Why are Christians called 'the flock'?

Question

I thought Jesus was a carpenter? Or was he a sheep herder?

Answer 1

you can tell them to "flock off" and they will.

Answer 2

He was a carpenter...and flock is in reference to a metaphor.  He is the shepard who guides his flock to green pastures.  

Answer 3

Flock knows.

Answer 4

Because all flocks and there are many of them are led by goats.  His father was called a carpenter but he seems to have been just a wondering bum.

Answer 5

because the "lord is (their) shepperd" - its in the bible dude.

Answer 6

It is figurative.

Answer 7

Jesus called himself 'The Good Shepherd'

Answer 8

People who follow Christ are like a herd of sheep following the Shepherd, which symbolizes Jesus (John 10:7-21).

Answer 9

because we are gods 'sheep' and jesus is our shepard obviously not literally but he guides us and protects us like a shepard protects and guides his sheep!  

Answer 10

Jesus is metaphorically referred to as "the shepherd", therefore his followers are "the flock".

Answer 11

The Sheep mentality.

Answer 12

Sheep don't think.

Goats do.

God hates people thinking. He  openly states so.

To become a good Christian all any atheist needs is a lobotomy.

Answer 13

right, Jesus was a carpenter so Christians should be called the roof.

Answer 14

Jesus calls himself the good shepherd and we are his sheep it is a metiphor.

Answer 15

because sheep are easy to herd.

Answer 16

Bahhhh, Bleat, Bleat, Bleat, Bahhhhhhh, etc.........

Answer 17

Because they are to follow as mindlessly as a flock of sheep.

"Oh, good shepherd, fleece my sheep."

Answer 18

He is also called the good shepherd.

Answer 19

Before they evolved into humans they were sheep.  

Answer 20

Sheeple.

Notice how "Shepherd", "Fisher of Men" "Harvest", etc are common terms in Christianity, and all suggest something akin to followers being as cattle to be fed upon?

Answer 21

well its pretty unlikely to get a sheep to think for himself, so thats why they call them that.

also sheep jsut do what every other sheep is doing.

And sheep snub those who arent sheep.

and sheep dont have High IQs.

see the similarities?

Answer 22

The Words of Jesus from John 10:11ff

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

    14 "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me — 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father — and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life — only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."

Answer 23

It's from the psalm, "The Lord is my Shepherd".  Many Christians like to think of themselves as sheep just being herded by forces beyond their control, it lets them deny any personal responsibility for their actions.

Answer 24

His supposed occupation was a carpenter. He said that He was a shepherd because He guides His Children along and keeps them from danger.

Answer 25

Jesus was called the "Good Shepherd".  He called his people sheep.

His earthly father, Joseph, was a carpenter.  He most likely learned carpentry from him.

Answer 26

The answer is in John 10:11 where Jesus (speaking metaphorically) says: " I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep."

Shepherd is also a metaphor for Kingship as can be seen in Ezekiel 37:24  "And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them."

Answer 27

Yes, he was a carpenter; probably apprenticed and learned skills from his earthly father, Joseph.  One of his great, great (way back in time) grandfathers was David, the shepherd boy (the one that "slew" the giant called Goliath).  The same great-, great-, great- grandfather, David, who later became a king.  

Back to your original question of why Christians are called Jesus' flock: the best that I can tell you is that He told His followers and disciples parables in which He talked of a good shepherd who had 100 sheep.  Many Christians like to think of Jesus as (not just a good shepherd, but The Good Shepherd) who would go to search for  the one  lost sheep because he cares for us all equally.  The good shepherd, in other words; would not be satisfied with having 99 sheep out of 100 safely enclosed in a sheltered space .  The absolutely best shepherd  would go out of the "sheep-fold" and find the lost sheep before it could be eaten by wolves or fall and hurt itself in the dark of night. Okay?  I was a lost sheep of sorts for several years of my life and so glad now that I chose to believe in and call out for help from that very same "Good Shepherd". Hope that helps answer your question.  There  are  many references in the Holy Bible to  sheep and to shepherds and some of it is figurative and some of it is literal  (like in Jesus' parables He told the people is figurative and telling about real four-legged sheep is literal). Here, I'll share the exact wording from a Bible that was given to me years ago: "If a man has a hundred sheep, and one wanders away and is lost, what will he do?  Won't he leave the ninety-nine others and go out into the hills to search for the lost one?  And if he finds it, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine others safe at home!  Just so, it is not my Father's will that even one of these little ones should perish."  If you want to find an even more detailed and quotable source to find this answer and many others; I'd suggest contact the Gideons, who give away Bibles for free. Maybe ask for a copy of The Living Bible, like I read from.  It's written in more every-day modern English.  Oh, and the "rest of the" reason Christians are called a flock is found in Matthew 26: verses 31to 46.

Answer 28

Shepherd was a common metaphor for kingship in the literature of ancient Israel.  David was a shepherd who became responsible for God's people.  Therefore, the shepherd metaphor serves two purposes.  The shepherd cares for and protects the sheep like Jesus did when he died for the sins of mankind, and it links Jesus to the kingship of Israel.