Explanation: After Jesus announced himself as the light of the world (John 8:12-59) and demonstrated it by healing the man born blind (John 9:1-41), he next described himself as the good shepherd (John 10:1-21). And among other things, he said that the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep (John 10:15). By saying this, he foreshadowed his death on the cross and the eventual (temporary) success of those who sought to kill him. Brueghel's painting depicts a shepherd sacrificing his life for the sheep. The sheep scatter as the disciples did when Christ was arrested. Brueghel's companion piece, called The Faithless Shepherd, shows the hireling feeing (John 10:12) and is depicted below The Good Shepherd painting.

^{John 9:1-21      1} Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that enters not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. ² But he that enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. ³ To him the porter opens; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. ⁴ And when he puts forth his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. ⁵ And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. ⁶ This parable spoke Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spoke unto them. ⁷ Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. ⁸ All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. ⁹ I am the door: by me if any man enters in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. ¹¹ I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. ¹² But he that is a hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and flees: and the wolf catches them, and scatters the sheep. ¹³ The hireling flees, because he is a hireling, and cares not for the sheep. ¹⁴ I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. ¹⁵ As the Father knows me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶ And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. ¹⁷ Therefore does my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. ¹⁸ No man takes it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. ¹⁹ There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings. ²⁰ And many of them said, He has a devil, and is mad; why hear you him? ²¹ Others said, These are not the words of him that has a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?

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