The Old Testament already calls God’s people sheep without a shepherd (Numbers 27:17; 1 Kings 22:17; Isaiah 53:6). Jesus wants to gather these scattered and lost sheep (Matthew 15:24; see Matthew 10:6, Matthew 18:12), thus confirming that he is the promised Shepherd and Messiah (Ezekiel 34:23, Ezekiel 37:24; Micah 5:3; John 10:1–18).
The Pharisees were very poor shepherds (Ezekiel 34:2–6)—essentially no shepherds at all. Sheep in Palestine needed a Good Shepherd (John 10:1–42) like Jesus, because sheep ranging freely over the hills could easily become injured, lost, weary, and helpless, needing his help (Matthew 11:28).
Even in the Old Testament, the people of God are described as a flock without a shepherd (see Numbers 27:17; 1 Kings 22:17; Isaiah 53:6). Jesus sees it as his calling to gather these scattered and lost sheep (Matthew 15:24; see also Matthew 10:6, Matthew 18:12), thereby confirming that he is the Shepherd and Messiah who was promised to the people (Ezekiel 34:23, Ezekiel 37:24; Micah 5:3; John 10:1–18).1
When a sheep injures itself and goes astray, it lies down exhausted and helpless. One must think here of a sheep in Palestine, which did not graze in fenced-off pastures, but freely roamed the hills. The people at the time did in fact have shepherds, the Pharisees, but they were very bad ones (Ezekiel 34:26), and they sadly failed to see that Jesus is indeed the true Shepherd (John 10:1–42). As such, the people are in reality now stuck without a shepherd, and they are consequently lost and exhausted (Matthew 11:28).2
36 Voyant la foule, il fut ému de compassion pour elle, parce qu'elle était languissante et abattue, comme des brebis qui n'ont point de berger.