The Symbolism of the Shepherd in Biblical, Intertestamental, and New Testament Material

The average man sees religion on his own personal, philosophical, or existential level. Relative to this study, even the modern man is often thrown back in his thoughts and speech to ancient idioms and ideas which best illustrate his own circumstance — the shepherd symbol is just such a vehicle which provides the background for the social religious needs of many people. The characteristics of sheep obviously provide a specturm of consideration for similar characteristics in mankind. Therefore, the figure could enjoy a wide application to which we are witnesses in the great amount of literature which makes use of the image.