John 10:11-18

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John R "Bob" Loch
in memory of
Robert A. and Virginia "Ginny" Loch.

• Reading the Text:
  • NRSV (with link to Anglicized NRSV) at Oremus Bible Browser.
  • Greek Interlinear Bible, ScrTR, ScrTR t, Strong, Parsing, CGTS, CGES id, AV.
  • The Bible Gateway: NIV, NASB, CEV, The Message, KJV, etc.
  • The Blue Letter Bible. KJV, alternate versions, Greek text with concordance, commentaries.
  • The World Wide Study Bible includes commentary & sermons.
• Historical References, Commentary and Comparative Texts:
  • The Five Gospels Parallels, John W. Marshall, University of Toronto.
  • Comparative World Scriptures from United Communities of Spirit: The Man for Others.
  • XXXVII.14-21; Tatian's Diatessaron (c. 150-160).
  • I.7, I.11, Paedagogus, Clement of Alexandria (c 200)
  • I.26, VI.14, Stromata, Clement of Alexandria (c 200)
  • Concerning Flight in Persecution (paragraph 11) Tertullian (c. 212)
  • Chapter XXII, Against Praxeas,  Tertullian (c. 213)
  • Chapter VII, On Modesty, Tertullian (c. 217)
  • II.VI.3, II.VIII.4, First Principles (De Principiis), Origen. (c.225)
  • Epistle II -- Cyprian of Carthage (c. 250)
  • I.29, Commentary on the Gospel of John, Origen. (c.228)
  • IV.Summary.31, First Principles (De Principiis), Origen / Rufinus (c.230)
  • VI.35, Commentary on the Gospel of John, Philocalia [anthology of Origen prepared by St. Basil and St. Gregory Nazianzen], Origen. (c.230)
  • II.XVI, III.XXXII, Against Celsus, Origen. (c.246)
  • That the Idols Are Not Gods -- Cyprian of Carthage (c. 247)
  • On the Unity of the Church, Cyprian of Carthage (c. 250)
  • Epistle LXXV -- Cyprian of Carthage (c. 255)
  • Statement of Faith, Athanasius of Alexandria, c. 330.
  • Part 22, On the Incarnation of the Word, Athanasius of Alexandria, c. 318.
  • From Augustine's Tractates on John: 
    • Tractate XLVI (Chapter 10:11-13)
      • "All, therefore, hear the voice of their Shepherd saying, "I am the good Shepherd." He would not add "good," were there not bad shepherds."
    • Tractate XLVII (Chapter 10:14-21)
      • "For if no one is a good shepherd but he that entereth by the door, and He Himself is preeminently the good Shepherd, and also Himself the door, I can understand it only in this way, that He entereth in by Himself to His sheep, and calleth them to follow Him, and they, going in and out, find pasture, which is to say, eternal life."
  • "A Sermon on the Good Shepherd," John 10:11-16, Martin Luther, c. 1525.
  • From the Geneva Notes.
    • "The distinguishing mark of the Christian Church throughout all the world, is that it has only one head, that is Christ, the only keeper, and only shepherd of it."
  • From Matthew Henry's Commentary.
    • "Christ is a good Shepherd; many who were not thieves, yet were careless in their duty, and by their neglect the flock was much hurt. Bad principles are the root of bad practices."
  • From Wesley's Notes.
    • "The wolf - signifies any enemy who, by force or fraud, attacks the Christian's faith, liberty, or life. So the wolf seizeth and scattereth the flock - He seizeth some, and scattereth the rest; the two ways of hurting the flock of Christ."
  • From the Commentary on the Whole Bible (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, 1871).
    • ""The Redeemer's knowledge of us is the active element, penetrating us with His power and life; that of believers is the passive principle, the reception of His life and light. In this reception, however, an assimilation of the soul to the sublime object of its knowledge and love takes place; and thus an activity, though a derived one, is unfolded, which shows itself in obedience to His commands" [OLSHAUSEN]. From this mutual knowledge Jesus rises to another and loftier reciprocity of knowledge."
  • From The People's New Testament, B.W. Johnson, 1891.
    • "Abbott says of the lesson in these eighteen verses, "I understand this lesson to be a parable with a double application. First, Christ compares the Pharisees to shepherds, himself to the door, and declares that those only are true shepherds who enter through the door; that is, through Christ and his authority. All others are thieves and robbers. Then he changes the application and declares himself the good shepherd whose praises David and Isaiah sung, and indicates the nature of the service that he will render unto his sheep by giving for them his life.""
