John 10:7-16 ~ the Good Shepherd

Holy Night by Antonio da Correggio, commissioned in October 1522, for a family chapel.

John 10:7-16

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7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And 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 flock, one shepherd.

Why would Mary, chosen by the Lord to be the Mother of God, be the best lay person example of shepherd? She was the first shepherd in the life of Jesus Christ.

Luke 1:38
"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said."

Mary believed God.

His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm

He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.

Mary and Joseph had a seamless family in Nazareth; they were seen as good shepherds to the small town. A hard thing to do, not to favor or disfavor the Son of God. A difficult thing to return to Nazareth to raise kids - the lady who was pregnant during the betrothal. When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.


Mary had to live down even the Sanhedrin Council gossip still available in the 1st Century Talmud. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Still she lived in peace. And her family is recorded as being a seamless family, although blended. Jesus would agree with their parenting in the Scriptures.

Mark 6:2-4
When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.

“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

Jesus taught God's love to His disciples:

Acts 10:34-35
So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.


In Jesus' ministry, Jesus spent time with his own brothers and mother in the Book of John 2:12; in John 7 they are acting as siblings often do to each other. Yet in Mark 3, and Luke 8 they are beginning to worry about the trouble and Jesus' safety, Mary and His brothers determine to speak with Him and prevail upon Him for His own good. Jesus replies all who do the will of God are His mother and brothers. Mary isn't recorded again as to trying to impose her wishes on Jesus again. The Scriptures don't say if Mary went home and thought about God's will, but she was there for Jesus when she could be.

In the time of the early Church:

Acts 1:14
They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

Jesus told us:

Luke 11:28
Jesus replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

How are we to be God's shepherds?

Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." ~ Matthew 28:10

Mark 3:33
"Who are my mother and my brothers?" he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother."


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