Verse of the Day
Saturday, December 6, 2025
John 10:14–15
I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep.
Introduction
John 10:14–15 forms the heart of Jesus’ “Good Shepherd” discourse, offering one of the most intimate self-descriptions in the Fourth Gospel. Here Jesus presents Himself not merely as a protector or guide, but as the Good Shepherd whose relationship with His followers is marked by profound mutual knowledge. The line, “I know my own and my own know me,” signals a depth of relational communion that mirrors, in some measure, the eternal relationship between the Son and the Father. This passage invites readers to consider both the sacrificial nature of Christ’s mission and the deeply personal relationship He forms with His people.
Commentary
“I am the good shepherd”
The phrase employs the emphatic Greek construction egō eimi (“I am”), which in John often carries theological weight, echoing the divine self-identification in Exodus 3:14. By calling Himself “the good shepherd” (ho poimēn ho kalos), Jesus situates Himself within the long biblical tradition of God as Shepherd. The adjective kalos means not only “good” in moral character but also “noble,” “ideal,” or “beautiful,” emphasizing the Shepherd’s excellence in both nature and vocation. Jesus is not simply a shepherd—He is the Shepherd par excellence.
“I know my own and my own know me”
The verb ginōskō (“to know”) conveys far more than intellectual awareness; it suggests relational intimacy, deep familiarity, and covenantal loyalty. Jesus’ knowledge of His followers is personal, attentive, and rooted in love. Conversely, “my own know me” implies that true discipleship is marked by recognition, trust, and responsiveness. This mutual knowing stands in contrast to the distant or transactional relationships often associated with human leadership.
“Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father”
Here Jesus introduces a staggering comparison: the relationship between the shepherd and His sheep participates analogically in the mutual knowledge between Father and Son. This does not place the disciple on the level of divine intimacy, but it does suggest that the relationship between Christ and believers is patterned after the eternal Trinitarian relationship—characterized by unity, love, and perfect understanding. The analogy raises the status of the believer’s relationship with Christ from something practical to something profoundly ontological.
“I lay down my life for the sheep”
This phrase anticipates the cross, where Jesus willingly gives His life. The verb tithēmi (“lay down”) emphasizes intentionality and authority; Jesus chooses to offer His life. His death is not the result of victimization but of purposeful self-giving. The preposition hyper (“for”) underscores substitutionary and representative dimensions—His death is on behalf of, and for the benefit of, the sheep. Sacrifice is thus integral to His identity as the Good Shepherd.
Understanding the Context
These verses appear within John 10, a sustained metaphorical discourse in which Jesus contrasts Himself with illegitimate and harmful leaders. Earlier in the chapter, He identifies thieves and robbers—those who exploit the sheep—and hired hands who abandon the flock when danger arises. Against these images, Jesus stands as the faithful shepherd who guards, guides, and ultimately gives His life for the flock.
Shepherd imagery in the Hebrew Scriptures is rich and foundational. Psalm 23 presents the Lord as the Shepherd who guides His people through danger into safety and rest. Ezekiel 34 sharply criticizes Israel’s leaders as bad shepherds who fail to care for the flock, while God promises to shepherd His people Himself and to appoint “one shepherd,” a Davidic figure, over them. Jesus’ self-identification directly evokes these motifs, positioning Him as the fulfillment of Israel’s hope for divine shepherding.
Within this broader literary and theological context, John 10:14–15 crystallizes the key themes of identity, relationship, and sacrifice. It clarifies who Jesus is, what He does, and why His leadership is radically different from all others.
Application for Today
Understanding Jesus as the Good Shepherd shapes Christian identity by grounding it in being known rather than merely performing. Believers are not anonymous members of a spiritual institution but individuals recognized, valued, and pursued by Christ. This identity fosters trust—particularly in uncertain or tumultuous times—as disciples can rely on His attentive care and sacrificial commitment.
In discipleship, mutual knowing becomes a guiding principle. To “know” Jesus is not merely to assent to doctrines but to enter into a lived relationship that transforms patterns of decision-making, ethics, and community life. This relational knowledge encourages honesty, vulnerability, and responsiveness to Christ’s voice as revealed in Scripture and nurtured within the Church.
The contemporary implications of being “known by” Christ include assurance of belonging, a foundation for spiritual resilience, and an invitation to cultivate a life shaped by the Shepherd’s character. Rather than reducing faith to abstract belief or moral effort, this passage encourages Christians to root their lives in the Shepherd who fully knows their strengths, wounds, and deepest needs.
Reflection
To be known by the Good Shepherd is to live with a sense of profound security and identity that is neither self-generated nor dependent on public recognition. It means that one’s life is seen in its fullness—its dignity, struggles, and aspirations—and held within the compassionate gaze of Christ. The comparison to the Father–Son relationship underscores the depth of this bond; believers are drawn into a relational mystery that transcends human categories.
Living under the care of the Good Shepherd invites contemplation of what it means to trust a leader who sacrifices rather than exploits, who remains present rather than abandons, and who guides with wisdom rather than coercion. It challenges modern readers to reconsider the nature of true leadership and the kind of relational life to which they are called. In a world increasingly marked by anonymity and fragmentation, Jesus’ declaration offers a vision of belonging rooted in love, attentiveness, and self-giving commitment.
The Bible texts are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Bible, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Verse of the Day is a daily inspirational and encouraging Bible verse, extracted from BibleGateway.com. Commentary by Kenny Sallee, ThM.
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