The Importance Of Sheep
Stories
LECTIONARY TALES FOR THE PULPIT
Series III, Cycle A
In Palestine, the shepherd figure was a familiar one: shepherds were part of the scenery, part of their world. A shepherd spent much time with his flock, caring for them and keeping watch over them. Many shepherds started watching sheep when they were very young, only to continue to be shepherds for the rest of their lives.
So familiar were the sheep with the shepherd that they knew their master's voice. The shepherd's duty was to guide the sheep to fresh water and pasture, to guard them from wild animals, and to lie across the entrance of the sheepfold at night. The shepherd was literally the door to the sheep.
In the biblical era it was a common practice to have slaves. Many early Christians were slaves, household or domestic servants. Slaves were often people of culture and education. Sometimes they were even superior to the masters, being doctors, philosophers, librarians, secretaries, musicians, or teachers. A slave had no legal rights, being a "thing" rather than a person, and servants were meant to obey. This was true not only when the master was generous and considerate but also when he was cruel and unfair. If the servants could not please their masters, they could at least try to please their god, or in the case of Christian slaves, God, who understood their plight. Their motive for service then became a way of pleasing God, not their master. Their suffering is meritorious because Christ suffered for us, leaving an example to follow.
Hanukkah was instituted in 164 B.C. by Judas Maccabeus to rededicate the Temple that was defiled when Antiochus Epophanes offered upon its altar a sacrifice to Zeus. The festival took place in mid--December with a ceremony of lights. Some of the high priests at that time were fanatical and tyrannical, and this created a schism among the priest--kings.
When Jesus came around to the Temple, the Temple was supervised and controlled by wealthy, aristocratic families. They were very unpopular, since they were conservative in religion and liberal in their lifestyle. They were not a good example of being exemplary pastors of the Lord's flock.
The Old Testament ideal of a shepherd, or head of the church, was one of gentleness, nurturing, and wisdom. God is the shepherd of Israel, the one who would lie at the door of the sheepfold, watching out for them and caring for them. God's chosen ones, then, are the nation's shepherds; but Jesus comes to say he is the one, true shepherd.
Thus, in this passage from John, Jesus refers to the good shepherd and the feast celebrating the purifying of the Temple. Jesus refers to the Roman persecutors as the "wolves," false teachers as the "hirelings," and all pretenders as the "thieves and robbers." But Jesus, who is willing to lay down his life for the sheep, is the true shepherd. Jesus has a close, personal relationship with each of his followers, who have absolute security and confidence in him. Jesus' care for his flock is unfailing, his company constant, his guidance supreme, and his love sacrificial. Jesus is the only True Shepherd.
So familiar were the sheep with the shepherd that they knew their master's voice. The shepherd's duty was to guide the sheep to fresh water and pasture, to guard them from wild animals, and to lie across the entrance of the sheepfold at night. The shepherd was literally the door to the sheep.
In the biblical era it was a common practice to have slaves. Many early Christians were slaves, household or domestic servants. Slaves were often people of culture and education. Sometimes they were even superior to the masters, being doctors, philosophers, librarians, secretaries, musicians, or teachers. A slave had no legal rights, being a "thing" rather than a person, and servants were meant to obey. This was true not only when the master was generous and considerate but also when he was cruel and unfair. If the servants could not please their masters, they could at least try to please their god, or in the case of Christian slaves, God, who understood their plight. Their motive for service then became a way of pleasing God, not their master. Their suffering is meritorious because Christ suffered for us, leaving an example to follow.
Hanukkah was instituted in 164 B.C. by Judas Maccabeus to rededicate the Temple that was defiled when Antiochus Epophanes offered upon its altar a sacrifice to Zeus. The festival took place in mid--December with a ceremony of lights. Some of the high priests at that time were fanatical and tyrannical, and this created a schism among the priest--kings.
When Jesus came around to the Temple, the Temple was supervised and controlled by wealthy, aristocratic families. They were very unpopular, since they were conservative in religion and liberal in their lifestyle. They were not a good example of being exemplary pastors of the Lord's flock.
The Old Testament ideal of a shepherd, or head of the church, was one of gentleness, nurturing, and wisdom. God is the shepherd of Israel, the one who would lie at the door of the sheepfold, watching out for them and caring for them. God's chosen ones, then, are the nation's shepherds; but Jesus comes to say he is the one, true shepherd.
Thus, in this passage from John, Jesus refers to the good shepherd and the feast celebrating the purifying of the Temple. Jesus refers to the Roman persecutors as the "wolves," false teachers as the "hirelings," and all pretenders as the "thieves and robbers." But Jesus, who is willing to lay down his life for the sheep, is the true shepherd. Jesus has a close, personal relationship with each of his followers, who have absolute security and confidence in him. Jesus' care for his flock is unfailing, his company constant, his guidance supreme, and his love sacrificial. Jesus is the only True Shepherd.
