Christology Through Imagery
By Jerry Batson, Th.D.
Special to The Alabama Baptist
About six weeks ago Theology 101 gave thought to some of the functional titles given to Christ, each of which conveys to us something of the significance of His person and work. One such title considered at that time was that of “shepherd,” based on the familiar confession of the psalmist, “The Lord is my Shepherd” (Ps. 23:1). In that session this image was enlarged upon by the three adjectives that the New Testament attaches to the shepherd imagery: the Good Shepherd, the Great Shepherd and the Chief Shepherd. This week we return to the imagery of Christ as a shepherd by recalling the extended analogy in John 10, in which the phrase “the Shepherd of the sheep” introduces the Good Shepherd imagery (John 10:2).
A return to this image of Christ reminds us that one of the favorite biblical pictures of God’s loving care is that of a good and faithful shepherd. Thinking of Christ as the Shepherd of the sheep yields a number of suggestive ideas about His ministry in our lives. For one thing, in biblical times a shepherd could have been said to live with his sheep. He went where they went and they went where he went. In pleasant weather the shepherd was with his sheep, but also he was with them in stormy weather. If the sheep encountered danger, their shepherd was with them. Shepherd and sheep lived in close relation with one another. As our Good Shepherd, Christ is with us. His parting words to His earliest followers remains in effect: “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20). To activate this promise He followed His ascension with the sending of His earthly representative, the Holy Spirit, to abide with us collectively and in us individually.
As the Shepherd of His sheep, He knows us. As John 10:3 reminds us, “He calls his own sheep by name.” As our Shepherd, Christ knows us intimately and accurately. He knows when we’ve been good or when we’ve been bad. He knows our wanderings and shortcomings, yet He loves us with unquenchable fervor. He knows our strengths as well as our weaknesses. He knows our abilities and disabilities.
This good Shepherd of the sheep not only knows us but also cares for us. While He may discipline and correct us when we need it, He delights to gently lead us. When the need is great, He takes us to green pastures and still waters, as Psalm 23 so poetically describes.
Many of us may remember paintings of Christ as a shepherd. One that stands out in my memory from childhood is that of Christ carrying a lamb in His arms and near to His heart. Spiritually speaking, He has room for all of us in His bosom. His care for us extends to protecting us from spiritual dangers, such dangers that lurk in our own sinful natures, as well as those posed by the devil as a roaring lion seeking to devour us and those that come against us from our fallen world.
Totally secure
Since Christ is the Shepherd of the sheep, we are totally secure, safely enfolded in His keeping power and presence. His care extends from time into eternity. As His sheep we will never perish and never be snatched from His hand. One day the grand goal of the Shepherd of the sheep will be realized when we are safely with Him having become “one flock and one shepherd” (John 10:16).
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EDITOR’S NOTE — Jerry Batson is a retired Alabama Baptist pastor who also has served as associate dean of Beeson Divinity School at Samford University and professor of several schools of religion during his career.
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