In the traditional Gospel for the Second Sunday after Easter from John 10, our Lord boldly proclaims, “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11). There are two main aspects of Jesus’ claim. 1) Jesus is claiming to be the Messiah- a leader like King David in many ways. 2) By calling Himself the Good Shepherd, Jesus of Nazareth is also moving His claim to a different dimension. Let us notice that Jesus does not merely say “I’m a good shepherd.” He says, “I am the good shepherd.” The “I am” sayings of Jesus in John’s Gospel are reflections of God’s name in Exodus.
In Scripture, God Himself is the Good Shepherd of Israel, and by identifying Himself this was, Jesus is claiming a unique relationship with God the Father. So in this verse, Jesus is saying that He is both the human Messiah and the divine Son of God. He is the great leader of the chosen people in both ways.
The Easter season stresses our hope in Christ. Accepting and trusting Jesus Christ as our Good Shepherd highlights Christian hope in a special way. All too often we are like wandering sheep, but we do have a leader, a shepherd, that we can trust. Easter is a celebration and a proclamation of the depth of our Shepherd’s love and of His victorious power. So let us heed Him and have faith in Him. Let us follow where He leads and accept His nourishment for our souls through His Word and Sacraments.
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