Known by Name

Aside from Psalm 23, probably the most well-known passage that discusses the Lord being our Shepherd is found in John 10. It is here that in a lengthy metaphor Jesus distinguishes Himself from false shepherds (vv. 1, 8, 10), identifies the purpose of His coming (v. 10), reveals that His flock includes more than just the original group of sheep (v. 16), and foretells the sacrifice He will make on the sheep’s behalf (v. 15, 17-18). Each of these statements is powerful and meaningful in its own way, but today we’re going to focus on another small phrase that is nestled among these wonderful words of Jesus.

In verses 2-3, Jesus says, “But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out” (ESV). Did you notice it? Jesus calls his sheep by name. To Americans reading this passage, that idea is easy to skim over without a second thought. We live in an individualized society where we are used to being primarily identified/understood by our unique name (rather than our family’s name). We’re so conditioned to revel in our uniqueness that we give our children middle names to distinguish them from others who might share the same first and last name. So in a society where we pride ourselves on being distinct as an individual and tend to think the world revolves around us, the statement that Jesus calls us by name isn’t that striking. But take a step back and think about it for a minute.

In Middle Eastern culture, both ancient and contemporary, collectivism rather than individualism formed the basis of identity. We see examples of this in the Bible where people were referred to as the “son of” someone else (e.g., “Simon, son of John” in John 21:15 and the “sons of Zebedee” in Matthew 26:37, ESV) and today in Arab cultures where people are called “Abu (or Em) so-and-so” (i.e., Father or Mother of so-and-so) rather than by their own names. Similarly, instead of receiving unique middle names, like those given in individualist cultures, Arab children are given their father’s first name and grandfather’s first name between their first and last names, highlighting the importance of their heritage and their place in the larger family group.

Reputation, also, was/is tied to one’s family. The goodness (or scandal) of a family name played a huge role in how an individual was perceived. Although this is lessening to an extent in some areas of the Middle East today, it is still common that people are judged by whether or not they come from an honorable family. Someone’s first name carries a lot less weight than his last name does, because it is the last name that reveals to what group he belongs, and his identity is viewed primarily through the lens of that group rather than his own personal merit or lack thereof.

So when Jesus says that He calls his sheep by name, it is actually somewhat revolutionary. He doesn’t view us as who we are in relation to anyone else besides Himself. In other words, when it comes to our relationship with God, it doesn’t matter whose earthly child we are, who our extended family is, who we work for, who our friends are, or who our pastor is. What matters is whether we are one of His sheep or we aren’t.

But there’s another sense in which Jesus’ calling us by name is remarkable. Despite our conviction that we are supremely unique, it’s also true that each of us is just one person among billions of other people who have lived and will live throughout the history of the world. Each of those people, as an image bearer of God, is of equal value. None of us is more special than another. And yet, Jesus not only knows each of our names, He calls us by them. He knows what makes us unique because He has designed and created us. He calls us personally by name because He desires a personal relationship with each of us individually. He does not call people by family group or by ethnicity or by nation; He calls us one-by-one by our names. And while He loves all of His sheep equally, He loves us each individually too.

So the next time you get discouraged, feel invisible, or feel trapped in an identity constructed by the groups or systems of which you are a part, remember that Jesus, the Good Shepherd knows you intimately and calls you by name. Listen to His voice and let it drown out all the others, because He is the One who knows you best and loves you most.

PC: Yandle Multimedia Photography. Used with permission.