OLD TESTAMENT

• God is the Shepherd (Gen 49:24; Ps 23; 80:1).
• God’s appointed leaders are undershepherds (Ezek 34).
• Many people in the Old Testament were shepherds by trade, like Abel, Abraham, Isaac, Rachel, Jacob, Moses, and David.
• Foreign leaders were sometimes called shepherds when their leadership impacted God’s people (Isa 44:28).
• The prophets depicted the distress of Israel without leadership or bad leader in terms of a flock without a shepherd (Ezek 34:1-10; Zech 10:2; 13:7).
• The prophets used shepherds imagery to point to the Messiah to come (Ezek 34:22-24; 37:24; Isa 40:11; Zech 13:7; see also Matt 26:31; Mark 14:27).

NEW TESTAMENT

• Jesus is our Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:34).
• Jesus is our Good Shepherd (John 10:1-30).
• Jesus is our Great Shepherd (Heb 13:20).
• Jesus had compassion on the large crowds who came out to see him because they were “like sheep without a shepherd” (Matt 9:36; Mark 6:34).
• Jesus used sheep and shepherds in his parables (Matt 12:11-12; 18:12-14; 25:31-46).
• Jesus commissioned his disciples to care for his sheep (Matt 10:6, 16; John 21:16-17).
• Jesus is the lamb of sacrifice (John 1:29; Acts 8:32; 1 Peter 1:19; Rev 5:6).
• Elders are shepherds under Christ (1 Peter 5:2).

SHEPHERD’S DUTIES	JESUS’S ACTIONS
Leads the sheep to safe pasture and water.	Calls disciples to follow wherever he leads (Matt 4:18-22; John 10:4-9)
Protects the sheep from predators, pests, parasites, other sheep, and natural dangers.	Warns, intercedes and rescues (Mark 8:15; John 17:12-15; Matt 20:28; John 10:15)
Feeds the sheep, including removing poisonous plants and providing access to foliage on high branches or after a snowfall.	Feeds the crowds. He himself is the bread of life (Matt 14:13-21; 15:32-39; John 6:22-71).
Cares for the weak or sick lambs.	Cares for the weak and sick (Matt 14:14; 34-36).
Disciplines wayward sheep and retrieving the lost	Rebukes his disciples and finds those who have lost their way (Matt 14:29-31; 16:23; Luke 22:31-34).
Protects cultivated land and crops from the sheep.	Guides his disciples in the way of caring about others (Luke 6:27-36).
Prevents over grazing.	Teaches his disciples to be wise and harmless (Matt 10:16).