Sie sind auf Seite 1von 4

4th Sunday of Easter B

4th Sunday of Easter B


1. I would like to start today by calling your attention to Psalm 23 the Lord is my shepherd.
Most likely the bulletin picture of the shepherd and the 2 dogs riding in an all-terrain vehicle
is not biblically accurate, but it updates the metaphor.
This is probably the best known of all the Psalms. There is a Jewish friend of mine who attends my Bible
Study group, and when I ask him to lead us in an opening prayer, he uses Psalm 23. That is the prayer he
was taught as a child.
The Psalm is supposed to have been composed by David, as he was pursued by his enemies who were out
to kill him.
David, who himself had been a shepherd in his youth, envisioned God as his shepherd who, in spite of all his
troubles, watched over him, guided him, protected him from all dangers and nourished him. With God on his
side, what could any enemy do to him.
Psalm 23 is a statement of total trust in God even in the darkest moments of our life.

2. The metaphor of God as the good shepherd is then picked up by Jesus in the Gospel of John
In Jesus' times most families kept sheep. In the summer, when pasture was available, all the sheep of the
village were kept at night in one common sheep-fold, in the hills, out in the open. Probably an enclosure
surrounded by a high stone wall with one gate. This way the sheep were protected from predators and from
thieves, and one person could guard all the sheep.
In the morning each owner-shepherd would come to get his sheep and take them out to pasture. I dont
know anything about sheep, but, from what I read, the sheep are capable of recognizing the voice of their
owner, and go to their shepherd when called.
Hence the sentence in the Gospel, I know my own and they know me and they listen to my voice. Here
Jesus contrasts the good shepherd with the hired hand. The entire fortune of the sheep owner was
probably tied up in his animals, so he was prepared to protect them at the risk of his own life.
The hired hands, who did not own the sheep, but were watching them for pay, were not willing to risk their
life, and if the sheep came under attack by predators, they were likely to take off to save their own life, and
let the wolves kill and scatter the sheep.

4th Sunday of Easter B


3. There is a lot of symbolism going on here
a. The sheep. At the start of this passage, the sheep are a metaphor for the people of Israel, but at the
end of the passage, when Jesus talks about sheep that dont belong to this fold then the sheep
symbolize all of humanity.
b. The hired hands. They would be the leaders of the Jews who over the centuries had been more
interested in fleecing the sheep than in leading them to good pastures. They saw their position as an
opportunity to enrich themselves and certainly were not willing to sacrifice themselves for their flocks
c. Willingness to sacrifice. In contrast to the hired hands, Jesus did sacrifice his own life for the sheep.
This image of the shepherd sacrificing his life is another way in which the Gospels view Jesus death
and explain it: Jesus was the son of God who died on the cross to bring salvation to all human beings.
The sacrifice of his life brought about forgiveness of sin, thus re-setting humans in the right
relationship with God.
d. The sheep who follow the shepherds voice. They are Jesus disciples who are willing to follow his
example and live by his commandments and, in turn to also sacrifice for the benefit of others.
e. Sheep not of this fold. At the end of this passage, Jesus says that he has other sheep that do not
belong to this fold, this fold is a designation for the people of Israel, the chosen people who first
received Gods revelation. Jesus was not sent only for them but for all of humanity. the sheep not of
this fold are all not Jewish believers. Regardless of fold, they too are his sheep. With these words
Jesus is reminding his disciples know that they have a mission to preach the good news of his life,
death and resurrection to the whole world, and thus bring all mankind into the fold, the kingdom of
God.
f. Jesus chose to sacrifice his life. Finally, Jesus takes the time to remind his followers that he did not
have to do what he did, but he chose to sacrifice his life of his own accord, because he really cares for
his sheep.

. So by describing himself as the good shepherd Jesus used an image that his disciples very
very familiar with, from their daily life, to convey his love for us, his dedication, his care, his
passion that led him to sacrifice his life willingly to bring us back to God.

4th Sunday of Easter B


4. So what does that mean to us? For the answer to that question I would like to turn to the
1st letter of John
1st John was written by John the Elder (not the same as the apostle John) towards the end of the 1st
century. The purpose of this letter was to oppose the erroneous teaching of Cerinthus, who was a
Gnostic. The Gnostics viewed religion as personal enlightenment, with no communal dimension.
1st John connects to the image of the Good Shepherd, willing to sacrifice his own life for his flock. For
John, this was an act of love, we know love by this, that he has laid down his life for us
Then John goes on to state that we ought to lay down our lives for one another. So Jesus willingness to
sacrifice his life was an example for us: we are called to love one another, and that means to be willing to
take risks and sacrifice something that is dear to us for the benefit of our brothers and sister.
Then notice the next sentence, how does Gods love abide in anyone who has the worlds goods and
sees a brother or a sister in need and yet refuses to help? And this is the key point and the key lesson
from these readings: Jesus was the good shepherd because he loved his sheep, and the proof of his love
was his willingness to suffer and die, to sacrifice his own life for his sheep.
To be a follower of Christ we must be willing to sacrifice what we have for the benefit of our neighbors in
need. This is a devastating condemnation of those who think that to be a Christian is simply a personal
relationship with God, of those who see the people in need around them not as brothers and sisters, but
as people unwilling to help themselves.
Many, especially in this country refuse to recognize the social dimension is at the core of Christianity, and
view any social effort to help the needy as socialism, or un-American. We are our brothers keepers, and
therefore we must be willing to sacrifice some of our possessions for those in need.
Some feel that if the poor dont pull themselves up by their bootstraps they do not deserve to be helped.
Let us remember that Jesus did not sacrifice his life for us because we were good and deserved his love.
He loves us even though we are not very good and not particularly deserving of his love. He said
whatever you do for the least of my brothers and sisters you do it to me. Note that he did not say for the
most deserving of my brothers and sisters, he said for the least.
A final thought from 1st John: little children, let us love, not in word and speech, but in truth and action.
To love is not to keep on talking about love. Love is truth and action, not fancy words

Das könnte Ihnen auch gefallen