What Is A Shepherd? / Part Three

Series – February 2014 – Grace & Truth Magazine

What Is A Shepherd? / Part Three

“I take thee ... My servant ... saith the Lord ... for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord of hosts.” — Haggai 2:23 KJV

Definition of “pastor”: “A shepherd, one who tends herds or flocks” (Vine’s An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words). “Pastor” and “shepherd” are the same word in the original Greek.

In our first two parts of this series we considered several good shepherds found in the Bible. This month we will look at some who don’t have the same desires; then we will begin seeing who is a true shepherd.

The Hireling Is Not A Shepherd
The Lord Jesus, when speaking about Himself in John as the Good Shepherd who gives His life for the sheep, spoke about the hireling. We read in John 10:11-13: “I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.” Since the hireling is only looking after the sheep for a wage he does not care that much for them. He certainly is not ready to give his life for them as the Good Shepherd did. So one needs to ask himself: “Am I doing this work like the hireling or like the Good Shepherd?”

Bad Shepherds
In Ezekiel 34 God has a message for the shepherds of the people of Israel: “Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, My flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them. Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because My flock became a prey, and My flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did My shepherds search for My flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not My flock; Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require My flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them. For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search My sheep, and seek them out” (vv.2-11). As this is only a portion of the chapter, we encourage you to read the entire chapter to understand God’s message of condemnation to the shepherds of Israel and His warning about what He is about to do against them and for His people. In contrast to these pastors of Israel, you may remember from part one how the Good Shepherd in Psalm 23 does everything to meet the needs of the sheep.

How terrible it is to read these accusations against the pastors of old in Israel, their interests being only themselves. They abused those whom God had given under their care. Of course they did not recognize themselves as being like that – which is the same problem today. There are those who are simply making themselves rich at the sheep’s expense.

It is important that pastors put themselves in the light of God’s Word to be judged according to His way of thinking and working. With great sadness Paul spoke to the elders in Ephesus, “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears” (Acts 20:28-31). “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings” (Jer. 17:9-10).

So it is that many times we deceive ourselves to justify what we are doing. But the Good Shepherd, the Great Shepherd of the sheep warns, “Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD. Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed My people; Ye have scattered My flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD. And I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase” (Jer. 23:1-4) and “Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock: for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel. And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape. A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and a howling of the principal of the flock, shall be heard: for the LORD hath spoiled their pasture” (Jer. 25:34-36).

Remember that we have already seen that pastors will one day give an account to God of how they have carried out this service as shepherds of the flock of the Lord Jesus (Heb. 13:17). This position is a very serious and great responsibility. One day God will judge and reward each one according to the manner in which they have carried out their service, both good and bad.

Who Calls One To Be A Shepherd?
Although he felt incapable, the call that Moses received was a call directly from God. We read: “Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth My people the children of Israel out of Egypt. And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Ex. 3:10-11). It was the same with David. “Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel” (2 Sam. 7:8).

In the New Testament we read: “Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me more than these? He saith unto Him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love Thee. He saith unto him, Feed My lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me? He saith unto Him, Yea, Lord; Thou knowest that I love Thee. He saith unto him, Feed My sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me? ... And he said unto Him, Lord, Thou knowest all things; Thou knowest that I love Thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed My sheep” (Jn. 21:15-17).

Even the great apostle Paul did not take this honor for himself but it was given to him by God. “Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate Me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them” (Acts 13:1-2).

We read that it was God, by the Holy Spirit, who also selected the elders of the church. “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28).

That God chooses pastors is important for all of us to understand in this day and age when there are many varying and incorrect practices of people taking responsibilities on themselves or being given them by others. We may ask where in Scripture do we find the common practices of our day, such as ordination or the selection of a pastor by a congregation? Where are the Biblical justifications to hold church elections where the majority of the members decides? They cannot be found.

Bible college courses or seminary may increase knowledge, but we never find them in Scripture to be qualifications for God’s calling. A person designating himself as pastor or referring to a congregation as being “my church,” as if he were the owner, places himself in disagreement with the Lord Jesus Christ and His Church, of which there is only one. To take such a position is a very serious thing and should be abandoned because it robs the Lord of His rights and position as head of the Church. When evaluating his abilities, Moses did not consider himself to be capable even though God called him. And when Samuel went to anoint a new king over Israel the family totally forgot about David. Oh! His brother was very well qualified, they thought; even Samuel thought so. But God said, “No!” We read: “And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD’s anointed is before him. But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart” (1 Sam. 16:6-7).

When considering spiritual things, worldly human thoughts have no place. Neither should we say, “Well this is the way that we have done things over the years”; or “This is the way our denomination does things.” We need to search and examine by asking, “What does the Bible say?” Then we need to put the biblical teaching into practice.

When Moses understood that he could not enter into the land of Canaan, he petitioned God that He would not leave Israel without a pastor. “Moses spake unto the LORD, saying, Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd. And the LORD said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay thine hand upon him; And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight. And thou shalt put some of thine honor upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient. And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the LORD: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation. And Moses did as the LORD commanded him: and he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation: And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses” (Num. 27:15-23). It is beautiful to see that Moses asked God and God Himself chose the one to be the pastor who would replace Moses.

We know that the Lord is our shepherd. He gave His life for His sheep; and since the Lord has done so, certainly a priority of His heart is the proper care of His own. Mark tells us, “Jesus, when He came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and He began to teach them many things” (Mk. 6:34). Since the Lord had compassion for this multitude, can we even imagine that He would not provide shepherds for His sheep? It is best to let Him choose, in His love, the ones to look after us.

In Hebrews 13:20 the Lord, who is over all, has the title of “the Great Shepherd of the sheep.” And in 1 Peter 5:4 He is called the “Chief Shepherd,” being the one who is the most interested and involved with His sheep – more than any other. He has given the charge and responsibility for the care of His sheep to others, but He is lovingly watching to see how both His sheep and the pastors are doing.

By Albert Blok

Look for part four of this series for pastors next month!