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1 Peter and Jesus – Jesus As A Shepherd (2:25; 5:4)
1 Peter and Jesus #7
One of Jesus’ favorite analogies for Himself is that He was a shepherd (poimēn). Each gospel, except Luke’s account, has at least two uses of that description of Jesus, with John having the most with six (10:2,11-16). Jesus even calls Himself the Good Shepherd using the well known “I am” statement (Jn.10:11,14). Both Matthew and Mark include Jesus looking at Jewish crowds (Mt.9:36; Mk.6:34), and then His apostles as sheep without a shepherd (Mt. 26:11; 14:27).
In the rest of the NT, the noun shepherd/poimen is used only three more times, plus a fourth that takes poimen and adds a prefix. Of these three, one is used of men who serve as shepherds or pastors (Eph.4:11). A second is used in Hebrews describing Jesus as the “Great Shepherd” (Heb.13:20). The last is used by Peter in a way reminiscent of the lost sheep usage by Jesus in Matthew and Mark. Peter says,
1 Peter 2:25 (HCSB) For you were like sheep going astray, but you have now returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.
When Peter uses it, it is as if it is a fulfillment of Jesus’ use. Jesus looked at the crowds and said they were like sheep that went astray, so He began to teach them. Peter says they have returned to the Shepherd.
The other use by Peter takes the phrases “Good Shepherd,” and “Great Shepherd,” and goes even higher. Jesus is the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4). So when we read of Peter speaking of Jesus as a shepherd, remember that he heard that analogy straight from Jesus’ lips.
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