Jesus proclaimed His identity: the Shepherd of Israel (Matthew 2:6).  This would have been understood as being the true King of Israel (the Old Testament prophets rebuked the unfaithful kings for failing to be shepherds: as in Ezekiel 34:1-24).  King David started his working life as a shepherd and understood.  The shepherd was not only the authorised leader and protector of the flock; shepherds felt their responsibility  deeply … if there was danger, they would risk their own life (1 Samuel 17:34-37).
 
Because the sheep belong to the shepherd’s family, every animal is cared for as part of the family and their welfare is always at the shepherd’s expense (John 10:17-18).  That sacrificial commitment to save the sheep was absent in the casual farm hands, hired just for a day or a week.  They did the job for what they could get out of it - they cared more for themselves than for the sheep.  Jesus was speaking about the religious leaders who loved the honour and praise of the people, and the power which they could exert over them, but did not have God's heart of love to sacrifice themselves and their own interests for God's people (Luke 11:44-46).

Jesus’ words must have punctured their self-inflated religious image.  “… they cared nothing for the flock,” said it all.  There was no love, no interest, no concern.   God’s people meant nothing to them, because God was just a means to their selfish ends, and they did not care about Him either.  Such religious authority figures continue to make their appeals for the minds, moods and money of people.  It may be their job for which they are paid, or their career in which they want to progress, but if they are not willing to love and care for people the Jesus-way, they demonstrate that they are not in His family business.

If a parent will sacrifice so much for a child, even being willing to go between the child and any dangerous threat, surely God has an even greater commitment to His people.  He proved that when Jesus willingly went to the cross, sacrificing Himself to pay for our sins.  Sacrifice is the fruit of love and that is why Jesus is the Good Shepherd who has laid down His life for the sheep ... because He loves us.  What is our response?  Firstly, gratitude.  Secondly, when He gives us the responsibility to shepherd others in His Name, we must love them and be willing to sacrifice ourselves for them (Luke 9:23).  Anything less is not worthy of Him.