Important distinction: attributes of the good shepherd with that of the hired hand. A good shepherd is willing to give up his own life to protect the sheep in his care. A hired man is willing to give up the sheep in order to protect himself.
Sometimes we can read these words as reassuring. When I am in trouble, Christ was protect me. Surely, the first Christian communities would have needed such reassurance.
But, we can also read them as prescriptive. We who are the body of Christ, we who are the church, have in our care many who need protection. Or, we should have them in our care.
Look around you. How are the sheep doing in your town? When trouble comes to them, do you run toward them or away?
Another distinction--that may not be important: sheep in my fold and sheep that do not belong to my fold. Who are the other sheep? Do you consider them to be the responsibility of your congregation?
2 comments:
One slight correction on your reflection on John 10:11-15; specifically to "sheep in my fold and the sheep that do not belong to my fold." In the context of the text, the "sheep in my fold" refers to the Jewish faithful of Jesus' time; see also 'the faithful remnant' in OT. The "sheep that do not belong to my fold" refers to the Gentiles (non-Jews) of that time that would come to faith in Christ. This in no way applies to those outside a specific or general congregation.
I am not sure whether I agree with your interpretation of the metaphor sheep. But, even if I did, I wouldn't want to get stuck there.
My understanding of scripture is that it continues to be a way that the Holy Spirit speaks to us. It is more than dead words applying to an ancient time. It is more than history. It is our story, too.
So, I read what Jesus said and Jesus did in his world and his time, and try to discern what we are to do in our world and our time.
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