1 Peter 2 on the Christ the Good Shepherd
Outline & Notes based on those of Melville Scott
Jesus’ role as the Good Shepherd is grounded in (and a demonstration of) divine love.
A. The Christian Calling.
The Christian ideal is not satisfied by mere resignation under punishment, for the Christian is to be patient, not only when he suffers justly, but when he suffers wrongly. He must be as ready to suffer for doing right as he is for doing wrong. Such patience is “acceptable with God,” for it can only come from the highest motives (“conscience towards God”). Christian meekness is far more than a mere passive quality, and must never be confounded with weakness, for it needs far more strength to restrain our passions than to let them have their way. The Christian is meek because the passion of love has the mastery over all other passions.
B. The Example of Love.
Such conduct is our bounden duty, for we are called not only to trust in Christ, but to follow Christ. We are to follow His footsteps of sinlessness, of sincerity, of meekness under provocation, of calm confidence in the just judgement of God. Unless we endeavour to be like Christ in His holiness we cannot be like Him in His patience, Who “did good and suffered for it.” We cannot otherwise suffer as Christ, but at best only as the penitent thief “receiving the due reward of our deeds.” But we are called to do far more than this.
C. The Sacrifice of Love.
Love was the very essence of Christ’s sacrifice, and must, therefore, be the example we are to follow. The exceeding love of Christ’s sacrifice is seen in every phrase of the description.
“His Own Self.” — He alone could bear the Cross, and He bore it alone. The Good Shepherd did not send after the lost sheep, but went after them.
“In His Own Body.” — The high priests had offered the bodies of animals, turning over to them the pain of sacrifice. Christ bore all “in His Own Body.”
“Upon the tree” — a place of agony inconceivable and of shame inexpressible, of dreadful loneliness, of horrible publicity. He was made as one accursed for us.
All this was a sacrifice of love, for it was done “for our sins.”
D. The Purpose of Love.
Christ’s purpose in thus dying was far more than merely our pardon. He came, not merely that our sins should be forgiven, but that we “having died to sin should live unto righteousness.” He came to heal the wounds of sin and to restore us to perfect soundness. He came, not merely that our wanderings should be overlooked, but that we should cease to wander; not only to bring us back to the fold, but as our “Shepherd and Bishop” to keep us ever under His love and care. Thus the final words of the Epistle prepare for the fuller teaching of the Gospel…
I am the Good Shepherd. He is our shepherd/pastor and our overseer/bishop. The full gamut of church ministry stems from him.
Leorningcnihtes boc 