PASTOR, SHEPHERD
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)
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.
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)