The Good Shepherd

Ego sum pastor bonus. Bonus pastor animam suam dat pro ovibus suis. Ostendit se Dominus bonum pastorem quoad boni pastoris ingressum, hic ostendit secundo quoad boni pastoris affectum; et hoc quidem facit per hunc modum. Primo ostenditur Christi ad suas oves amicitia: secundo diligentia: tertio providentia: quarto munificentia: quinto ex hoc Jusaeorum discordia. Primo ergo ostenditur Christi ad oves vera aimicitia in comparatione ad amorem mercenarium, qui non est amor verus, propterea dicit: Ego sum pastor bonus, et hoc monstrat: Bonus pastor animam suam dat pro ovibus suis, ex vehementi dilectione, quam habet circa eas. Unde ipse dixit Joannes quinto decimo: Maiorem hac dilectionem nemo habet, quam ut animam suam ponat quis pro amicis suis. Talis pastor erat Paulus, qui dicebat secundae ad Cor tertio decimo: Ego libentissime impendam, et superimendar ego ipse pro animabus vestris. Non sic mercenarius. Sanctus Boneventura, Commentarius In Evangelium Ioannem, Caput X Source: Here, p838-839

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. 1 The Lord shows Himself to be the good shepherd as much as he walks as the good shepherd, here shown by how much He loves as the good shepherd, and this is done in this way. First it is shown by the friendship of Christ for his sheep, second by affection, third by foresight, fourth by munificence, fifth by the dispute with the Jews. Therefore first is shown the friendship of Christ for His sheep in the comparison with the love of the hireling, who has no true love, because of which He says, 'I am the good shepherd,' and this He makes evident: 'A good shepherd gives his life for his sheep,' on account of the vehement love which he has for them. Whence John said in the fifteenth chapter: 'Greater love has no man than to give his life up for his friends.' 2 Such is the shepherd Paul, who according to the thirteenth chapter of the letter to the Corinthians says: 'For my own part, I will gladly spend and be spent for the sake of your souls ' 3 He is not a hireling. Saint Bonaventura, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint John, Chapter 10 1 Jn 10.11 2 Jn 15.13 3 2 Cor 12.15