4th
Sunday of Easter - May 11, 2025
Acts 13:14, 43-52; Revelation 7:9, 14b-17; John
10:27-30
Theme:
Jesus is the Good Shepherd
A.
A Brief Exegetical Analysis of Jon 10:27-30
1. Historical and Literary Contexts
Chapter
10 of John’s Gospel, from which our text is taken, serves as a commentary on Jn
9, which details the dispute between the Jewish religious leaders and Jesus
regarding the healing of the blind man (9:1-41). In the first part of chap. 10,
the Good Shepherd Discourse (10:1-21), Jesus continued to respond to the
Pharisees’ question of “Surely we are not also blind, are we?” (9:40-41). He
polemically identified himself as the “gate for the sheep” (10:7) and “the Good
Shepherd” (10:11), while viewing the Jewish religious leaders as the “thieves
and robbers” (10:8, 10). This discourse caused a schism among the Jews: some
began to believe in him, while many others did not, as they still considered
him to be “possessed and out of his mind” (10:19-21). Three months later, this
topic resumed during the celebration of the Feast of the Dedication, as
reported in 10:22-40. Our Gospel passage is part of this debate, now focusing
on Jesus' Messianic status.
2.
Form,
Structure, and Movement
This
Gospel passage is an allegorical discourse. Jesus first describes his
relationship with his sheep (vv. 27-29) and concludes with a note on his
relationship with his Father (v. 30).
3. Detailed
Analysis
In
vv. 22-26, which immediately precedes our text, the narrator locates the scene
in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon in wintertime during the feast of
the Dedication (see vv. 22-23). This feast (Hanukkah in Hebrew) is an
eight-day festival of lights. It is held in December, three months after the Tabernacle
feast (see Jn 7:2). In the Feast of the Dedication, the Jews celebrate the
Maccabees’ rededication of the altar and reconsecration of the temple in 164
B.C. after their desecration by Antiochus IV Epiphanes (see Dn 8:13; 9:27; 1 Mc
4:36-59; 2Mc 1:18–2:19; 10:1-8).[1]
During
this feast of the Dedication, the Jews gather around Jesus and question him
about his divine identity: “How long are you going to keep us in suspense?
If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” (Jn 10:24). In his answer, Jesus
speaks about the basis and purpose of his messianic status. First, he evokes
the works he accomplishes in his Father’s name as a testimony to his claim.
Then, referring to the image of the Good Shepherd he developed previously in
10:1-18, he affirms that the Jews do not believe in him because they are not
among his sheep (vv. 25-26). Our passage continues from here, extending Jesus’
response to the Jews.
Vv.
27-30. Jesus speaks of his relationship with his sheep, his believers. Three
strong verbs (Hear, Know, and Follow) characterize his relationship with them.
(1) The believers hear Jesus’ voice, meaning they believe in him and observe
his teachings. (2) Jesus knows them all, which connotes a personal and intimate
spiritual relationship. (3) The believers follow Jesus in the context of
discipleship (v. 27). Jesus gives eternal life to his believers (v. 28a), who
are the gifts he received from his Father (v. 29a). Since his Father is greater
than all, his believers will never perish (v. 28b), and no one can take them
from Jesus’ hands (v. 28c), which are also God’s hands (v. 29b) because he and
God the Father are one (v. 30).
By
asserting that he and God the Father are one, Jesus offers a new interpretation
of the celebration of the Feast of the Dedication. The Jews view the temple’s
structure as God’s presence among them. In celebrating this feast of the
Dedication, the Jews “pride themselves on their consecrated Temple, the
physical evidence of their belonging to God and, in some way, of God’s
belonging to them.” Here, Jesus indicates that he replaces the Temple. They
should no longer rely on the temple building to recognize God’s presence among
the people. He himself is the visible presence of God among them. Anyone who
believes in him belongs not only to him but also to God the Father because God
the Father and he are one.[2]
4. Synthesis
In
his response to the Jews’ question about whether he is the Messiah, Jesus
previously asserted that the works he has accomplished in his Father’s name testify
to his Messianic identity. If the Jews do not believe in him, it is because
they are not among his sheep (10:22-26). Now, in our passage, Jesus describes
his relationship with his sheep, who are his believers. They hear his voice,
signifying that they believe in him and observe his teachings. Jesus knows each
of them personally and intimately in a spiritual relationship. His believers
follow him in the sense of discipleship. Jesus grants them eternal life. They
are the gifts he received from his Father, and since his Father is greater than
all, they will never perish, as no one can take them from Jesus’ hands, which
are also God’s hands because he and God the Father are one.
