Christians are not “sheep” and Jesus Christ is not identified as the body of Christ’s “shepherd”.
- The apostle Paul provides the following titles for Jesus Christ within his 13 epistles:
- Lord
- Saviour
- The Head
- Head of the Church
- Head of the body
- Saviour of the body
- The head over all things to the Church
- The head of every man
- The head of all principality and power
- The last Adam
- The firstborn of every creature
- The beginning
- The firstborn from the dead
- The firstfruits of them that slept
- His dear Son / His own Son
- God (was) manifest in the flesh
- The great God and our Saviour, Jesus Christ
- The Lord of glory
- The image of God
- The power of God
- The wisdom of God
- The man Christ Jesus
- The second man, the Lord from heaven
- Mediator
- The Lord of peace
- The righteous judge
- Christ our Passover
- Israel is labeled as “sheep” within the Bible and the LORD is their Shepherd:
- Gen 49:24 – But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)
- Psalm 80:1 – Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.
- Isa 40:9-11 O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
- Jesus identifies “lost sheep” as being from the house of Israel:
- Mt 10:5-6 – These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
- See Ezekiel 34:1-31, Mt 25:32, Mt 26:31, Jn 10:11, 14