God the Shepherd
God is the Shepherd of all creation from the moment a human being first came to exist on earth. He said in the Gospel of John: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep” (John 10:11). The Church has become accustomed, when celebrating the commemoration of one of the fathers who are patriarchs or heads of churches, to have the Gospel of the Liturgy on that day from John 10. The image of the shepherd is found everywhere and is cherished by people; indeed, some schools have taken this name, Bon Pasteur.
God appointed shepherds to shepherd His people. Concerning this He said: “And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding” (Jer. 3:15). In this, God shepherds the believers, and He also shepherds the shepherds; therefore, He is called the “Shepherd of shepherds.”
There were righteous men and prophets who had previously learned shepherding. Among them we mention Abel the righteous, of whom it was said: “Now Abel was a keeper of sheep” (Gen. 4:2). The prophet David also began his life tending sheep (1 Sam. 16:11). This young shepherd was chosen by God over all his older brothers, and the prophet Samuel anointed him king.
The prophet Moses also, before taking over the leadership of the people, when he left Pharaoh’s palace, became one who “kept the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian” (Ex. 3:1). No doubt that tending sheep taught all of these men many virtues.
The prophet David used to sing of God’s shepherding of him, saying in Psalm 23: “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness.” And the Bride of the Song used to sing of the Lord, her beloved Shepherd, saying that He is “the shepherd who feeds among the lilies” (Song 2:16). She asks Him, saying: “Tell me, O You whom I love, where You feed Your flock, where You make it rest at noon” (Song 1:7). The importance of the shepherd is that he cares for his sheep, protects his flock, leads it, and feeds it. And if there is no shepherd, the sheep become scattered and distressed. Concerning this, it was said about the Lord Christ when He saw the multitudes: “He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd” (Matt. 9:36).
The Difference Between the Shepherd and the Hireling:
The shepherd is one who feels that the sheep are his flock, that they belong to him and he belongs to them. He loves them and cares for them. As for the hireling, he is someone whom others hire to tend someone else’s sheep. He does not care about the sheep or concern himself with them. As the Lord Christ said: “But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep” (John 10:12–13).
The Work of the Good Shepherd:
The Lord Christ gave us an example and a model of the work of the good shepherd in His own person, saying: “I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own” (John 10:14). In this He gave us teaching concerning the responsibility of the shepherd and how he should have comprehensive knowledge of his flock. In this regard, I used to say continually to the new priests: From the first year, you should know every individual within the scope of your service. You should visit the families and care for them. You should have a card for every family containing detailed information, and then do whatever you can for the good of that family. For the Lord says that He knows His sheep and calls them by their names. And they know His voice and do not listen to the voice of a stranger (John 10:4). That is, they hear His teachings and commandments and do not pay attention to the teachings of strangers. He also says that He shepherds them in a rich pasture, in green pastures, and beside the waters of rest (Ps. 23:2).
The Lord also says that His flock is in His hands, and no one can snatch it out of His hand (John 10:28). And He gives it eternal life, so that it will not perish.
Does every servant and every priest take care of this matter? And is he able, through his service and shepherding, to lead the flock to eternal life and not allow it to perish? This is the responsibility of everyone who carries out the work of shepherding, imitating the Lord of glory. This is also the duty of every family, every father and every mother, to protect their children so that no one may snatch them away. The family should be careful—through its shepherding and care, and through its love and guidance—that the children listen to its voice and do not listen to the voice of the stranger… This is what we say about sound shepherding, in contrast to what happens through misguided shepherding, which the Lord rebuked many times.
Misguided Shepherds:
The Lord says in the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah: “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” (Jer. 23:1). He also says: “My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray; they have turned them away on the mountains” (Jer. 50:6). Perhaps the strongest thing the Lord said about misguided shepherds is what is stated in the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel: “Thus says the Lord GOD: Since My sheep became prey… because there was no shepherd, nor did My shepherds search for My sheep, but the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My sheep! Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My sheep at their hand; I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall feed themselves no more. And I will deliver My sheep from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for them” (Ezek. 34:8, 10).
Look at the seriousness of the sin committed by such shepherds, as they neglect the people and care for themselves. And how God warns them that He will prevent them from shepherding thereafter. Indeed, He says: “I will deliver My sheep from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for them”… That is, instead of feeding the people, the people became their food?! It is a serious lesson for anyone who has ears to hear.
What happens if Satan strikes a shepherd with the lusts of the world and with his neglect of the flock? The Scripture says concerning this: “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered” (Zech. 13:7). And if the flock is scattered, how great will the shepherd’s punishment be?!
God’s Perfect Work as a Shepherd:
The Lord says in the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel: “I will feed My sheep and make them lie down… I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away; I will bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick” (Ezek. 34:15–16). It is important, therefore, that we seek after those who have gone astray in order to bring them back. Therefore, because I have heard that some servants cross out from their reports the names of those who have gone away, and I have heard, unfortunately, a priest say concerning those who have left the Church, “The son of perdition is called to perdition!”—this is contrary to the teachings of the Lord Christ, who said of Himself that He “came to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). He “does not desire the death of the sinner, but rather that he should return and live,” and He “desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4).
And God restores the one who was driven away, just as David was driven away from King Saul, as well as everyone who was unjustly expelled by an oppressive authority.
God the Shepherd also binds up the broken and bandages the wounded. He does not despise the weak, but is patient with them so that they may be saved. You can therefore come to God and say to Him: I, O Lord, am wounded among Your people. Sin has humiliated me and broken my soul. And here I am taking refuge in You, O One who cares for the wounded and the broken… You who came to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound… and to comfort all who mourn (Isa. 61:1–2).
I also said: “I will seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered” (Ezek. 34:12). For this reason, the prophet David said in the Shepherd Psalm: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me” (Ps. 23:4). Yes, the Lord was with David even in all his falls and delivered him. And even after his death, He continued to do good to his family, saying: “For the sake of My servant David” (1 Kings 11:12–13).
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