The Good Shepherds

It's easier for us to fully appreciate the teaching ministry of Jesus when we understand the religious climate established by the Jewish leaders. Understanding Jesus' teaching of the law against this backdrop gives us insight into why the religious leaders hated him and why the general populace recognized the stark contrast between Jesus and the Pharisees. It was a contrast between shepherds who fed themselves versus God's true "shepherds after [God's] own heart, who [would] feed [God's people] with knowledge and understanding." (Jeremiah 3:15)