall.	Feeds the crowds. He himself is the bread of life (Matt 14:13-21; 15:32-39; John 6:22-71).
Cares for the weak or sick lambs.	Cares for the weak and sick (Matt 14:14, 34-36)
Disciplines wayward sheep and retrieves the lost.	Rebukes his disciples and finds those who have lost their way (Matt 14:29-31; 16:23; Luke 22:31-34).
Protects cultivated land and crops from the seep	Guides his disciples in the way of caring about others (Luke 6:27-36).
Prevents over grazing.	Teaches his disciples to be wise and harmless (Matt 10:16).