One Flock One Shepherd

Last updated on: February 19, 2007 at 7:45 pm by Fr. Dwight Longenecker

One Flock One Shepherd 2007-02-19T19:45:00-05:00 Fr. Dwight Longenecker

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Just what did Jesus mean when he said there was to be “one flock and one shepherd”? (John 10:16) This is in the context of his extended parable of the Good Shepherd, and Jesus Christ himself is clearly the Good Shepherd. He says so in verse 14. What interests me about this passage is that Jesus is clearly pointing out, not only that he is the Good Shepherd, but as the Good Shepherd he is making a Messianic claim.

References to the Lord himself as the Good Shepherd abound in the Old Testament. Psalm 23 is the most famous…”The Lord is my Shepherd….” Isaiah 40 says the Messiah will “feed his flock as a shepherd” Jeremiah prophesies that the Lord will set Good Shepherds up over the flock of Israel (ch. 23) and Jesus must have been alluding to Ezekiel 34.23 where the Lord says, “I will set up one shepherd over them and he will feed my flock, even my servant David.” In an extended passage of Ezekiel 34.9-17 all Jesus’ images of sheep, goats, and the Good Shepherd come together. Any reference in the gospels to sheep, goats, flocks, herds and shepherds comes back to the Old Testament–especially chapter 34 of Ezekiel. There the Lord himself is the Good Shepherd, and when Jesus takes the title he is affirming therefore, his own divine status. It’s easy. The Lord God said he would be the Good Shepherd of his people Israel, and Jesus says, “I am the Good Shepherd.”

What interests me further is what Jesus does with his status as Good Shepherd. After his resurrection he has that famous conversation with Peter at the end of John’s gospel (Jn.21) where he says solemnly three times, “Feed my sheep.” The threefold command was the most binding and solemn of commandments. It was like a ritual vow–sort of the way we re-affirm our baptism vows in a threefold way.

So Jesus, the Good Shephered, solemnly hands his office over to Peter. In Peter his own prophecy comes true, “there are other sheep they do not yet know about. There is to be one flock, and one shepherd….Peter–feed my sheep.”

The command still stands today–not there will be many flocks and many shepherds, but there will be one flock and one shepherd: Jesus Christ–and until he returns again his agent on earth remains the successor of the one he chose, and his name at the moment is Benedict.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

February 19, 2007

Anglican - Catholic Re-union?

Next Post

February 19, 2007 The Archbishop's Steering Committee

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Anglican Matters Apologetics Architecture Blobble Study Book Reviews Brideshead Caitlin O'Rourke Catholic Art Catholic Culture Church Politics Chust for Nice Contemporary Culture Duane Mandible Ed Blanch Film Reviews Fr Harvey Nicolaitan Frank Viola Mantilla the Hon More Christianity Mrs Brady Catholic Old Lady Mystery of the Magi Norman Anderson Queen Hillary Saints and Supernatural Spirituality The Inklings The Vicar Theology Todd Unctuous Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz