Let’s begin, shall we? When most folks hear the phrase “Good
Shepherds” they automatically think of sheep herders. But, what
is a Good Shepherd in the Bible? A Good Shepherd is an overseer of
God’s flock (God’s people) to watch over all of His children.
Acts 20:28-29
28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the
which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the
Church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood.
29 For I know
this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among
you, not sparing the flock.
What is the job description of Good shepherds?
Let us look into the Bible for the truth ...
What is a Good Shepherd Bible meaning? A good shepherd is someone who oversees, tends to, and guards the
sheep. Metaphorically speaking, it is someone who looks
after God’s children, or sheep, teaching them, protecting
them, leading them, encouraging them, warning them,
forgiving them, being a good example to them, loving them,
etc.
Let’s take a lil Good Shepherd Scripture field trip ... In Biblical
times, children were frequently given the job of
shepherding. The owner of the flock of course was the dad,
but often times it was the children, both boys and girls,
who tended the sheep.
Abel was a shepherd:
Genesis 4:2
And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a
keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
Rachel was a shepherdess:
Genesis 29:9
And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with
her father’s sheep; for she kept them.
Some of the children of Israel were good shepherds.
Genesis 46:31-32
31 And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his
father’s house, I will go up, and shew Pharaoh, and
say unto him, My brethren, and my father’s house,
which were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me;
32 And the men are shepherds, for their trade hath been
to feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks,
and their herds, and all that they have.
King David was one of many good shepherds:
2 Samuel 7:8-9
8 Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David,
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the
sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over
my people, over Israel:
9 And I was with thee
whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine
enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great
name, like unto the name of the great men that are in
the Earth.
What is a Good Shepherd Bible Study Voyage
Good Shepherd Scripture Explained
There are a lot of people who like to isolate different Scriptures of the Bible in order to say that there is only one
Shepherd, and that is the Lord. There are in fact, Good Shepherd Scriptures that say that there will be one Shepherd: Here’s one that refers to Jesus:
John 10:15-16
15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father:
and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 And other sheep
I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must
bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall
be one fold, and One Shepherd.
And yet ...
Here is another Good Shepherd Bible verse that refers to David as being a future Good Shepherd:
Ezekiel 34:23
And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them,
even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be
their shepherd.
Hmmmmmmm, two Scriptures referring to one shepherd, but they are two
different Good Shepherds. God himself referred to the leaders and
followers of the Faith metaphorically as shepherds and
sheep, and we, as His children are to tend to His flock ...
But some shepherds (also referred to as “pastors” at times)
don’t live up to their job description:
Jeremiah 23:1-4
1 Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the
sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord.
2 Therefore thus
saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that
feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven
them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will
visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the
Lord.
3 And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of
all countries whither I have driven them, and will
bring them again to their folds; and they shall be
fruitful and increase.
4 And I will set up shepherds
over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear
no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be
lacking, saith the Lord.
Jeremiah 50:6
My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have
caused them to go astray, they have turned them away
on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to
hill, they have forgotten their resting place.
If you are
a good shepherd of modern times, you may have another occupation, but
your life’s work ... Your calling is to be a good
shepherd to His sheep.
What is a Good Shepherd Bible Study on Procedure
Being a Good Shepherd Scripture
If you have embraced your calling as
a shepherd, God explains in this chapter from Ezekiel, that
when you find your Salvation, and become a good shepherd, you
can’t be careless of the flock. Sheep get lost, and they get
into mischief, and they get tangled up in things of the
world that can hurt them.
Here is a Good Shepherd Scripture warning ... As good shepherds, we can not have the
attitude of “I’ve got mine” (Salvation, that is), and forget
that there’s still the responsibility to take care of our
Father’s sheep. The sheep need you ... You can’t just let
them fend for themselves. If you don’t do your job, God will
do it, but then, what reward will you get? Go ahead and read
the whole Good Shepherd Bible Scripture:
Ezekiel, Chapter 34
1 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel,
prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the
shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves!
should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill
them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.
