Our Good Shepherd

'The Good Shepherd: A Thousand Year Journey from Psalm 23 to the New Testament', by Kenneth E Bailey (SPCK, 2015, 288 pages, £12.99, also available from Eden for £12.50).

Anyone familiar with Kenneth Bailey's previous books will welcome this latest example of his expert analysis of Biblical texts within their Middle Eastern context.

Where this book differs is that here he takes a single theme, that of the Good Shepherd, and traces it throughout Scripture, taking us (as the subtitle states) on a thousand-year journey from Psalm 23 to the New Testament.

The Figure of the Shepherd

Bailey asserts that the image of the Good Shepherd was a key figure in early Christianity and one we need to recover in all its fullness. His intention is not to provide a full commentary on each passage but to focus on "the unfolding of the extraordinary story that is created in Psalm 23 and repeated (with changes) across a thousand years down to the penning of 1 Peter" (p27).

As we have come to expect from Bailey, he offers plenty of textual details and technical analysis, possibly challenging to some readers - but ideas are clearly presented and easy to follow.

Complementing his in-depth Biblical knowledge is his experience gained from decades of living in the Middle East surrounded by shepherds. The cultural background gleaned from conversations with them is very helpful, especially for those for whom shepherding is a distant matter.

Bailey helpfully complements his in-depth Biblical knowledge with his experience of living in the Middle East.

Nine Shepherd Passages

Bailey has selected nine passages, four in the Old Testament, five in the New, treating them like episodes in a single film and studying each in the light of the previous ones. Clearly Psalm 23 is foundational, providing the first account of the person of the Good Shepherd. Thus begins a long tradition, taken up and expanded in Jeremiah 23, Ezekiel 34 and Zechariah 10 where the concept of the straying sheep is developed and the contrasting theme of bad shepherds is introduced.

From the start Bailey sets out ten common ideas which he looks for in each passage, noting if they appear or not. At regular stages in the book he provides side-by-side comparisons of the texts and theological summaries, which are very helpful in keeping us on track.

Bailey studies and compares nine passages of Scripture, each of which opens up the concept of the Good Shepherd.

The New Testament passages include the obvious Luke 15 and John 10 and, perhaps more surprisingly, Matthew 18, Mark 6 and 1 Peter 5. But it is in these less expected passages (Mark 6 in particular) that some of the more fascinating links with Psalm 23 emerge. But even the more familiar passages, including Psalm 23 itself, are brilliantly explained and contain many new insights. In Luke 15, for example, we can now see how a classical story re-emerges in the life of Jesus as the parable of the lost sheep becomes that of the Good Shepherd. Also illuminating is how Jesus chose a vital moment and context to re-invent this story for a new audience, with himself in the key role.

Connecting up Scripture

Bailey has written extensively on Luke 15 before (see list below) and there may be some overlap - but he claims some revision of ideas also. Indeed, there may be many books on each of these passages but none unites and unifies them in this way showing the connectedness of Scripture and how an idea builds over time within God's story. Above all, it places Jesus in a larger context in which he is the culmination of God's plan. This is one of the strengths of the book.

It is a considerable challenge to write on Scripture in this way but Bailey has succeeded in a most satisfying way. Once again he combines his rich personal experience of life in the Middle East with a penetrating theological approach. His lucid style and attention to subtle details make this book an informative and stimulating source for teachers, preachers and scholars. Another triumph!

Informative and stimulating, with a lucid style and attention to subtle detail - other triumph.

Related Resources

Other books by Bailey available from SPCK: Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes. Also from Bailey on the Good Shepherd theme (and parables in Luke): Poet and Peasant and Through Peasant Eyes (Eerdmans), and Jacob and the Prodigal (The Bible Reading Fellowship).

The Synod of the Trinity Youtube channel contains several free video studies by Kenneth Bailey on the theme of the Good Shepherd, the first of which can be found here.