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Robertson's Word Pictures of the NT

John 10:12

He that is a hireling

(ο μισθωτος). Old word from μισθοω, to hire (Matthew 20:1) from μισθος (hire, wages, Luke 10:7), in N.T. only in this passage. Literally, "the hireling and not being a shepherd" (ο μισθωτος κα ουκ ων ποιμην). Note ουκ with the participle ων to emphasize the certainty that he is not a shepherd in contrast with μη εισερχομενος in verse John 10:1 (conceived case). See same contrast in 1 Peter 1:8 between ουκ ιδοντες and μη ορωντες. The hireling here is not necessarily the thief and robber of verses John 10:1; John 10:8. He may conceivably be a nominal shepherd (pastor) of the flock who serves only for the money, a sin against which Peter warned the shepherds of the flock "not for shameful gain" (1 Peter 5:2).Whose own

(ου ιδια). Every true shepherd considers the sheep in his care "his own" (ιδια) even if he does not actually "own" them. The mere "hireling" does not feel so.Beholdeth

(θεωρε). Vivid dramatic present, active indicative of θεωρεω, a graphic picture.The wolf coming

(τον λυκον ερχομενον). Present middle predicate participle of ερχομα.Leaveth the sheep, and fleeth

(αφιησιν τα προβατα κα φευγε). Graphic present actives again of αφιημ and φευγω. The cowardly hireling cares naught for the sheep, but only for his own skin. The wolf was the chief peril to sheep in Palestine. See Matthew 10:6 where Jesus says: "Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves."And the wolf snatcheth them and scattereth them

(κα ο λυκος αρπαζε κα σκορπιζε). Vivid parenthesis in the midst of the picture of the conduct of the hireling. Bold verbs these. For the old verb αρπαζω see John 6:15; Matthew 11:12, and for σκορπιζω, late word (Plutarch) for the Attic σκεδαννυμ, see Matthew 12:30. It occurs in the vision of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 34:5) where because of the careless shepherds "the sheep became meat to all the beasts of the field, and were scattered." Jesus uses αρπαζω in John 10:29 where no one is able "to snatch" one out of the Father's hand.

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See also John 10:12 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse John 10:12. _BUT HE THAT IS A HIRELING_] Or, as my old MS. Bible reads it, _the marchaunt_, he who makes _merchandise_ of men's souls; bartering them, and his own too, for filthy lucre. Let not...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    A HIRELING - A man employed to take care of the sheep, to whom wages is paid. As he does not own the sheep, and guards them merely for pay, rather than risk his life he would leave the flock to the ra...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 10 _ 1. The Shepherd of the Sheep. (John 10:1 .)_ 2. The Good Shepherd, His Sheep and His Work. (John 10:6 .) 3. At the Feast of Dedication; the Repeated Testimony. (John 10:22 .) 4. Accuse...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    JOHN 10. THE CLOSE OF THE MINISTRY IN JERUSALEM. [85] John 10:1. The Good Shepherd. The first part of this chapter records Jesus-' teaching on true and false leadership. In John 10:1 we have a close r...

  • B. W. Johnson's Bible Commentary

    BUT THE HIRELING.... LEAVETH HIS SHEEP AND FLEETH. It is not the bare fact of. man receiving pay that makes him. hireling. "The laborer is worthy of his hire." He is. hireling who would not work were...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. The hireling, who is not a real shepherd, and to whom the sheep do not really belong, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the shee...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    THE SHEPHERD AND HIS SHEEP (John 10:1-6)...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    HE THAT IS AN HIRELING. the hired servant. Greek. _misthotos._ Only here, John 10:13, and Mark 1:20. AND NOT. and not being. SEETH. Greek. _theoreo =_ to view [with fixed gaze], i.e. with terror or...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    John 2:13 TO JOHN 11:57. The Work We here enter on the second portion of the first main division of the Gospel, thus subdivided: The Work (1) among _Jews_, (2) among _Samaritans_, (3) among _Galilean...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    "The form of the discourse in the first half of chap. 10 is remarkable. It resembles the Synoptic parables, but not exactly. The parable is a short narrative, which is kept wholly separate from the id...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _an hireling_ The word occurs nowhere else in N.T. excepting of the -hired servants" of Zebedee (Mark 1:20). The Good Shepherd was introduced in contrast to the thief. Now we have another contrast to...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ἜΣΤΙΝ for εἰσί (comp. ἤκουσαν, John 10:8). Omit τὰ πρόβατα ὁ δὲ μισθωτὸς φεύγει after ΣΚΟΡΠΊΖΕΙ with אBDL against A. 12. Ὁ ΜΙΣΘΩΤΌΣ. The word occurs nowhere else in N.T. excepting of the ‘hired servan...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    THE ALLEGORY OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    1–18. “The form of the discourse in the first half of chap. 10 is remarkable. It resembles the Synoptic parables, but not exactly. The parable is a short narrative, which is kept wholly separate from...

