10:1 For God as the Shepherd of His people, see Gen. 48:15; 49:24; Ps. 23:1; 28:9; 78:52; 80:1; Is. 40:11; Jer. 31:10; Ezek. 34:11–16. A prophecy in Zech. 13:7 concerning “the shepherd” of Israel was applied by Jesus to Himself (Matt. 26:31). Jesus here presents His ministry as the work of a shepherd. In other parts of the New Testament, Jesus is referred to as the “great shepherd” (Heb. 13:20) and “the chief Shepherd” (1 Pet. 5:4); and Rev. 7:17 says that “the Lamb . . . will be their shepherd.”

the sheepfold. A fenced enclosure with one entrance. Thieves and predators might climb over the fence to steal or even kill the sheep (vv. 8, 10).