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Difference between revisions of "Pastor"
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== Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary <ref name="term_48490" /> == | == Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary <ref name="term_48490" /> == | ||
<p> PASTOR, SHEPHERD </p> <p> A well-known office of the Lord Jesus Christ. The | <p> PASTOR, SHEPHERD </p> <p> A well-known office of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy [[Ghost]] delights to set forth Jesus under this lovely character in all his word. Sometimes he represents him as the Great Shepherd, ( Hebrews 13:20) —and sometimes he calls him the [[Good]] Shepherd, which giveth his life for the sheep, ( John 10:11) —and by his servant the prophet Zechariah, he calls him JEHOVAH'S Shepherd, ( Zechariah 13:7) —and by Peter, the [[Chief]] Shepherd, holding him forth to the under pastors of his flock as a glorious pattern for them to follow, assuring them that when the Chief [[Shepherd]] shall appear "they shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." ( 1 Peter 5:4) And to distinguish him from every other, and as the only Shepherd of JEHOVAH, to whom the flock is given, and who alone was, and is, able to purchase it with his blood, and to preserve it by his power, by his servant the prophet Ezekiel, he is expressly called the one Shepherd; "I will set up one Shepherd over them, and he shall feed them." ( Ezekiel 34:23) </p> <p> The Holy Ghost hath not only thus delighted to mark the sweet features of his character, but hath given the several features also of his office. "He shall feed his flock" (saith the Lord, by the prophet Isaiah, Isaiah 40:11) "like a shepherd." And how is that? Surely, from a knowledge of their persons, their wants, their desires, their abilities, Jesus graciously makes suitable provision for every one, and for all. It is his flock the church, both from the Father's gift, his own purchase, the conquests of his grace, and the voluntary willingness of his people in the day of his power. "He calleth his own sheep by name:" they shall all pass (saith the Holy Ghost, by the prophet Jeremiah, Jeremiah 33:13) "under the hands of him that telleth them." Hence, from a knowledge of their number, their persons, their wants, and necessities, it is impossible that one can be overlooked, forgotten, neglected, or lost. He saith himself, "My sheep shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand." Oh, the precious office and character of the Lord Jesus as the [[Pastor]] and Shepherd of his people! He feeds, he protects, he heals, he watches over, restores when wandering, and gathers them out from all places whither they have wandered in the cloudy and dark day, and leads them in the paths of righteousness, for his name's sake. </p> <p> Jesus hath his under pastors also, by whom he feeds and directs his flock; hence the Lord, by Jeremiah, promised,"I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which, shall feed you with knowledge and understanding." ( Jeremiah 3:15) And a whole chapter is spent by the prophet Ezekiel, ( Ezekiel 34:1-31, in reproving the evil pastors who abused their office, and fed themselves of the flock, and not their people. Sometimes princes and governors are called pastors; thus David is said to have been taken from the sheepfold to be ruler over the Lord's people Israel. ( 2 Samuel 7:8) </p> | ||
== Charles Buck Theological Dictionary <ref name="term_20300" /> == | == Charles Buck Theological Dictionary <ref name="term_20300" /> == | ||
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== Bridgeway Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_18914" /> == | == Bridgeway Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_18914" /> == | ||
<p> Ephesians 4:8-11 states that pastors and teachers were among the risen Christ’s gifts to the church. The grammatical link between the two words in the original language indicates that they refer to the same people, pastor-teachers. </p> <p> Another point that is clearer in the original language than in English is the connection between the words ‘pastor’, ‘shepherd’ and ‘flock’. All come from the same Greek root. A pastor, or shepherd, is one who leads and cares for God’s flock, the church ( John 21:15-17; Acts 20:28-29; 1 Peter 5:1-4). In referring to leaders of God’s people as shepherds, the New [[Testament]] writers were following a well established Old Testament usage of the word ( Numbers 27:17; Isaiah 63:11; Jeremiah 50:6; see | <p> Ephesians 4:8-11 states that pastors and teachers were among the risen Christ’s gifts to the church. The grammatical link between the two words in the original language indicates that they refer to the same people, pastor-teachers. </p> <p> Another point that is clearer in the original language than in English is the connection between the words ‘pastor’, ‘shepherd’ and ‘flock’. All come from the same Greek root. A pastor, or shepherd, is one who leads and cares for God’s flock, the church ( John 21:15-17; Acts 20:28-29; 1 Peter 5:1-4). In referring to leaders of God’s people as shepherds, the New [[Testament]] writers were following a well established Old Testament usage of the word ( Numbers 27:17; Isaiah 63:11; Jeremiah 50:6; see SHEPHERD). But whereas the shepherd-leaders of [[Israel]] were often concerned only for themselves ( Ezekiel 34:2-6), the Christian’s example of a shepherd-leader, Jesus Christ, gave himself for the flock ( Matthew 9:36; Matthew 10:6; John 10:1-15; 1 Peter 5:1-4). </p> <p> One reason why pastors must also be teachers is that their means of feeding the flock is the teaching of the Word ( Acts 20:28; see TEACHER). Some may move from place to place, spending periods of varying lengths in different churches ( Acts 11:25-26; Acts 20:31). Others may be settled residents of particular localities, and most likely be elders in their local churches ( Acts 20:28-32; Colossians 4:12-13). Elders must have pastoring abilities ( 1 Peter 5:1-4) and teaching abilities ( 1 Timothy 3:2). Their leadership and care of the church involves feeding it on teaching that is wholesome and protecting it from teaching that is harmful ( Acts 20:29; 1 Timothy 1:3-7; 1 Timothy 6:3-21; Titus 1:9; see ELDER). </p> <p> It is not the duty of the pastor-teachers to carry out all the service of God in the church. They must not encourage the [[Christians]] to be totally dependent on them. On the contrary they should use their God-given gifts in such a way that all the Christians are better equipped to carry out God’s service and better able to understand [[Christian]] teaching. In this way individual Christians will grow to spiritual maturity and the church as a whole will be built up ( Ephesians 4:11-16; cf. Ezekiel 34:2-6). </p> | ||
