John 10:12-13

“He who is a hireling, and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees. And the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hireling and does not care for the sheep.”

The way of the good shepherd is in contrast with the hired shepherd who is not known by the sheep, for the hireling is careless as to their welfare and flees when danger comes (v. 12). This is because the latter does not have any affection for the sheep (v. 13). They do not reject the shepherd, but to them there are more important things than Him and His sheep. Theirs is the way of self-seeking. Note that these hirelings do not seek to enter the fold. That is for the false shepherds. These are under-shepherds, supposedly to Jesus, who prove like Judas to put wealth and safety before loyalty. The way will never be easy. But note the point. The sheep must not look to the under-shepherds who may well fail, but to the true Shepherd Himself. Peter is nothing, Paul is nothing, Apollos is nothing, John is nothing. They are all but under-shepherds (see 1 Corinthians 3:5). It is Jesus Who is the Shepherd towards Whom all must look.

It is not for us to try to decide who is a hireling and who is a thieving wild beast, although the murderous element among the Pharisees, and the later persecutors were included in the latter. The pictures cover all who profess to speak in God's name but fail to fulfil a true ministry, some because they reject the Way In, others because their hearts are self-seeking, really fixed on something else. There have been many such through history, and alas, there are many such today, often even revered as they tear the hearts out of the sheep.