The imagery of the people of God as His flock is a rich and varied image. We will think about this image from three angles, beginning this week with a focus on the Shepherd of the flock.
When the Bible portrays Jesus as a Shepherd, the immediate implication is that He has a flock over which He exercises the functions of a shepherd. We have no better starting point for seeing the Church as God’s flock than thinking first about the Shepherd of the flock.
Metaphor about Jesus
The Scriptures attach several adjectives to this metaphor about Jesus. His own self-description is one of the better-known ones. He termed Himself the Good Shepherd, saying in John 10, “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep” (v. 11).
Three verses later Jesus said it a second time, “I am the Good Shepherd. I know My own and My own know Me” (v. 14). Throughout this analogy in John 10:1–18, Jesus contrasted Himself with uncaring shepherds who were strangers to the sheep.
The “Good” Shepherd image reminds us that we are God’s people by virtue of our self-giving, self-sacrificing Savior and not because we deserve such a Shepherd. As God’s flock, the Church owes an unpayable debt to its Shepherd.
God of Peace
The Shepherd of God’s flock has another descriptor in a closing benediction in Hebrews 13. In referring to the resurrection of Jesus, this benediction ascribes glory to Him, saying, “Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever” (vv. 20–21).
As the Good Shepherd, Jesus laid down His life for us. As the Great Shepherd, He arose from the dead. The Great Shepherd image reminds us that He eternally lives to work in us as God’s flock all that is pleasing in God’s sight. As God’s flock, the Church has as its basic commitment the doing of His will.
A third adjective attaches to the image of Jesus as the Shepherd in 1 Peter 5 and is associated with His future return. “When the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory” (v. 4). As the Good Shepherd of God’s flock, Jesus died for us. As the Great Shepherd, He rose again. As the Chief Shepherd, He will come again. This third aspect of Jesus’ shepherding role gives the Church as God’s flock its blessed hope (Titus 2:13).
One Shepherd, one flock
In addition to His shepherd imagery, Jesus spoke of having sheep beyond His own people, the Jews. He put it like this, “I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. So there will be one Shepherd, one flock” (v. 16).
Toward the end of His saving mission, Jesus declared God’s flock would become international. We know His declaration as the Great Commission which assigns the whole world to the Church as its missions field.
A flock not only has a shepherd, it is itself composed of sheep. Next week we will pursue this image further by thinking about the Church being the sheep who make up His flock.
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