[Greek] ποιμήν (poimēn), [Latin] pastor: shepherd, pastor, one who tends a flock, herdsman, shepherder; Mt. 9:36, Mt. 25:32, Mt.26:31, Mk.6:34, Mk.14:27, Lk.2:8,15,18,20, Jn.10:2,11-12,14,16, Eph.4:11, Heb.13:20, 1Pet.2:25
Jesus The Good Shepherd: Painting by Phillipe de Champaigne (1602-1674)
Background Information:
Ancient Orient/Greek Hellenism: This terms means ruler, king, shepherd, protector, herdsman, lord, master, chief, and captain. The Sumerian king is described as a shepherd appointed by a deity. The shepherd is a common epithet for a ruler in the Assyrian and Babylonian cultures. The Egyptian Osiris is presented as a ruler with a staff (crook) in tending his flock in the netherworld. Gods (deities) also bear the title of shepherd. Plato’s Republic 1.343a states, “you [Socrates] don’t know the difference between the shepherd and the sheep…Because you think the shepherds are considering the good of the sheep with anything else in view than the good of their master and themselves.” Aeschylus’ Suppliant Women 767 states, “Even at anchorage, shepherds of ships do not feel immediately secure above all if they have arrived on a harborless coast. In a cautious pilot, night is likely to beget anxiety.”
Old Testament: The dryness of the ground made it necessary for shepherds and flocks to move about or stay for months at a time. Herding of sheep required vigilance against robbers and wild beasts. The image of Yahweh (as the Shepherd of Israel) comes from the rich vocabulary of the shepherd who guides his flock, who leads it to pasture, who protects his sheep, who carries his lambs, and whose sheep hear his voice. It is interesting to note that there is no single Old Testament use of shepherd ever being used as a title for a ruling king. David continues to be presented as a shepherd. Jesus will later come as a shepherd (and Messiah) who will shepherd His flock.
New Testament: Shepherds, having unfavorable reputations, were often looked down upon as second-class citizens. Although the priests and rabbis despised the shepherds, the shepherds served their purposes in providing the priests with unblemished lambs for sacrifices. The shepherds were mostly identified with sinners, tax collectors, and outcasts. Shepherds could not be used as witnesses. Interestingly, God is never called a shepherd. However, the comparison of God with a shepherd is restricted to Jesus’ parables. This is in part due to a greater Christological emphasis on Jesus as a shepherd. Jesus presents Himself as the Messianic Shepherd promised in the Old Testament. Jesus speaks of gathering again the dispersed flock which is abandoned to destruction. Jesus is the shepherd that God smites, thus fulfilling prophecy. Jesus uses the image of the shepherd and flock to illustrate the separation of sheep from the goats (eschatological judgment).
Scripture:
“Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping night watch over their flock.” Lk.2:8
Luke’s gospel was written to the lowly and outsiders like the shepherds. The shepherds were often looked down upon and even despised.
“When He disembarked and saw the vast crowd, His heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep with out a shepherd.” Mk.6:34
In addition to teaching the crowd, Jesus also fed these five thousand people. Jesus was acting like a shepherd and pastor. This situation also foreshadows the Catholic priest, standing in the person of Christ, feeding the congregation at Mass. The priest, with the help of the Holy Spirit, changes the offered bread and wine into the Eucharist (Body and Blood of Jesus).
“And He gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers.” Eph.4:11
Pastors and teachers both lead congregations. The titles and functions of pastors and shepherds are similar and interchangeable.
Shepherds as congregational leaders: Only once in the New Testament are shepherds stated as an office. This office refers to pastor, rather than shepherd. Rather, pastors and teachers appear as a single group ministering to the congregations. Congregational leaders are seen more metaphorically as shepherds. Likewise, the congregation is also seen metaphorically as the flock. The pastor see his role as a shepherd in leading the congregation. The pastor (shepherd) cares for the congregation, seeks the lost, combats heresy, and sets an example for the flock.
The meaning and symbolism of numbers play an important role in the gospels. The numbers 1000, 4000, and 5000 relate to the people. 1000 refers to everyone. 4000 refers to everyone from all directions (north, south, east, and west). 5000 refers to everyone under the Law which contains 5 books (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy).
Conclusion:
Pastor, pasture
It was interesting to discover that the Assyrian, Babylonian, Sumerian, and Egyptian rulers were viewed as shepherds. In the Greco-Roman era, the shepherd/sheep dynamic was sometimes viewed in the realm of “haves’ and “have-nots”. It was also interesting to learn that captains were seen as shepherds of ships.
I was surprised that there was no Old Testament use of the title shepherd for a ruling king. This would only later apply to the Messiah. I am not surprised that there would be profound differences (on many levels) between the priests and the shepherds. I can see how the priests would look down upon shepherds. These shepherds would be only good for providing lambs for sacrifices.
Luke’s gospel was written for the simple and downtrodden folks (like the shepherds). I was surprised that God being associated with a shepherd was limited to Jesus’ parables. I suppose that the Jews would have not been happy to have a Messiah who was like a shepherd. The Jews would rather have a Messiah who was like a strong king. It then would follow that a pastor would be like a shepherd to his congregation (flock). It was interesting to discover that the title ‘shepherd’ was infrequently used for a congregational leader. However, the roles of the pastor, priest, and shepherd are essentially the same.
Poimen??–Forget about it! “By hook or crook”–[sorry, couldn’t resist]– I finally was able to find a current word (pastor) that comes from the Latin form of this term!