B. Pastoral Implications
1. Liturgical Context
This
Fourth Sunday of Easter is the World Day of Prayer for Vocations to the
priesthood and religious life. It is also called “The Good Shepherd Sunday”
because, in all three Liturgical Calendars, we read the “Good Shepherd
Discourse” from chap. 10 of the Gospel of John (Year A: vv. 1-10; Year B: vv.
11-18; and Year C: vv. 27-30). In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus, the Good
Shepherd, speaks of his Messianic mission: granting his sheep eternal life. The
sacred author of our second reading confirms this eternal life when he reveals
that in his vision, he saw a great multitude from every background before the
throne of God, who will never suffer again because the Lamb will be their
shepherd and lead them to springs of life-giving water. The first reading
highlights the success of the mission of Paul and Barnabas, the “good
shepherds” among the Gentiles. Today, we are the “good shepherds” of our time.
Let us continue the mission of Jesus (Gospel) and Paul and Barnabas (first
reading) so that the people of our time may also be part of the great multitude
who will stand before the throne of God on the last day (second reading).
2. What the Church Teaches Us Today
Unlike
the Jews who did not believe in Jesus’ Messianic identity because they were not
among his sheep, we today believe that Jesus is our Messiah, and we are his
sheep. Jesus states that his sheep “hear my voice; I know them, and they follow
me” (Jn 10:27). Three strong verbs (Hear, Know, and Follow) characterize our
relationship with Jesus. (1) We are called to “hear” Jesus’ voice when he
speaks to us through the Scripture readings at each Mass we attend, and every
time we read, study, share, and pray with the Word of God. We also hear Jesus’
voice through our priests, parents, schoolteachers, catechists, and brothers
and sisters. We hear Jesus’s voice when we are attentive to the suffering of
our brothers and sisters and come to their aid.
(2)
Although billions of people exist in this world, Jesus knows each of us
individually. He knows our joys and pains, strengths and weaknesses. Thus, let
us continuously strengthen our relationship with our Lord through the
sacraments, particularly the Eucharist and Confession.
(3)
From our baptism, we vowed to follow Jesus in the sense of discipleship. To
follow Jesus means to respond to his invitation to partake in the liturgy of
the Mass, read, study, and share his Word (Bible), and help the poor. This is
what the people of Antioch did in our first reading. We heard that almost the
whole city gathered to hear the Word of the Lord. We, too, should invite our
family members, relatives, and friends to our Masses (especially on
Sundays).
God
gave us to Jesus as gifts. Jesus grants eternal life to all of us who follow
him and hear his voice (Jn 10:28a, 29a). He promises that we will never perish,
and no one can take us from his hands (Jn 10:28b). We are in the hands of the
one who defeated the devil and conquered sin and death. In Jesus’ hands, we
feel protected, safe, and loved. There is no safer place we have ever been than
in Jesus’ hands. To be in Jesus’ hands is to be in God’s hands because Jesus
and God the Father are one, and our God is greater than all (Jn 10:29-30).
The
sacred author of our second reading confirms the eternal life that Jesus grants
us when he reveals that in his vision, he saw a great multitude from every
nation, tribe, and language that no one could count, standing before the throne
of God. He states that this multitude will never suffer because the Lamb, who
is at the center of the throne, will be their shepherd; his mission is to lead
them to springs of living water (Rev 7:9, 14b-17). Jesus is that Lamb, the Good
Shepherd, who guides us to springs of eternal life. Let us continue to hear his
voice and follow him wherever he may lead us. Amen.
Rev. Leon
Ngandu, SVD
Pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church, Jackson, MS
&
SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator
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