Sheep in Scripture

by Krisan Marotta | Sep 7, 2022 | 02 Library, Background & History

Sheep in Scripture: Metaphors about sheep and their shepherd have a rich background in the Old Testament that continues in the New Testament.

This imagery is fairly easy to understand. Sheep need a shepherd. The shepherd feeds the sheep by leading them to the pasture. The shepherd protects them from predators. The shepherd keeps them from wandering off from the fold, the place of safety. Without a shepherd, sheep can easily end up hungry, lost and the victim of predators.

Metaphorically speaking, the same thing happens spiritually to people without a shepherd. Without someone to point us in the right direction and protect us from the things that will destroy us, we are lost.

Sheep in Scripture

Old Testament

Psa 44:11; Psa 44:22; Psa 49:14; Psa 74:1; Psa 78:52; Psa 79:13; Psa 95:7; Psa 100:3; Psa 119:176; Psa 144:13;

Isa 13:14; Isa 53:6; Isa 53:7;

Jer 12:3; Jer 23:1; Jer 50:6; Jer 50:17;

Eze 34:2; Eze 34:3; Eze 34:5; Eze 34:6; Eze 34:8; Eze 34:10; Eze 34:11; Eze 34:12; Eze 34:15; Eze 34:17; Eze 34:19; Eze 34:20; Eze 34:22; Eze 34:31; Eze 45:15;

Hos 12:12; Mic 2:12; Mic 5:8; Zec 10:2; Zec 11:7; Zec 13:7.

New Testament

Mat 7:15; Mat 9:36; Mat 10:6; Mat 10:16; Mat 12:11; Mat 12:12; Mat 15:24; Mat 18:12; Mat 25:32; Mat 25:33; Mat 26:31;

Mar 6:34; Mar 14:27; Luk 15:4; Luk 15:6; Luk 17:7;

Joh 2:14; Joh 2:15; Joh 5:2; Joh 10:2; Joh 10:3; Joh 10:4; Joh 10:7; Joh 10:8; Joh 10:11; Joh 10:12; Joh 10:13; Joh 10:15; Joh 10:16; Joh 10:26; Joh 10:27; Joh 21:16; Joh 21:17;

Act 8:32; Rom 8:36; Heb 11:37; Heb 13:20; 1Pe 2:25; Rev 18:13.

Go to top