The Good Shepherd

 "'Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter the sheep of MY pasture!'

This is the message of YAHWEH, GOD of Israel, to the shepherds in charge of MY people, 'You have scattered MY sheep and driven them away instead of caring for them.  Now I will deal with you because of your evil deeds.

I will gather the remnant of MY sheep from every land to which I have driven them and I will bring them back to the grasslands.  They will be fruitful and increase in number.  I will appoint shepherds who will take care of them.  No longer will they fear or be terrified.  No one will be lost.'

YAHWEH further says, 'The day is coming when I will raise up a king who is David's righteous successor.  HE will rule wisely and govern with justice and righteousness.  That will be a grandiose era when Judah will enjoy peace and Israel will live in safety.  HE will be called YAHWEH-our-justice!'" - Jeremiah 23:1-6 

(Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter!  This new attack against evil leaders is the prelude to words of hope.

I will gather the remnant of MY sheep.  The destruction of the "physical" Israel prepares for the coming of the "spiritual" Israel.  People were used to seeing their leaders abuse power, and their rulers become richer.  But GOD is preparing for HIS people a shepherd who will look after the sheep.

They will call HIM YAHWEH-is-our-justice: this is a way of contrasting HIM with the king of the time, Zedekiah, which means YAHWEH-is-my-justice.

I will appoint shepherds who will take care of them.  As well as the just king, Jeremiah sees other shepherds: besides the only Shepherd, CHRIST, there is room for others determined to be responsible for their brothers and sisters.

No longer will they fear.  GOD promises lasting peace.  The new people of GOD will be more than a mere continuation of the old kingdom of Israel, and the new king will be more than the earthly kings [see how JESUS develops this point in John 10].

Humankind hopes for unity in peace, and the Church now must offer the witness of different people gathered in CHRIST.  The reality, however, will be achieved only in the heavenly Jerusalem [Revelation 21:22].

Jeremiah expresses the same hope elsewhere, especially in 33:15-18.  In Ezekiel 34 we find the same image of the Good Shepherd preparing for what JESUS will say in John 10, Luke 15:4 and Matthew 9:36.)

On-Site