== A Dictionary of Early Christian Biography <ref name="term_15003" /> == | == A Dictionary of Early Christian Biography <ref name="term_15003" /> == | ||
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== Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament <ref name="term_56950" /> == | == Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament <ref name="term_56950" /> == | ||
<p> Ephesians 4:11 is the only passage in the NT in which ‘pastor’ occurs, although its Greek equivalent, | <p> Ephesians 4:11 is the only passage in the NT in which ‘pastor’ occurs, although its Greek equivalent, ποιμήν, is frequent; everywhere else ποιμήν is rendered ‘shepherd.’ This exceptional translation is justified, because here only is ποιμήν used of some kind of Christian minister. It is used of Christ as ‘the great shepherd of the sheep’ ( Hebrews 13:20 from LXX_ of Isaiah 63:11), as ‘the Shepherd and [[Bishop]] of your souls’ ( 1 Peter 2:25), and as ‘the chief Shepherd’ ( 1 Peter 5:4)-expressions suggested by Himself ( John 10:11; John 10:14). But the metaphor is obvious, and is frequent from [[Homer]] onwards. The cognate verb ποιμαίνειν is used of tending Christian flocks; in Christ’s charge to St. Peter ( John 21:16), in St. Peter’s charge to his ‘fellow-elders’ ( 1 Peter 5:2), and in St. Paul’s charge at [[Miletus]] to the elders of the Church at [[Ephesus]] ( Acts 20:28). In Ephesians 4:11, while ‘apostles’ and ‘prophets’ and ‘evangelists’ have each a separate article, ‘pastors and teachers’ are coupled by a common article, and probably form only one group, distinguished by being attached to particular congregations, whereas ‘apostles,’ ‘prophets,’ and ‘evangelists’ were itinerant preachers and missionaries. But ‘pastors’ and ‘teachers’ are not convertible terms; almost all ‘pastors’ would be ‘teachers,’ but not all ‘teachers’ were ‘pastors.’ </p> <p> Literature.-See [[Commentaries]] on Ephesians 4:11, esp. J. A. Robinson (1903) and B. F. Westcott (1906); A. Harnack, The [[Mission]] and [[Expansion]] of Christianity2, Eng. tr._, 1908, i. 336-346. </p> <p> A. Plummer. </p> | ||
== Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words <ref name="term_78730" /> == | == Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words <ref name="term_78730" /> == | ||
<div> | <div> '''1: ποιμήν ''' (Strong'S #4166 Noun Masculine poimen poy-mane' ) </div> <p> "a shepherd, one who tends herds or flocks" (not merely one who feeds them), is used metaphorically of Christian "pastors," Ephesians 4:11 . "Pastors" guide as well as feed the flock; cp. Acts 20:28 , which, with ver. 17, indicates that this was the service committed to elders (overseers or bishops); so also in 1 Peter 5:1,2 , "tend the flock ... exercising the oversight," RV; this involves tender care and vigilant superintendence. See Shepherd. </p> | ||
== Holman Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_43271" /> == | == Holman Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_43271" /> == | ||
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== Webster's Dictionary <ref name="term_154373" /> == | == Webster's Dictionary <ref name="term_154373" /> == | ||
<p> | <p> '''(1):''' ''' (''' n.) A guardian; a keeper; specifically (Eccl.), a minister having the charge of a church and parish. </p> <p> '''(2):''' ''' (''' n.) A species of starling (Pastor roseus), native of the plains of Western Asia and Eastern Europe. Its head is crested and glossy greenish black, and its back is rosy. It feeds largely upon locusts. </p> <p> '''(3):''' ''' (''' n.) A shepherd; one who has the care of flocks and herds. </p> | ||
== King James Dictionary <ref name="term_62093" /> == | == King James Dictionary <ref name="term_62093" /> == | ||
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== International Standard Bible Encyclopedia <ref name="term_6935" /> == | == International Standard Bible Encyclopedia <ref name="term_6935" /> == | ||
<p> ''''' pas´tẽr ''''' ( | <p> ''''' pas´tẽr ''''' ( רעה , <i> ''''' rō‛eh ''''' </i> ; ποιμήν , <i> ''''' poimḗn ''''' </i> ; literally, a helper, or feeder of the sheep (the King James Version Jeremiah 2:8; Jeremiah 3:15; Jeremiah 10:21; Jeremiah 12:10; Jeremiah 17:16; Jeremiah 22:22; Jeremiah 23:1 , Jeremiah 23:2 , and in Ephesians 4:11 , the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American))): Besides the literal sense the word has now a figurative meaning and refers to the minister appointed over a congregation. This latter meaning is recognized in the translation of the King James Version. See [[Ministry]] . </p> | ||
== Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature <ref name="term_54558" /> == | == Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature <ref name="term_54558" /> == | ||
<p> ( | <p> (רֹעֶה, roch, from רָעָה, to feed, Jeremiah 2:8; Jeremiah 3:15; Jeremiah 10:21; Jeremiah 12:10; Jeremiah 17:16; Jeremiah 22:22; Jeremiah 23:1-2; ποιμήν, Ephesians 4:11), a shepherd (as elsewhere rendered). Besides this literal sense, the word is' employed figuratively in the [[Scriptures]] in somewhat the same way as it is now used to denote a stated minister appointed to watch over and instruct a congregation. (See [[Shepherd]]). </p> | ||
==References == | ==References == | ||