• Contemporary Commentary, Studies, and Exegesis:
  • Commentary, John 10:11-18, Susan Hedahl, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2009.
  • Comments (commentary) and Clippings (technical notes for in-depth study), Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal.
  • "First Thoughts on Year B Gospel Passages in the Lectionary," Easter 4, William Loader, Murdoch University, Uniting Church in Australia.
    • "The ancient shepherd of Palestine or Asia Minor had to be tough, worked often in areas of sparse growth, frequently amid danger from wild animals and sheep stealers, and, above all, had to protect the flock, especially at night, when they would often be rounded up into a small pen. John 10 reflects this less than idyllic world."
  • "Enfolded by Love," Kate Huey, Weekly Seeds, iucc.org, 2009.
    • "Nancy R. Blakely presents this challenge: 'The life of a shepherd was anything but picturesque. It was dangerous, risky, and menial. Shepherds were rough around the edges, spending time in the fields rather than in polite society. For Jesus to say, 'I am the good shepherd,' would have been an affront to the religious elite and educated. The claim had an edge to it. A modern-day equivalent might be for Jesus to say, 'I am the good migrant worker.''"
  • "Interfaith Connections," Resources for Prophetic Worship, Speaking to North Carolina Justice Issues, North Carolina Council of Churches.
  • Exegetical Notes by Brian Stoffregen at CrossMarks.
    • "I've heard it suggested that "shepherds" in the first century were considered as honest and trustworthy as present-day used car salesmen -- and they received the appropriate amount of respect. With this understanding "good shepherd" would be an oxymoron."
  • Gospel Analysis, Pastor Edward Markquart, Sermons from Seattle, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle, Washington. Detailed background and exegesis.
    • "This is the primary mark of a good shepherd. He is willing to die that the sheep might live. That is what the story of the cross is all about."
  • Holy Textures, Understanding the Bible in its own time and in ours, John 10:11-18, David Ewart, 2009.
    • "Stop worrying and hurrying and relax and draw near. Tone down all the other internal voices with their lists of shoulds and coulds and musts, and listen for the voice of God in you, the voice of assuring love in you."
  • "Good Shepherd, Good Sheep," Peter J. Gomes, Currents in Theology and Mission, 2003.
    • "I want to suggest that the connection in this text on Good Shepherd Sunday, particularly for the clergy, is not that we are the shepherds, good, bad, or indifferent, but that we are among the sheep."
  • Sermon Preparation Thoughts and Questions by Wesley White, 2006.
  • "Hooked on War," Andrew Warner, Christian Century, 2003.
    • "The gospel leads us to remember to whom we belong. 'I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me.' In moments of national crises, amidst the rally cry of war, we are to know that we belong to Jesus."
  • Marginally Mark, by Brian McGowan, Anglican priest in Western Australia.
  • Wellspring of the Gospel, Easter 4B, Catherine McElhinney and Kathryn Turner, Weekly Wellsprings.
  • "Leadership Through Sacrifice," Larry Broding's Word-Sunday.Com: A Catholic Resource for This Sunday's Gospel. Adult Study, Children's Story, Family Activity, Support Materials.
    • "What responsibilities do you have in life? What sacrifices have you made to carry out your responsibilities?"
  • "I Am the Good Shepherd," Jerry Goebel, One Family Outreach. "Focus on scripture from a justice perspective." Exegesis, study, and teen study and activities.
    • "Until we experience the sacrifice of love, we have no concept of what the Good Shepherd is doing.  It is only when love takes us beyond our own myopic view of life that we can taste what God had in mind for us."
  • "Shepherding," F. Dean Lueking, The Christian Century, 1997. At Religion Online.
    • "Pat answers to the great questions are attractive in the short term. But they cheapen grace by not asking us to love God and others with the whole mind as well as heart and soul."
  • Commentary by Hall Harris at the Biblical Studies Foundation.
    • "But what about the relationship of 10:1-21 to the incidents at the Feast of the Dedication following (10:22-31)? Note that 10:26-27, spoken by Jesus at the Feast of the Dedication, recall this section."
• Articles & Background:
  • "The 'Noble' Shepherd in John 10: Cultural And Rhetorical Background," Jerome H. Neyrey, Journal of Biblical Literature 120 (2001): 267-91.
    • "Because of the rich tradition about a 'noble' death in the rhetoric of praise, we argue that the adjective qualifying the 'shepherd' should also be translated as 'noble' and not simply 'good.'"
• Recommended articles from ATLAS, an online collection of religion and theology journals, are linked below. ATLAS Access options are available for academic institutions, alumni of selected theological schools, and clergy/church offices.
