John 10:11-18

 

good, beautiful, noble, model? - Raymond Brown points out the variety of nuances that is usually comes out as "good" shepherd throughout this passage. "Greek kalos means ‘beautiful’ in the sense of an ideal or model of perfection . . . it is used in the ‘choice wine’ of [John] 2:10. Philo speaks of a good (agathos) shepherd. There is no absolute distinction between kalos and agathos, but we do think that ‘noble’ or ‘model’ is a more precise translation than ‘good’ for John’s phrase;’ [1] thus, Brown translates verse 11: "I am the model shepherd."

what shepherds go through for the sheep - The association of death with being a shepherd is found in other Jesus-sayings, Mark 14:27 and John 21:15-19, for example. The parable of the lost sheep pictures the trouble that a shepherd will take for a lost sheep; John’s saying in verse 11 extends the risk of the shepherd even to the point of death. [2]

modern shepherds- The discourse provides the church with a fresh vantage point from which to reflect on community practices. What does it mean for the church to live as Jesus’ sheep? What does a church that understands itself as Jesus’ sheep look like? How will its identity be manifested in the world? Jesus the god shepherd chose to make his identity manifest to the world through his death. The shepherd discourse calls the church to live out its life according to the model of community envisioned here by Jesus, a model grounded in the mutuality of love embodied in the relationship of Jesus and God. [3]

 

When you hear the term, "Pastor-Shepherd" or "My pastor is such a Shepherd," etc., what do you think is the intended meaning?

What role/s does (or should) the pastor-as-shepherd assume in today’s faith-community?

 

Please see this week’s homily on DPS that is in conversation with Psalm 23 and John 10.

__________________________________________________________
[1] Raymond E. Brown, Anchor Bible Series: Gospel of John (NY: Doubleday: 1966), page 386.
[2] Brown, page 395.
[3] The New Interpreter’s Bible IX (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1995), page 673.