  • Catena Aurea Commentary

    VER 11. I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD: THE GOOD SHEPHERD GIVES HIS LIFE FOR THE SHEEP. 12. BUT HE THAT IS A HIRELING, AND NOT THE SHEPHERD, WHOSE OWN THE SHEEP ARE NOT, SEES THE WOLF COMING, AND LEAVES THE S...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _JESUS IS THE GOOD SHEPHERD -- JOHN 10:8-21:_ Jesus claimed to be both the door of the sheep and He claimed to be the Good Shepherd. It is through Jesus alone that man can be saved. Jesus refereed to...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΜΙΣΘΩΤΌΣ (G3411) наемный работник, работающий за плату (Morris), ών _praes. act. part. пот. masc. sing. от_ ΕΙΜΊ (G1510) быть. _Praes. part._ здесь используется в роли сущ. для описания характерной че...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD:— "I am not a hireling shepherd, appointed by the owner to take care of the flock; but I am _the good Shepherd,_ promised Isaiah 40:11.Ezekiel 34:23; Ezekiel 34:31 and the propr...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    THE GOOD SHEPHERD _Text 10:11-21_ 11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep. 12 He that is a hireling, and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, behol...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    EXPOSITORY SERMON NO. TEN THE SHEPHERD AND THE SHEEP John 10:1-16 _INTRODUCTION_ I. WHY DID JESUS USE THIS ALLEGORY? A. The Jewish rulers and Pharisees had just exhibited themselves as hirelings...

  • Combined Bible Commentary

    EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF JOHN John 10:11-21 The following is submitted as an Analysis of the passage which is to be before us:— The Pharisees were the shepherds of Israel. In casting out of the s...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    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. BUT HE...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    3 John the baptist was the door keeper who opened the door to the true Shepherd. Many another has come claiming to be Israel's shepherd, but they did not come in God's appointed way. 4 The Eastern sh...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE GOOD SHEPHERD. THE FEAST OF THE DEDICATION 1-18. Allegories of the Fold and of the Good Shepherd. This chapter continues Christ's discourse to His Pharisaic disciples begun at John 9:39. His words...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    SEETH THE WOLF COMING.. AND FLEETH] The wolf (Satan) may come in various ways, as an open persecution, as a popular heresy, as a tendency to lax morality. The hireling shepherd is the cowardly comprom...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    JOHN TELLS THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT JESUS GOSPEL OF JOHN _MARION ADAMS_ CHAPTER 10 JESUS TELLS A STORY ABOUT A *SHEPHERD AND HIS SHEEP 10:1-10 V1 Jesus said, ‘I tell you the truth. Only thieves climb...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    BUT HE THAT IS AN HIRELING. — The Greek word occurs again in the New Testament only in the next verse and in Mark 1:20. It implies a lower position than the household servant, and is more nearly what...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 21 JESUS THE GOOD SHEPHERD. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    ὁ μισθωτὸς δὲ [δὲ is omitted by recent editors] … πρόβατα. In contrast to the good shepherd stands now not the robber but a man in some respects better, a hireling or hired hand (Mark 1:20), not a she...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    In these verses Jesus designates Himself “the Good Shepherd” and emphasises two features by which a good shepherd can be known: (1) his giving his life for the sheep, and (2) the reciprocal knowledge...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    to John 10:21. _The good and the hireling shepherds_....

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    JESUS THE GOOD SHEPHERD John 10:7-18 He who came in by the door which John the Baptist opened has become the door. It stands open to all comers- _if any man._ The salvation here mentioned refers to...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Continuing, He gave a more detailed picture of that coming order. There was to be a fold, with a door. There was to be a flock, with a shepherd. Entrance to the fold would be by the door. The flock wo...

  • Godbey's Commentary on the New Testament

    CHAPTER 8. THE GOOD SHEPHERD John 10:1-29. “ _Truly_, _truly_, _I say unto you_, _The one not coming in through the door_, _but climbing up some other way_, _he is a thief and a robber_.” It is subse...

  • Godet's commentary on Luke, John, Romans, 1 Corinthians

    “ _I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd gives his life for his sheep._ 12. _But the hireling, who is not a shepherd and to whom the sheep do not belong, sees the wolf coming and abandons the shee...

  • Godet's commentary on Luke, John, Romans, 1 Corinthians

    SECOND PART: THE DEVELOPMENT OF UNBELIEF IN ISRAEL. 5:1- 12:50. UP to this point, decided faith and unbelief have been only exceptional phenomena; the masses have remained in a state of passive indiff...

  • Godet's commentary on Luke, John, Romans, 1 Corinthians

    SECOND SECTION: 10:1-21. THE FIRST DISCOURSE. The following discourse includes three parables: that of the _shepherd_ (John 10:1-6), that of the _gate_ (John 10:7-10), and that of the _good shepherd_...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. (2) But he that entereth in by the door is the sh...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The point at which we have arrived gives me an opportunity of saying a little on the beginning of this chapter, and the end of the last; for it is well known that many men, and, I am sorry to add, not...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    12._But the hireling. _By _hirelings _we are to understand those who retain the pure doctrine, and who proclaim the truth, as Paul says, to serve a purpose rather than from pure zeal. Though such pers...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    In chapter 10 He contrasts Himself with all those who pretended, or had pretended, to be shepherds of Israel. He develops these three points; He comes in by the door; He is the door; and He is the She...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    BUT HE THAT IS AN HIRELING, AND NOT THE SHEPHERD,.... That is, who is not the owner of the sheep, though he keeps them, yet only for reward: by whom are meant, not the faithful ministers of the word,...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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. Ver. 12....

