John 10:11-15 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.… You will notice the difference between the Old and the New translation here. The new translation makes the meaning of our Saviour's words much clearer. He says, "I am the Good Shepherd; and there is an understanding between Me and My sheep, as there is an understanding between My Father and Me." For people to understand one another, there must be something in common. The Pharisees could not understand our Lord. They had nothing in common with Him. As He said to them, "Ye are from beneath; I am from above; ye are of this world; I am not of this world." No, they could not understand Him; any more than a man without an ear for music can understand music, or a dull prosy mind can understand poetry, or a person who always acts from self-interested motives can understand another who has more thought for others than for himself. But Christ's disciples could understand Him: not perfectly, often very imperfectly; still they had that which made them capable of understanding Him to some extent, and of being trained to understand Him more fully in time; as one who loves music can enjoy and to some extent understand a great musician, one who is not altogether selfish can appreciate the nobility of self-sacrifice for the good of others. Some of Christ's disciples had made sacrifices for Him, though small compared with what He had made for them. There were those among His little flock who had left all they had on earth to follow Him, and this, and the faith which led them to it, had made them able to know and understand Him who had left all He had in heaven for their sake. (J. E. Vernon, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.WEB: I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. |