THE KING’S BUSINESS
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blasphemous claim which he makes. He has proven that He is the Good Shepherd and so has proven that He is Jehovah manifest in the flesh. The crowning proof of His love for the sheep is that He “lay eth down His life for” them. If we aspire to be true shepherds we must be ready to do the same. vs. 12, 13. "But (omit, But) he (He) that is an (a) hireling (add ,) and hot the (a) shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth (beholdeth) the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep and fleeth, (:) and the wolf catcheth (snatcheth) them, and scat- tereth the sheep (them), (:) The hireling (he) fleeth because he is an (a) hireling, and catreth not for the sheep.” If, at the approach of danger we leave the sheep and fear for our own safety we are hirelings and not shepherds (cf. 1 Peter 5:2). Measured by this test many supposed shep herds have proven hirelings. The hireling fleeth because he has no interest in the sheep, is simply concerned about his money. Do we care for our sheep, or are We sim ply looking for our pay? The man who moves from one field to another simply because the second field offers the largest pay, beyond a question is a hireling and not a .shepherd. vs. 14, 15. "I am the good shepherd, (:) and . (add, I) know my sheep (mine own), and am known of mine, (mine own " know me,) As (even as) the Father knoweth me, even so know I (and I know) the Father: (i) and I lay down my life for the sheep.” Again Jesus makes the won derful statement, “I am the Good Shep herd.” As the Good Shepherd He knows His sheep. He never makes any mistakes, He knows absolutely the sheep that belong to Him, and those who are truly sheep also know Him, they never make any mis takes, they never mistake a hireling or thief or a robber for the Shepherd. This knowledge of the sheep by the Shepherd and this knowledge of the Shepherd by the sheep is a wonderfully full and inti mate knowledge, “Even as the Father knoweth” Christ, and even as Christ knows
22). We have here another of our Lord’s “I ams,” and a deeply significant: one. vs. 10, 11. "The thief cometh not, hut for to (that he may) steal (add ,) and to (omit, to) kill, and to (omit, to) destroy: I am come (came) that they might (may) have life, and that they (omit, that they) might (may) have it more (omit, more) abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth (layeth down) his life for the sheep.” Here we have still another of our Lord’s “I ams,” Jesus is not only the door by which the true shep herd gets access to the sheep, and the door through which the sheep enter into salva tion, liberty, security, and satisfaction,-He also is “the Good Shepherd.” False christs and false leaders have come claiming to be shepherds, but really thieves and robbers. The Pharisees were false shepherds, they came to “steal, and kill, and destroy.” In contrast with their mission we see how exceedingly glorious was the mission of our Lord, who came that the sheep “may have life, and may ha-ve it abundantly.” The word translated “abundantly” means “exceeding,” or “beyond measure.” Any of us then may not only have life, but have life “exceeding,” life “beyond measure.” Have you this superabundant life? There are so many who claim to be Christ’s sheep, and yet have such a thin thread of life. How abundantly we may have life appears in chapter 1:16; cf. Col. 1:19; 2:9, 10, R.V.; Eph. 3; 16, 19. The best exposi tion of our Lord’s sweet words “I am the good shepherd” is that which each one will get for himself upon his knees pondering them, turning them over constantly, look ing to God to let them into their wealth of meaning. It is not only a wonderfully comforting thing which our Lord says here, it is also an amazingly daring one. In the Old Testament Jehovah is the Good Shep herd (Ps. 23; Isa. 40:10, 11; Ezek. 34:11- 13). Here Jesus says, I now take Jehovah’s place. If Jesus was not Jehovah manifest in human form, then these words were blasphemous words, but Jesús has abun dantly proven that this is - no idle and
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