1 Peter 2:25 Commentary and Bible Study

Peter continues the quotation from Isaiah 53, adapting it for his own purpose. The illustration is of sheep that are lost, separated from the flock and helpless because they are unable to find their way back to a place of safety and are therefore exposed to the attack of wild animals. Because they are not with their shepherd they are deprived of the benefit of his protection. On their own, they are no match for the cunning of the wolf as he watches and approaches, regarding them as easy prey. They are also away from the rich pastures which the shepherd would like to lead them to, so that if they continue to wander they are in danger of going hungry. An isolated sheep is a particularly vulnerable creature, for what protection its species affords comes from being in the flock and sticking close together. The sheep in mind has lost all sense of direction and just wanders aimlessly, turning this way and that but without any clear idea of which way to go to return to the flock. Christians are like sheep who were lost, separated from the flock and unable to find their way back, but now they have returned to their Shepherd. Peter does not in this verse say how they returned, but he has already explained this in the preceding verses. It was certainly not through any wisdom or skill of the sheep that it found its way back; all the initiative for its safe return had to come from the Shepherd. We were going astray from God, living in disobedience to him and unwilling to submit to his rule over our lives. The analogy fails at this point because unlike a sheep we did not want to find our way home. The sheep longs to be back with the flock and all its instincts tell it to be there, but we were deliberately getting as far from God as we could. However, the Biblical picture allows for this this in that it views us as sheep that have now returned to the flock. It is as if the sheep has come to its senses and realised again that there is nothing it wants more than to be with the Shepherd. For a time it was under the influence of a madness that made it want the opposite, but this temporary insanity has been cured.The sheep is back with its Shepherd and under his constant care. Of course, our Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, always knew where we were and we were never lost to him in the sense that he did not know where to find us. And yet we were lost in another sense, for we were of no use to him and far away from our proper place in the flock. We did not enjoy his protection but were exposed to that ravenous wolf that wanted only to destroy us. God protected us from total destruction even in this state, but it was not till we returned to our Shepherd’s care that we were safe.Christ is called our Shepherd and Overseer, the word for bishop, one who peers about. He is the one who from heaven considers all the details of our life and looks out for our good. He sees what is coming in the future and prompts us to pray for deliverance that through our prayer we should enjoy his good favour. He is constantly vigilant on our account and there is no danger he is not aware of, no blessing that he cannot guide us into.