John 10:11-13 11I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The one who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep.
Jesus uses another image related to his short parable from verses 1-5 in the form of another “I am” statement. Each of these I am (egō eimi) statements reveals something about the divinity of Jesus and his incarnation as the revelation from God as a human being. A shepherd’s job was toilsome, dangerous, and demanding as he watched out over his flock day in and day out. Sheep are not known for being very smart, and so the shepherd is their protector and guide. The adjective good denotes all of these qualities and paints the picture of the ideal shepherd who assured the safety, security, and peaceful forage of his sheep.
Like other sayings in this chapter thus far, Jesus compares two types of people. He is the model of the first type defines what makes the ideal shepherd. The particular aspect of good that he expands is how a shepherd sacrifices for the well-being of his sheep. The best shepherd would even risk his life for his sheep. Many dangers could come to a flock of sheep, including wild animals. The shepherd cares so much for his sheep that he would confront evil and threats. If Jesus is this kind of shepherd, and if he is the supreme Lord, that means his sheep, his followers, can rest assured of their spiritual safety. No enemy can snatch them from Jesus as long as they stay under his care. Verse 11 is another foreshadowing of Jesus’ sacrifice of himself on the cross for the salvation of all who would believe in him.
In verses 12-13, Jesus then contrasts this ideal situation of a good shepherd with a hired hand. Hired hands are only in the job for themselves and getting paid. When the work day is over, they punch the clock, go home, and forget about the business. The owner (shepherd), however, stays all night and sacrifices to ensure the business (sheep) is successful. The problem of thieves is now replaced with a wolf. When the hired hand sees danger, he runs away because he is only concerned about himself, leaving the sheep vulnerable. The sheep end up running all over, fleeing for their lives. The hired hand proves himself to be unreliable, uncommitted, selfish, and uncaring. He is the opposite of the good shepherd who would stay to fight off the wolf, even to the point of great harm to himself.
These verses help us understand more deeply Jesus’ love for people. The Pharisees and other Jewish leaders still stand in the background and were like wolves in sheepskins (Matthew 7:15). They pretended to want the best for the people but were deceived themselves, which made them unreliable and dangerous. Jesus came with the truth backed up by his total commitment to the safety and salvation of people–even to the point of losing his life. As his followers, we have the assurance of faith that he is with us and will see us through the dangers we face.
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