The image of God as shepherd recurs throughout the Old and New Testaments. Psalm 23 is a perfect example of the care God gives to his people: leading them to rich pastures, nourishing, guiding and guarding them. The failure of the leaders of the Jewish people to imitate God is shown many times. In Ezekiel 34, God condemned the shepherds who abandoned their sheep and left them uncared-for. He promised that he would care for them, and that a descendant of David would be their shepherd.
Jesus, David’s descendant, saw the people who followed him as “sheep without a shepherd.” They were occupied by the Romans, who exacted high taxes and put down any rebellion with brutal force. The priests and leaders, like Herod, colluded with the Romans for their own benefit and were often venal. In contrast Jesus talked of calling his sheep by name (John 10:3), being the gate of the sheepfold (John 10:9) and going to the extreme of laying down his life for his sheep (John 10:15).
Leadership requires the unselfishness of Jesus. Very often, leaders put themselves before their people. Power is addictive and can easily be used for evil purposes. Jesus himself confronted earthly desires for domination and vain glory when Satan tempted him in the desert.