4 The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye
healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was
broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away,
neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with
cruelty have ye ruled them.
5 And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd:
and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were
scattered.
6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon
every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the
earth, and none did search or seek after them.
7 Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord;
8 As I live, saith the Lord God, surely because my flock
became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field,
because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my
flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;
9 Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the Lord;
10 Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against the
shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them
to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed
themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth,
that they may not be meat for them.
11 For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will
both search my sheep, and seek them out.
12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he
is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep,
and will deliver them out of all places where they have been
scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
13 And I will bring them out from the people, and gather
them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and
feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the
inhabited places of the country.
14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high
mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a
good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of
Israel.
15 I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie
down, saith the Lord God.
16 I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that
which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and
will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and
the strong; I will feed them with judgment.
17 And as for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord God;
Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the
he goats.
18 Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the
good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of
your pastures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul
the residue with your feet?
19 And as for my flock, they eat that which ye have
trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with
your feet.
20 Therefore thus saith the Lord God unto them; Behold, I,
even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle.
21 Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and
pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them
abroad;
22 Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more
be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle.
23 And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall
feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be
their shepherd.
24 And I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David
a prince among them; I the Lord have spoken it.
25 And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will
cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell
safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.
26 And I will make them and the places round about my hill
a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season;
there shall be showers of blessing.
27 And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and
the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their
land, and shall know that I am the Lord, when I have broken the bands
of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that
served themselves of them.
28 And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen,
neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell
safely, and none shall make them afraid.
29 And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and
they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear
the shame of the heathen any more.
30 Thus shall they know that I the Lord their God am with
them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith
the Lord God.
31 And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and
I am your God, saith the Lord God.
What is a Good Shepherd Bible Study on Jesus
The Good Shepherd Scripture
Below is the Word of Jesus Himself, when He called Himself the Good
Shepherd. As you read this Good Shepherd Bible Scripture, instead of
focusing on Jesus being the one and only Good Shepherd, concentrate
on how you (Being His follower and servant) are to represent Jesus as
one of the Lord’s good shepherds. Are you more than just an hireling?
Do you have tender mercy for the flock, as though they’re your own?
How can we be a good shepherds?
John 10:11-16
11 I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd giveth His life
for the sheep.
12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd,
whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming,
and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf
catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
13 The hireling
fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for
the sheep.
14 I am the Good Shepherd, and know my sheep, and am
known of mine.
15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know
I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold:
them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice;
and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
I have a Good Shepherd Bible trivia question for you ... Who is
Jesus talking about when He said ... Sheep that are from
another fold? He was talking about the Gentiles ... Because
Jesus was speaking to the Jewish people when He said these
things.
Peter, who
Jesus gave the honor of beginning the early church, gives us
some advice about shepherding:
1 Peter 5:2-4
2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the
oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly;
not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
3 Neither as
being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples
to the flock.
4 And when the Chief Shepherd
shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that
fadeth not away.
Got that?
Jesus is the Chief Shepherd ... We, as good shepherds are to feed
the flock. Not taking care of them because you’re forced to,
but willingly ... Not for any profit or benefit to you, but
eagerly ... Not because you want to pridefully boss around
the sheep, but being a good example.
Here is some good shepherd Scripture advice ... Carefully think about
the way you take care of the flock. Do you charge at a lost
sheep with anger and annoyance, or do you gently lead them
into the fold? Do you stomp around the pasture fussing and
cussing when a sheep doesn’t follow you, or do you remember
what you were like when you were lost and come up with a
unique method for each individual situation, knowing that
they’re all different?
Do you take your good shepherds staff with you
when you sojourn elsewhere in your world? Remember what God
said, not to just wear the hat for the benefits that you can
get for yourself. The reason you wear the hat, is to serve
Him. Think of the sheep you tend, as a sacrifice of your
time for God, and as implementing the gifts and the calling
that He has offered you. The good shepherds job is not to be taken lightly.
