John 10:11

Is Jesus the shepherd or a sheep?

PROBLEM: John presents Christ here as the “Good Shepherd.” Yet elsewhere He is a sheep (lamb) that dies for our sins (John 1:29; John 1:36). Which is He?

SOLUTION: Christ is appropriately presented by both figures of speech. He died as our Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7), and He leads and guides His people as a Good Shepherd. In one context, believers are like the people of Israel who need the passover lamb to die for them. In the other, we are like wandering sheep who need a shepherd to lead us. Both are true.

JOHN 10:11 — Did Jesus die just for His friends or for His enemies too?

PROBLEM: John quotes Jesus as claiming that He laid down His “life for the sheep” (cf. 15:13). But Paul claims “Christ died for the ungodly” while they were still “enemies” (Romans 5:6; Romans 5:10). How can both be true?

SOLUTION: Jesus died for both His friends (disciples) and His enemies. In fact, His “friends” were enemies when He died for them. There is no contradiction here, since the text does not say that Christ died only for His friends. He did die for those who would become His friends, but He also died for those who would remain His enemies. Peter refers to the apostates who were “denying the Lord who bought them” (2 Peter 2:1).