Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them… I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10:11-15 ESV).

What do sheep represent in the Bible?

Sheep were important to the nomads and agricultural life of the Hebrews and similiar peoples. Secondly, sheep are used throughout the Bible to symbolically refer to God’s people. The very first shepherd was Abel. He was also humanity’s first murder victim, slain by his brother Cain.

What does Jesus say about his sheep?

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

What does God say about the sheep?

God frequently likened His people to sheep in a positive way. Psalm 23 is quite well known, with its opening line, “ The Lord is my Shepherd.” Likewise we read in the Psalms, “Know that the Lord, He is God! It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture (Psalm 100:3; ESV).”

What the Bible says about sheep and goats?

From Matthew 25:31–46: “But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. Before him all the nations will be gathered, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

What does a sheep symbolize in Christianity?

In the Bible, sheep represent purity and innocence. It was the lamb that was sacrificed at Passover because it represented the Lamb of God–flawless, pure, and holy. And He’ll “separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats” (Matthew 25:32).

Why did Jesus use sheep and goats?

The Parable of the Sheep and Goats is found in Matthew 25:31-46. In this parable, Jesus uses the example of a shepherd who separates his sheep from his goats in order to help his followers understand what judgement will be like.

Who are the sheep of God?

i]) is a title for Jesus that appears in the Gospel of John. It appears at John 1:29, where John the Baptist sees Jesus and exclaims, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” It appears again in John 1:36.

What do shepherds do with sheep?

A shepherd’s primary responsibility is the safety and welfare of the flock. Some flocks may include as many as 1,000 sheep. The shepherd will graze the animals, herding them to areas of good forage, and keeping a watchful eye out for poisonous plants. Shepherds often live in trailers or other mobile quarters.

What does the Bible say about black sheep?

Jephthah in Judges 10:1-3 was driven away from home by his brothers because he was considered the black sheep of the family. Trying to do something worthwhile, Jephthah vowed to God that he would sacrifice the first thing that came out of his house if God would allow him to win a battle.

What do lambs symbolize?

In Christianity, the lamb represents Christ as both suffering and triumphant; it is typically a sacrificial animal, and may also symbolize gentleness, innocence, and purity. When depicted with the LION, the pair can mean a state of paradise. In addition, the lamb symbolizes sweetness, forgiveness and meekness.

Who were shepherds in the Bible?

It may also be worth noting that many biblical figures were shepherds, among them the patriarchs Abraham and Jacob, the twelve tribes, the prophet Moses, King David, and the Old Testament prophet Amos, who was a shepherd in the rugged area around Tekoa.

What Scripture talks about the lost sheep?

The parable of the lost sheep ( Matthew 18: 10–14 ) Jesus tells the parable of the lost sheep to show that the Kingdom of God is accessible to all, even those who were sinners or strayed from God’s path. He uses the example of a shepherd (God) who has 100 sheep and one goes missing.

What is the Gospel Matthew 25 31 46 about?

Jesus said to his disciples: “ When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

Why farmers separate sheep from goats?

Sheep graze low only while goats graze from low to high depending on what’s available. In a low forage environment, it would make sense for a shepherd to separate the sheep from the goats in the morning in order to take the sheep to low growing forage and the goats to the higher stuff.

Why are sheep separated from goats?

This term refers to Jesus’s prophecy in the New Testament (Matthew 25:32) that the sheep (that is, the compassionate) will sit on God’s right hand (and find salvation), and the goats (the hard-hearted) will sit on the left (and be sent to damnation).