Christ The Good Shepherd..
1. AT that time there passed by the way a shepherd leading his flock to the fold; and Iesus took up one of the young lambs in his arms and talked to it lovingly and pressed it to his bosom. And he spake to his disciples saying:
2. I am the good shepherd and know my sheep and am known of mine. As the Parent (of All) knoweth me, even so know I (my sheep) and lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold; them also must I bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
3. I lay down my life, that I may take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay my body down and I have power to take it up again.
4. I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd feedeth his flock, he gathereth his lambs in his arms and carrieth them in his bosom and gently leadeth those that are with young, yea the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
5. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd (whose own the sheep are not) seeth the wolf coming and leaveth the sheep and fleeth, and the wolf catcheth them and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth because he is an hireling and careth not for the sheep.
6. I am the door: by me all who enter shall be safe, and shall go in and out and find pasture. The evil one cometh not but for to steal and to kill and destroy; I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
7. He that entereth in by the door, is the shepherd of the sheep, to whom the porter openeth, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calleth his sheep by name, and leadeth them out, and he knoweth the number.
8. And when he putteth forth his sheep he goeth before them and the sheep follow him for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him, for they know not the voice of strangers.
9. This parable spake Iesus unto them, but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. Then said Iesus unto them again,
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me and I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
10. My Parent (who gave them me) is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Parent’s hand. I and my Parent are One.
11. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Iesus answered them,
Many good works have I shewed you from my Parent, for which of those works do ye stone me?
One With the Father & Mother
12. The Jews answered him, saying,
For a good work we stone thee not, but for blasphemy, because that thou being a man maketh thyself equal with God.
Iesus answered them,
Said I that I was equal to God? Nay, but I am one with God. Is it not written in the Scripture, I said, Ye are gods?
13. If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the Scripture cannot be broken, say ye of him, whom the Parent (of All) hath sanctified and sent into the world. Thou blasphemest; because I said I am the Son (of God) and therefore One with the All Parent?
14. If I do not the works of my Parent believe me not, but if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works, that ye may know and believe that the Spirit (of the great Parent) is in me, and I in my Parent.
15. Therefore they sought again to take him, but he escaped out of their hands and went away again beyond Jordan, into the place where John at first baptized and there he abode.
16. And many resorted unto him, and said,
John, indeed did not miracle, He is the Prophet that should come.
And many believed on him.
LECTlON 55. 1. -This beautiful parable bas been sadly mangled in the A.V., and shorn of the opening incident which led to the discourse.