Read and reflect on the Gospels often, so that shepherding
the way Jesus did becomes second nature to you.
Ask the
Holy Spirit ... the Comforter to help you.
John 14:26
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the
Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all
things, and bring all things to your remembrance,
whatsoever I have said unto you.
How can you know what Jesus would do, if you don’t ask?
At one time, we were all sheep, being led away by the wolves of the world ...
1 Peter 2:25
For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now
returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
What is a Good Shepherd Bible Study Promise
Good Shepherd Scripture Prayer
And what an honor it is, to be called to tend to our Father’s sheep. The famous
23rd Psalm was written by king David, the Lord’s anointed shepherd, to the Highest Shepherd:
Psalm 23
1 The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh
me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside
the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me
in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of
death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy
rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a
table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou
anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days
of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
for ever.
Good shepherds should choose to follow the
Lord’s example when they are shepherding:
- Lead the sheep to green pastures and still waters.
- Guide the lost so their soul is restored.
- Show them the path of righteousness, by example or teaching.
- Be there for them, when they are fearful, comfort them.
- Congratulate them, be proud of them, edify them when they do good.
- The world is full of stones that sheep will stumble on ...
Show goodness and mercy.
No sheep would want to stay in the flock if they feared
their shepherd, if they were embarrassed, humiliated, or
felt unloved, unforgiven, unwanted or unworthy. Sometimes
even a shepherd trips over a stone. But even after Peter
denied the Lord three times, as Jesus said he would, He
still lovingly told Peter to take care of His sheep.
John 21:15-17
15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter,
Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than
these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love
thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
16 He saith to him again the second time,
Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto Him, Yea, Lord;
thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him,
Feed my sheep.
17 He saith unto him the third time,
Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because He
said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto Him,
Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus
saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
This was done because Peter denied Jesus thrice and just accepted Him
thrice.
This is a very important thing to remember, because some of the sheep
in your fold will be shepherds one day, and it may depend on
how you reflect the kind of Grace that the Lord offers, that
gives them the confidence, eagerness, and encouragement to
be the kind of shepherd that makes a difference for Jesus,
and brings many souls into the flock.
Shepherds are overseers of the flock. If you
have been called to be a good shepherd of God’s people ...
Hear the words of a Good Shepherd before us:
Acts 20:28-29
28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the
flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you
overseers, to feed the Church of God, which he hath
purchased with his own blood.
29 For I know this,
that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in
among you, not sparing the flock.
Remember what Jesus said ...
John 10:12
But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the
sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and
fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The
hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the
sheep.
So the difference between good shepherds and one that is not a good shepherd is overseeing them as if they were your own. Jesus did and He is the Chief Shepherd.
Those called to oversee the sheep are Shepherds. Be Good Shepherds.
So, to those called to be Overseers of God’s sheep ...
Acts 20:28
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which
the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which
he hath purchased with his own blood.
Ode to the Overseer
As I look upon shepherds of sheep
From days gone by til now
It seems understanding some do not keep
And prefer the slaughter of cow.
Some choose to see the worst in others
And out comes their pride
But these are sisters and brothers
Not opportunity to chant and chide
Yes, some sheep are troubled and lost
This we all know to be true
But tell me, my friends ... At what cost
Did Jesus reach out for YOU
Beware of ever casting a stone
As judgment has a way
When the sheep within His pasture moan
Balance requires that someone pay
Man tends to judge in black or white
And maybe a touch of gray
But, GOD ... Created the rainbow bright
Limited not by man’s carnal minded way
No one law can ever take the place
Of God knowing man’s heart
That is why in Love, He chose Grace
And Mercy to give us a fresh start
Compassion, understanding and Love
These are the gifts one needs
Gentle and harmless as a dove
In all their words and deeds
Our Good Shepherds study asking what is a Good Shepherd Bible purpose
that we found in the Good Shepherd Scripture reveals that Jesus is
the Good Shepherd and that we too can become good shepherds for the
Lord.
