The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1908-03-26
Jesus the
Good Shepherd
Sunday School Lesson Cor April 5. 1908
Specially Prepared tor This Paper

| verse; y.
GOLDEN TEXr.-"The good shepherd
gveth his life Tor the sheep John lo:ii
| TIME September. A. ID. p, at the feast
| ot taoernaclcs tjohn I'D. Some common
tators however, consider that John s.l.io;
q took place at the feast OF dedication
John lO.g0 in November. The latter
part OF the third year OF Jesus public
| ministry.
PLACE. Jerusalem. On the second
superstition as to time, the exact place
was Soiomou's porch. on the east side ot
the temple Jesus with Ills audience
| might have seen the shepherds gathering
| their scattered locks if they grazcd out
from the courts OF the temple over the
| neighboring hills."-Public Commentary.
| PERSONS. Probably the blind man
whom Christ had just healed. some OF
Christ's disciples. and some OF the fhari-
sees
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
The Twofold Parable: the Fold, the
Shepherd.-Vs 1-6. First let us try
to put ourselves back among the
sheepfolds OF Christ's time. How we're
they arranged? The fold was n
walled enclosure open TO the sky. with
a solid door. which was closely barred
at night by the doorkeeper, and opened
by him In the morning when the shep'
herds came 10 claim their sheep,
which they had left in the fold the
previous evening. in order TO lead out
TO pasture Century Bible The door
keeper or porter" would know that
anyone found climbing In over the
wall was "a thief "a sneak thief.
or "a robber" Ia more violent rascal)
The TwofoId Interpretation Of the
Parable.--Vs. 7-42. What double anal
ogy did Christ draw from the parallel
lie was the Door w. ~ and the shep'
herd ". III. Why did he run the
risk OF confusing his hearers? Because
truth is so manysided. and Christ
means SO much 10 men. that many
comparisons are needed TO picture II
all.
First Analogy: Christ. the Door
Eva. 7-9). How is Christ like the door
o, a fold? Through him alone can
men enter into the peace and safety
that a fold implics-safety from the
ravening beasts OF sin. peace IN the
consciousness OF safety Through tho
door, too they so out ". % into the
pasture" What am a doc TO. any
how Jes' to shet 20 out, jes' TO shet
yo in or to let yo thro'. Jesus am de
Doc de way into de Kingdom: an
he am de Doc. de way out into life.
He sho' did say. II go enters In by
me. yo' shall be saved'-no evil can
git by de Doc Jesus An yo' shall sc
out an in, Honey. dat am de free
dom what he am all de time prom.sin'
An yO' shall find pasture Dat am de
fullness OF life what he am all de tine
tellin' bout When 20 passes out an
when yo' passes In. 20 sho' nuf has
to pass right by de Mastah. and look
him plum squar In de eyes,. w.
Lawranoe. Go In and out was a
phrase familiar to the Jews See
Deut. 2S: 6: Pisa. 1871: s; Jer. 81: 4
Why did Christ say he was the
door Of the sheep. rather than "of the
fold?" Because Christ was thinking OF
his individual followers the sheep,
rather than OF the fold, his church.
He is the door OF both.
who were those that came before
Christ. the thieves and robbers. whom
the sheep did not hearg Not the
prophets. who humbly pointed forward
to Christ, but the Jewish leaders OF
the. time lust before Christ. and es.
pecially the Pharisees. They had laid
many heavy burdens upon the people.
who had been compelled TO obey the
severe requirements OF formal religion,
but their hearts never yielded to these
false leaders. the sheep did not hear
them"
Second Analogy: Chris the Shep
herd Tvs. 1O-1s. 22-3O) AS opposed TO
the Pharisees' wrong way OF enter.
ing the Kingdom. Christ was the
Door: but as opposed 10 the charac
ter OF the Pharisees. he was the Shep-
herd. "As mediator between God and
man. he is the Door; as prophet or
teacher he is the Good Shepherd
James NJ. Macdonald. ID. d. This is
frequent metaphor of the Old Tesla
meut. applied to God and to Gods
honored servants mum. ~: 1871;
Pisa. 20: so: /; lisa. 40: IL; Jer. 20:
"a: Ezek. 81: lll6; Zech. IL: 4-17)
Homer often speaks Of his kings and
leaders as shepherds; see also Platos
Republic, Book |. THE figure has
impressed itself deeply on the mind
of Christendom, and is conspicuous
in the art and literature OF the
churches. II IS still the emblem OF the
Christian ministry, from the office OF
the bishop, with bis pastoral stan. to
that OF the village preacher, who Is
known as pastor. "-Century Bible
.'ThIg is the favorite and most touch
ing figure In the Catacombs. IL seems
to inspire the early Christian painters
with delightful skill.
How was Christ like shepherd?
In % his care OF men Tvs. 1919. In
(2) his knowledge Of men Tvs. IA. 15).
in co the breadth OF his love for men
". l6). In t4) the eagerness OF mems
love for him ". 27), IN go his divine
commission TO care for men Tvs. 10.
II, IS. IS. 29.j
Two Kinds OF Hearers Tvs. 1921.
31-42.) Christ's words, Ike a two
edged sword. always divided his hear
ers into two classes: those that