Easter Season · Year B
Fourth Sunday of Easter
April 18, 2027
Overview & Insights
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11)
The brief exchange between Jesus and the Pharisees in 9:39–41 is only the beginning of a discourse extending (with one interruption) through most of chapter 10. The pattern found in chapters 5 and 6, a miracle followed by a discourse interpreting it, is maintained here as well. What chapter 10 interprets, however, is not the healing of the blind man as such but the events that followed the healing, that is, the former blind man’s expulsion from the synagogue and his confession of faith in Jesus. Two contrasts dominate the chapter: the contrast between the Pharisees and Jesus as shepherds of the people and the contrast between the Pharisees and the former blind man as recipients of Jesus’ message.
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Commentary
John 10 Commentary: The Good Shepherd, Verse by Verse Enduring Word · David Guzik
David Guzik works verse by verse through the Good Shepherd who lays down his life and takes it up again for the sheep.
John 10:11 Commentaries BibleHub
Classic commentators (Barnes, Gill, Ellicott, Meyer) gathered on the Good Shepherd contrasted with the hired hand.
John 10 Commentary (Precept Austin) Precept Austin
A deep study collating many scholars, word notes, and cross references across the Good Shepherd discourse.
John 10:11-18 (Center for Excellence in Preaching) Center for Excellence in Preaching
A Reformed preaching commentary reading the Good Shepherd against Ezekiel 34 and the one flock gathered from many folds.
Commentary on John 10:11-18 Working Preacher
A Luther Seminary scholar on Jesus' claim to be the Good Shepherd who knows and dies for his sheep.
Fourth Sunday of Easter, Cycle B (Sunday Connection) Loyola Press · Sunday Connection
Loyola Press Sunday Connection for Good Shepherd Sunday with a Catholic reading of the Gospel plus reflection activities.
John 10 (Word on Fire) Word on Fire · Bishop Barron
Word on Fire's Catholic scripture hub for John 10, gathering Bishop Barron commentary and reflections on the Good Shepherd.
Background & Word Study
John (Enter the Bible) Enter the Bible
Luther Seminary background on the authorship, structure, and themes of John's Gospel (a background resource, not a preaching commentary).
John 10:11 Interlinear BibleHub
The Greek text word by word with parsing and Strong's numbers, including the good (kalos) shepherd.
Gospel of John Summary (Overview Video) BibleProject
An animated overview tracing the literary design of John and its I AM sayings, including the Good Shepherd.
The Church Fathers
Questions preachers ask
Why is this called Good Shepherd Sunday?
On the Fourth Sunday of Easter Jesus names himself the Good Shepherd who knows his sheep and lays down his life for them, and who has other sheep to gather into one flock.
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