  • Eickmann, Jerrold A., "4th Sunday of Easter," Concordia Journal, 1985.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Golding, Thomas A., "The Imagery of Shepherding in the Bible, Part 1," Bibliotheca Sacra, 2006.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Golding, Thomas A., "The Imagery of Shepherding in the Bible, Part 2," Bibliotheca Sacra, 2006.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Gomes, Peter J., "Good Shepherd, Good Sheep," Currents in Theology and Mission, 2003.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Long, Kimberly Bracken, "The Shepherd Jesus," Journal for Preachers, 2006. Sermon.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Lueking, F. Dean, "Shepherding," The Christian Century, 1997.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Neyrey, Jerome H., "The 'Noble Shepherd' in John 10: Cultural and Rhetorical Background," Journal of Biblical Literature, 2001.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Ramsey, Boniface, "A Note on the Disappearance of the Good Shepherd from Early Christian Art," Harvard Theological Review, 1983.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Reid, Barbara E., "The Cross and Cycles of Violence," Interpretation, 2004. (See also entire issue: Violence in the Bible, Interpretation, 2004.)
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Thompson, Philip E., "John 10:11-18," Interpretation, 1997.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Warner, Andrew, "Hooked on War," The Christian Century, 2003.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Wilson, Stan, "Ties that Bind," The Christian Century, 2006.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
• Reviews:
• Sermons:
  • "The Shepherd and the Sheep" - Easter 4 / Confirmation Sunday - 7 May 2006, Walter W. Harms, Göttinger Predigten im Internet: Every Sunday Sermons based on the RCL by a team of Lutheran theologians/ pastors.
  • "One Life to Give," the Rev. Dr. Wiley Stephens, Day 1, 2006.
  • "Two Commandments from Grandpa John," "All We Sheep Have Gone Astray," Pastor Edward F. Markquart, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle, Washington - Sermons from Seattle.
  • "Objects in the Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear," the Rev. Dr. William L. Self, Day 1, 2005.
  • "Abundant Abundance," Susan R. Andrews, 2004. Covenant Network of Presbyterians.
  • "Losing Your Voice for Love's Sake," the Rev. Debra Metzgar Shew, Day 1, 2003.
  • "The Greatest Power of All," John Jewell, 2000.
  • "Led from Behind," the Rev. Dr. Laura Mendenhall, Day 1, 2000.
  • Father Andrew M. Greeley, "Priest, Author, Sociologist," Commentary and Homily,
    • Easter 4, 2008
    • Easter 4, 2006
    • Easter 4, 2003
    • Easter 4, 2000
• With Children:
  • "My Sheep Listen," Talks to Children, Rev. Donald McCorkindale, Dalgety Parish Church, Fife, Scotland.
  • "The Good Shepherd," Charles Kirkpatrick, Sermons4kids.com.
  • "The Good Shepherd Gives Up His Life for His Sheep," Sunday School Lessons: Family Bible Study, art projects, music, stories, etc.
  • "The Good Shepherd," Jim Kerlin, childrensermons.com.
  • "The Good Shepherd," children's study, puzzles, coloring sheet, etc. Higher Praise Christian Center.
  • Crossword on John 9 & 10, Don Crownover's Bible Puzzles.
• Drama:
  • "It's Anybody's Guess," John Fewings, dramatix.
  • "The Shepherd and the Wolf," from A Certain Jesus by Jose Ignacio and Maria Lopez Vigil. Ideal for catechetical and liturgical dramatization of today's gospel. Claretian Publications.
• Graphics & Bulletin Materials:
  • Clip Art Images: John 10:11-18, Misioneros Del Sagrado Corazón en el Perú.
  • Images for this week's readings, Pitts Theology Library Digital Image Archive.
  • John 10:11-18, Liturgical Drawing, Maria d.c. Zamora, Claretian Resources, Philippines. ("Download and use these for free.")
• Hymns and Music:
  • Contemporary/Praise Song suggestions, Together to Celebrate, David MacGregor.
  • Hymns with Scripture Allusions: John 10:11,14, 16. The Cyber Hymnal.
  • Hymnal Scripture References, The Lutheran Hymnal, Lutheran Worship.
  • At Digital Hymnal (midi files, guitar chords, karaoke files, projection text):
    • God Be With You
• Fine Arts Images Linked at The Text This Week's Art Index:
  • Good Shepherd
  • Sheep/Shepherds
• Movies scenes with the following themes, listed at The Text This Week's Movie Concordance:
  • Good Shepherd
  • Difficulty Recognizing Evil
  • Satan
• Study Links and Resources for the Book of John