One of the defining features of the Gospels, and the Gospel of John especially, is misunderstanding. Misunderstandings about what Jesus says, where he comes from, and where he is going. The most confounding question of all, of course, is "Who is he?"

When Jesus asked the disciples who the people said he was, they responded that some said he was the Prophet foretold by Moses, some said he was Elijah, some said he was John the Baptizer back from the grave. Earlier in chapter 10, some said he had a demon, and others said that was impossible.

But here in this week's reading, the Jews of Jerusalem make the most pathetic and ironic of mistakes. They try to stone Jesus for blasphemy because "you, being a man, you make yourself God." They are so blind that they exactly invert the truth: he, being God, made himself Man.

We, too, make the same tragic mistake when we see all around us the works of the Lord Jesus in scripture, history, and creation and yet turn to him and say, "Who put you in charge? What right do you have to govern my life?"

He himself gave us the answer: "I am the good shepherd."

If there had ever been any ambiguity as to his identity, there was surely none here. No one familiar with Psalm 23 could miss that Jesus was identifying himself with the Shepherd of David's beloved song: none other than the covenant LORD of Israel. So let us follow this good shepherd who leads us beside still waters, for he made himself the Lamb who gave himself for all of us foolish sheep that we might dwell in the house of the LORD forever. IL