In John’s Gospel, Jesus calls himself “the good shepherd,” thus contrasting himself with the corrupt religious leaders of his day. It may appear to be a simple polemic, but in fact it is that and so much more. By identifying himself as the shepherd, Jesus recalls the prophecies of Ezekiel, which looks forward to the day when Israel’s God will redeem his people and raise up a Shepherd-King from David’s line to bring them back from exile. In Jesus, the return from exile finds its fulfillment in the return from death—indeed, in resurrection.

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During Eastertide, Matt takes listeners through a series of reflections on the resurrection of Christ. In this episode, the focus is on 1 Peter 1, specifically vv. 3-25. Here we get a glimpse into how early Christians thought of Jesus’ resurrection, specifically how it relates to the concept of the new birth and ethics. This passage reveals how the resurrection is not just a decisive past event or just the basis of our hope for the future – it is those things and more. The resurrection of Christ also has consequences for today, for it is the foundation for how we are to live presently as exiles in the world.

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The concept of "faith" (Greek: pistis) is often understood by Christians as being nothing more than just individual belief -- such as, say, personal belief in God. But "faith" can't be reduced to just the individual aspect. Faith, for instance, is also depicted in the New Testament as a communal reality. But the early Christians weren't doing anything novel. To the contrary, they drew from the rich tradition of the Jews, whose emphasis on the community can be seen clearly in many Old Testament passages.

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