Keywords

Jesus, Christ, Shepherd-King, Christianity

Abstract

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters” (Psalm 23:1–2). So begins one of the most beloved psalms and best-known biblical passages mentioning a shepherd. Shepherd imagery is utilized in scripture to depict three important aspects of Jesus’s identity and mission: His roles as Savior, King, and Jehovah, the God of Israel. Of these three, His role as compassionate Savior, devoted to protecting and saving the flock of God, is the aspect of shepherd symbolism that typically comes to mind. Less well known, but equally important, is the royal dimension of the title “Shepherd.”

Original Publication Citation

“Jesus, the Great Shepherd-King,” in Celebrating Easter, edited by Thomas A. Wayment and Keith J. Wilson (Provo: BYU Religious Studies Center, 2007), 61-86.