Daily Devotions
My Song In The Night (Gospel of John)
我夜间的歌曲 (约翰福音）
The Shepherd and Sheep Imagery
Text: John 10: 1
THE SHEPHERD AND SHEEP IMAGERY
Jesus was a Master-Teacher. He employed many means to teach effectively. One of them was to use imagery. The Shepherd and Sheep imagery was well-known to Israel.
1. God as Shepherd and Israel as sheep
The following are samples of how this imagery was employed in Biblical literature
a. Psalm 23:1-4
b. Psalm 100:3
c. Isaiah 40:11
2. Jesus portrayed Himself as a Shepherd in John 10
a. He was the door of the sheep.
b. He was the good shepherd.
THE TERM “SHEPHERD”
The term “shepherd” was used to describe the following in Old Testament literature. The work of shepherds includes the following:
1. Feeding the flock.
2. Protection of the sheep.
3. Keep watch over the defenceless sheep.
Not all were good shepherds. Many were in fact bad shepherds. Bad shepherds exposed the sheep in danger. God spoke against these bad shepherds (Jeremiah 23:1-2). He also promised that He would shepherd His people personally. He would raise up good shepherds for His people (Jeremiah 23:3-6). Jesus fulfilled this prophetic word)
FULFILLING A BIBLICAL PROPHECY
Jesus came to fulfil an ancient prophecy of the Messiah who would take care of His flock wisely and faithfully. But first, Jesus had to deal with the problem of false shepherds outrightly.
A FIRM WORD OF WARNING
Before Jesus could teach about being a good shepherd, He had to give a word of warning to all who were hearing him.
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.”
John 10:1
1. “Most assuredly, I say to you”
Jesus wanted His disciples to have a full sense of knowledge and assurance on this subject.
2. Identifying the false shepherd
a. He does not enter the sheepfold by the door.
b. He tries to climb into the public sheepfold by other means.
经文：约翰福音10：1
牧人和羊的意象
耶稣是位技术最高超的老师。祂利用了许多不同的方式来有效地教训人。其中一个方式就是利用意象。以色列对于牧人和羊的意象很熟悉。
1. 上帝为牧人而以色列为羊
以下是圣经使用这个意象的例子
a. 诗篇23：1-4
b. 诗篇100：3
c. 以塞亚书40：11
2. 耶稣在《约翰福音10》里把自己比喻为牧人
a. 祂是羊的门
b. 祂是好牧人
“牧人”这个词语
“牧人”这个词语在旧约里被用来形容以下几点。牧人的工作包括：
1．牧养羊群
2．保护羊群
3．看守无助的羊
不是每个牧人都是好的。其实很多是坏牧人。坏牧人会使羊群陷入险境。上帝谴责了这些坏牧人《耶利米书23：1-2》。祂也承诺祂会亲自当祂的子民的牧者。祂会设立照管他们的好牧人，牧养他们《耶利米书23：3-6》。耶稣应验了这预言。
应验圣经里的预言
耶稣是来应验一个古老的预言，那就是一个有智慧又衷诚的弥赛亚会来照顾祂的羊群。但首先，耶稣必须很直接地处理假牧人的问题。
严肃的告诫
耶稣在教导如何成为好牧人之前，必须告诫所有听祂说话的人。
“‘我实实在在地告诉你们：人进羊圈，不从门进去，倒从别处爬进去，那人就是贼，就是强盗。’”
《约翰福音10：1》
1. “我实实在在地告诉你们”
耶稣要门徒对于这件事拥有完全的认识及确据。
2. 识别假牧人
a. 他进羊圈时，不从门进去
b. 他试图从别处爬进公共羊圈
“‘我实实在在地告诉你们：人进羊圈，不从门进去，倒从别处爬进去，那人就是贼，就是强盗。’”
《约翰福音10：1》