"The Lord is my shepherd." Thus begins the most beloved of all Psalms―and thus begins a thousand-year journey through the Bible. Prophets, apostles and Jesus himself took up this image from David, reshaping it, developing it and applying it to their own situations and needs. Kenneth Bailey uses his celebrated insights into Middle Eastern culture and especially his familiarity with Middle Eastern shepherding customs to bring new light and life to our understanding of this central image of the Christian faith. With each of nine major Old and New Testament passages, Bailey reveals the literary artistry of the Biblical writers and summarizes their key theological features. His work is also enriched by his unique access to very early Middle Eastern commentaries on these passages, bringing fresh understanding from within the mindset of these ancient worlds. The Good Shepherd invites us to experience a rich, biblical feast of ethical, theological and artistic delights.
"This book will work for a variety of audiences, from undergraduate students to professional scholars. Its clear organization and lucid prose make it readable all through, and its repetition (in the good sense) also makes it usable as a reference book."
Carl Bridges, Stone-Campbell Journal, Fall 2015
"'You prepare a table before me . . . my cup overflows.' What a feast Ken Bailey has prepared for us in this book, and what an overflowing cupful of insights and illumination. If you ever thought there was nothing more you could ever learn or preach about the biblical image of the good shepherd, this book has an abundance of surprises. Again and again I thought, 'Why have I never seen that before?'-as Ken draws on his rich lifetime's experience of Middle Eastern culture to explore biblical texts, and particularly when he shows eye-opening connections between Old and New Testament texts around the shepherd theme. This is a book that simultaneously brings the Bible to life, and exalts the Lord Jesus Christ by deeply enriching our understanding of his mission and claims as the Good Shepherd."
Christopher J. H. Wright, International Ministries Director, Langham Partnership
"I enjoyed The Good Shepherd immensely. His point is handily established: Psalm 23 and the good shepherd tradition is an important literary and theological lens for interpreting the New Testament writers' presentation of Jesus and for our conceiving of our calling as Christian leaders. I highly recommend it for every pastor's shelf."
Andrew Sargent, Criswell Theological Review, Fall 2015
