John 10:11-21 | What's happening (and who's involved)?
Jesus continues in His discourse concerning the shepherd analogy. Drawing this critical distinction, Jesus is highlighting how the Pharisees fail to care for people. They are a counterfeit while He is the real deal. The continuation of the analogy into this section emphasizes that all the more.
A comparison is made between a good shepherd and a hireling. A good shepherd was markedly different from how a hireling would handle the flock. For example, he would care for his sheep, do no harm to them, and keep them from harm. If they were sick, he would nurse them back to health. If there was a predator, he would fight on behalf of his sheep. He would fend off thieves should they invade. In short, the shepherd would lay down his life for his sheep. This is not the case of a hireling.
A hireling really has no skin in the game when it comes to dealing with the sheep. He is simply there to get paid. He has no care nor compassion for the sheep. Caring for them is an inconvenience of the job. Should a predator or thief come along, the hireling gives them over. They refuse to put their neck on the line to protect a sheep.
With this distinction being made, Jesus assigns the roles. He is the Good Shepherd. They are the hirelings. He knows His sheep and lays His life down for them. He unites His sheep and desires that none should be scattered. He does this willingly. The result of the discourse leaves the people continuing to argue. Some accuse Jesus of having demons while others deny it could ever be the case.
What observations are you making in this passage?
A comparison is made between a good shepherd and a hireling. A good shepherd was markedly different from how a hireling would handle the flock. For example, he would care for his sheep, do no harm to them, and keep them from harm. If they were sick, he would nurse them back to health. If there was a predator, he would fight on behalf of his sheep. He would fend off thieves should they invade. In short, the shepherd would lay down his life for his sheep. This is not the case of a hireling.
A hireling really has no skin in the game when it comes to dealing with the sheep. He is simply there to get paid. He has no care nor compassion for the sheep. Caring for them is an inconvenience of the job. Should a predator or thief come along, the hireling gives them over. They refuse to put their neck on the line to protect a sheep.
With this distinction being made, Jesus assigns the roles. He is the Good Shepherd. They are the hirelings. He knows His sheep and lays His life down for them. He unites His sheep and desires that none should be scattered. He does this willingly. The result of the discourse leaves the people continuing to argue. Some accuse Jesus of having demons while others deny it could ever be the case.
What observations are you making in this passage?
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2026
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John 14:22-31 | What's the lesson for me today?John 14:22-31 | What am I going to do about it?John 14:22-31 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 15:1-11John 15:1-11 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 15:1-11 | What's the connection?John 15:1-11 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 15:1-11 | What's the lesson for me today?John 15:1-11 | What am I going to do about it?John 15:1-11 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 15:12-27John 15:12-27 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 15:12-27 | What's the connection?John 15:12-27 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 15:12-27 | What's the lesson for me today?John 15:12-27 | What am I going to do about it?John 15:12-27 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 16:1-15John 16:1-15 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 16:1-15 | What's the connection?John 16:1-15 | What’s a lesson for the original audience?John 16:1-15 | What's the lesson for me today?John 16:1-15 | What am I going to do about it?John 16:1-15 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 16:16-33John 16:16-33 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 16:16-33 | What's the connection?John 16:16-33 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 16:16-33 | What's the lesson for me today?John 16:16-33 | What am I going to do about it?John 16:16-33 | Prayer Prompts
February
Passage of the Week: John 17John 17 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 17 | What's the connection?John 17 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 17 | What's the lesson for me today?John 17 | What am I going to do about it?John 17 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 18:1-11John 18:1-11 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 18:1-11 | What's the connection?John 18:1-11 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 18:1-11 | What's the lesson for me today?John 18:1-11 | What am I going to do about it?John 18:1-11 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 18:12-40John 18:12-40 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 18:12-40 | What's the connection?John 18:12-40 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 18:12-40 | What's the lesson for me today?John 18:12-40 | What am I going to do about it?John 18:12-40 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 19John 19 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 19 | What's the connection?John 19 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 19 | What's the lesson for me today?John 19 | What am I going to do about it?John 19 | Prayer Prompts
March
Passage of the Week: John 20John 20 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 20 | What's the connection?John 20 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 20 | What's the lesson for me today?John 20 | What am I going to do about it?John 20 | Prayer PromptsJohn 21 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: John 21John 21 | What's happening (and who's involved)?John 21 | What's the connection?John 21 | What's a lesson for the original audience?John 21 | What's the lesson for me today?John 21 | What am I going to do about it?Passage of the Week: Hebrews 1:1-4Hebrews 1:1-4 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What's the connection?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What is a lesson for the original audience?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What's the lesson for me today?Hebrews 1:1-4 | What am I going to do about it?Hebrews 1:1-4 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: Hebrews 1:5-14Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's the connection?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's a lesson for the original audience?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What's the lesson for me today?Hebrews 1:5-14 | What am I going to do about it?Hebrews 1:5-14 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: Hebrews 2:1-4Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's the connection?
April
Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's a lesson for the original audience?Hebrews 2:1-4 | What's the lesson for me today?Hebrews 2:1-4 | What am I going to do about it?Hebrews 2:1-4 | Prayer PromptsPassage of the Week: Hebrews 2:5-9Hebrews 2:5-9 | What's happening (and who's involved)?Hebrews 2:5-9 | What's the connection?Hebrews 2:5-9 | What's a lesson for the original audience?
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