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _I am the good shepherd_ Jesus, having represented himself as the _door of the sheep_, and intimated the regards which ought to be maintained to him as such, particularly by those that professed to be...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    A HIRELING; one whose great object in preaching is his own interest. THE WOLF; the enemy of God and his people....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Jesus the Good Shepherd:...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    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....

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    THE SHEEPFOLD AND THE SHEPHERD (vs.1-18) Now the Lord speaks in parabolic form, again in verse 1 doubly pressing the truth of His words. One climbing the fence of the sheepfold (rather then entering...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    10-18 Christ is a good Shepherd; many who were not thieves, yet were careless in their duty, and by their neglect the flock was much hurt. Bad principles are the root of bad practices. The Lord Jesus...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    Those that deal in sheep, either keep them themselves, or by their near relations, as Jacob's sons, and David, and Laban's daughters did; or else they hired persons to keep them for them. There is a g...

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    Tertullian De Fuga in Persecutione But Christ, confirming these foreshadowings Himself, adds: "The bad shepherd is he who, on seeing the wolf, flees, and leaves the sheep to be torn in pieces."[44]...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    John 10:12 But G1161 hireling G5607 (G5752) G3411 G2532 not G3756 shepherd G4166 who G3739 does...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    “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 hir...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE GOOD SHEPHERD AND THE FALSE SHEPHERDS (JOHN 10:1). The way that the parable opens emphasises the fact that the parable is as much about the false shepherds as it is about the true. It is a studie...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    John 10:12-13. HE THAT IS AN HIRELING AND NOT A SHEPHERD, WHOSE OWN THE SHEEP ARE NOT, BEHOLDETH THE WOLF COMING, AND LEAVETH THE SHEEP AND FLEETH (AND THE WOLF CATCHETH THEM AND SCATTERETH), BECAUSE...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    The blind man, restored to sight, is brought before the Pharisees with the view of instituting proceedings against Jesus, who, by the healing on the Sabbath, had violated the sanctity of the day of re...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    John 10:1. _Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door i...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    John 10:1. _Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber._ The positiveness of our Lord's teac...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    John 10:1. _Verily, verily, I say unto you,_ Now we may be absolutely certain that there is something of the utmost importance wherever Christ uses the solemn asseveration of «Verily, verily,» the sa...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Discourse on the Good Shepherd. Jesus' deity asserted. CHARACTERS: Jesus, God. CONCLUSION: God, our great owner, the sheep of whose pasture we are by creation, has constituted His Son, Jes...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    John 10:1. _He that entereth not by the door is a thief and a robber._ After the scribes had formed a plot against the life of the good shepherd, he told them that they were not the children of Abraha...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    THE HIRED MAN. Both a shepherd and a hired man take care of sheep for a profit. The difference is in attitude!...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold_ SHEPHERDHOOD The simple lesson which our Lord intended to teach in this familiar passage has often been strangely mistaken. The minds of men hav...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _I am the Good Shepherd_ CHRIST THE GOOD SHEPHERD Christ is “the Good Shepherd. ” He is this because I. He OWNS the sheep. He is the Proprietor of the flock. They are His 1. By the gift of the Fa...

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    1-41 CHAPTER 10 VER. 1. _Verily, verily_ (that is in truth, most truly and most assuredly), _I say unto you, He that entereth not_, &c. He puts forth this parable to show who He is, and who are His ri...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _EXPLANATORY AND CRITICAL NOTES_ John 10:1 contain a discourse on false and true leaders and teachers in reference to Christ, under the allegoric parable of the fold and the good shepherd. The enmity...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION JOHN 10:1 5. _Christ the Shepherd of the flock of God_._ _The discourse which now follows was the Lord's parabolic or allegoric reply to the conduct of the Pharisaic malignants. These men...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    So chapter 10, it would seem to be as just a continuation of this whole movement here of the blind man receiving his sight, being put out by the organized religious system, being taken in by Jesus Chr...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Peter 5:2; 1 Timothy 3:3; 1 Timothy 3:8; 2 Peter 2:3; 2 Timothy 4:10;

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    Hireling [μ ι σ θ ω τ ο ς]. From misqov, hire. See on 2 Peter 2:13. Wyc., merchant. Seeth [θ ε ω ρ ε ι]. Very graphic. His gaze is fixed with the fascination of terror on the approaching wolf. Compar...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    THE DOOR OF THE SHEEPFOLD John 10:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS Let us consider the all-inclusiveness, and the all-exclusive-ness of Christ, as introductory to our theme. First of all Christ said: "I am THE...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    But the hireling — It is not the bare receiving hire, which denominates a man a hireling: (for the labourer is worthy of his hire; Jesus Christ himself being the Judge: yea, and the Lord hath ordained...

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Old Testament