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Demonstration X.—Of Pastors.
1. Pastors are set over the flock, and give the sheep the food of life. Whosoever is watchful, and toils in
behalf of his sheep, is careful for his flock, and is the disciple of
our Good Shepherd, who gave Himself in behalf of His sheep.1017
And whosoever brings not back his flock carefully, is likened to the hireling who has no care
for the sheep. Be ye like, O Pastors, to those righteous Pastors
of old. Jacob fed the sheep of Laban, and guarded them and toiled
and was watchful, and so received the reward. For Jacob said to
Laban:—Lo! twenty years am I with thee. Thy sheep and
thy flocks I have not robbed and the males of thy sheep I have not
eaten. That which was broken I did not bring unto thee, but thou
required it at my hands! In the daytime the heat devoured me and
the cold by night.1018
My sleep
departed from my eyes. Observe, ye Pastors, that Pastor, how
he cared for his flock. He used to watch in the night-time to
guard it and was vigilant; and he used to toil in the daytime to feed
it. As Jacob was a pastor, so Joseph was a pastor and his
brethren were pastors. Moses was a pastor, and David also was a
pastor. So Amos was a pastor. These all were pastors who
fed the sheep and led them well.
2. Now, why, my beloved, did these pastors first feed the sheep, and were then chosen to be pastors of men?
Clearly that they might learn how a pastor cares for his sheep, and is
watchful and toils in behalf of his sheep. And when they had
learned the manners of pastors, they were chosen for the pastoral
office. Jacob fed the sheep of Laban and toiled and was vigilant
and led them well; and then he tended and guided well his sons, and
taught them the pattern of pastoral work. And Joseph used to tend
the sheep along with his brethren; and in Egypt he became guide to a
numerous people, and led them back, as a good pastor does his
flock. Moses fed the sheep of Jethro his father-in-law, and he
was chosen from (tending) the sheep to tend his people, and as a good
pastor he guided them. Moses bore his staff upon his shoulder,
and went in front of his people that he was leading, and tended them
for forty years; and he was vigilant and toiled on behalf of his sheep,
a diligent and good pastor. When his Lord wished to destroy them
because of their sins, in that they worshipped the calf, Moses prayed
and besought of his Lord and said:—Either pardon the people
for their sins, or else blot me out from Thy book that Thou hast
written.1019
That is a
most diligent pastor, who delivered over himself on behalf of his
sheep. That is an excellent leader, who gave himself in behalf of
his sheep. And that is a merciful father who cherished his
children and reared them up. Moses the great and wise shepherd,
who knew how to lead back the flock, taught Joshua the son of Nun, a
man full of the spirit, who (afterwards) led the flock, even all the
host of Israel. He destroyed kings and subdued the land, and gave
them the land as a place of pasturage, and divided the resting-places
and the sheepfolds to his sheep. Furthermore, David fed his father’s sheep, and was taken from the sheep to tend his
people. So he tended them in the integrity of his heart and by
the skill of his hands he guided them.1020
And when David numbered the flock of his sheep, wrath came
upon them, and they began to be destroyed. Then David delivered
himself over on behalf of his sheep, when he prayed, saying:—O
Lord God, I have sinned in that I have numbered Israel. Let Thy
hand be on me and on my father’s house. These innocent
sheep, in what have they sinned?1021
So also
all the diligent pastors used thus to give themselves on behalf of
their sheep.
3. But those pastors who did not care for the sheep, those were hirelings who used to feed themselves
alone. On this account the Prophet1022
| 1022 Bible:Ezek.34.19">Ezek. xxxiv. 2–4, 9, 10–12, 18, 19. | addresses them, saying to them:—O ye pastors who destroy and
scatter the sheep of my pasture, hear the word of the Lord. Thus
saith the Lord: Lo! I will visit My sheep as the pastor visits
his flock in the day of the whirlwind, and I will require My sheep at
your hands. O foolish pastors, with the wool of the sheep do ye
clothe yourselves and the flesh of the fatlings do eat, and the sheep
ye do not feed. That which was sick ye did not heal, and that
which was broken ye did not bind. The weak ye did not strengthen,
and the lost and the scattered ye did not gather together. The
strong ones and the fatlings ye did guard, but with harshness ye
subdued them. The good pastures ye yourselves graze upon, and
what remains ye trample with your feet. The pleasant waters do ye
drink, and whatever remains ye defile with your feet. And My
sheep have eaten the trampled (herbage) which your feet have trampled,
and they have drunk the waters which your feet have defiled.
These are the greedy and base pastors and hirelings, who did not feed
the sheep, or guide them well, or deliver them from the wolves.
But when the Great Pastor, the chief of pastors, shall come, He will
call and visit His sheep and will take knowledge of His flock.
And He will bring forward those pastors, and will exact an account from
them, and will condemn them for their deeds. And those who fed
the sheep well, them the Chief of Pastors will cause to rejoice and to
inherit life and rest. O stupid and foolish pastor, to whose
right hand and to whose right eye I committed my sheep. Because
thou didst say concerning the sheep, let that which dieth, die, and let
that which perisheth perish, and whatever is left, let them devour the
flesh of one another; therefore, behold I will make blind thy right
eye and I will wither up thy right arm. Thy eye which regarded a
bribe shall be blinded, and thy hand which did not rule in
righteousness shall waste away.1023
And as for you, my sheep, the
sheep of my pasture, ye are men; but I am the Lord your
God.1024
Behold
henceforth will feed you in a good and rich pasture.1025
4. The good shepherd giveth himself for
the sake of his sheep.1026
And again He
said:—I have other sheep and I must bring them also
hither. And the whole flock shall be one, and one shepherd, and
My Father because of this loveth Me; that I give Myself for the sake of
the sheep.1027
And again
He said;—I am the door of the sheep. Every one that
entereth by Me shall live and shall go in and go out and find
pasture.1028
O ye
pastors, be ye made like unto that diligent pastor, the chief of the
whole flock, who cared so greatly for his flock. He brought nigh
those that were afar off. He brought back the wanderers. He
visited the sick. He strengthened the weak. He bound up the
broken. He guarded the fatlings. He gave himself up for the
sake of the sheep. He chose and instructed excellent leaders, and
committed the sheep into their hands, and gave them authority over all
his flock. For He said to Simon Cephas:—Feed My sheep
and My lambs and My ewes.1029
So Simon fed
His sheep; and he fulfilled his time and handed over the flock to you,
and departed. Do ye also feed and guide them well. For the
pastor who cares for his sheep engages in no other pursuit along with
that. He does not make a vineyard, nor plant gardens, nor does he
fall into the troubles of this world. Never have we seen a pastor
who left his sheep in the wilderness and became a merchant, or one who
left his flock to wander and became a husbandman. But if he
deserts his flock and does these things he thereby hands over his flock
to the wolves.
5. And remember, my beloved, that I wrote to thee concerning our fathers of old that they first learned the ways of
tending sheep and in that received trial of carefulness, and then were
chosen for the office of guides, that they might learn and observe how
much the pastor cares for his flock, and as they used to guide the
sheep carefully, so also might be perfected in this office of
guidance. Thus Joseph was chosen from the sheep, to guide the
Egyptians in the time of affliction. And Moses was chosen from
the sheep, to guide his people and tend them. And David was taken
from following the sheep, to become king over Israel. And the
Lord took Amos from following the sheep, and made him a prophet over
his people. Elisha likewise was taken from behind the yoke, to
become a prophet in Israel. Moses did not return to his sheep,
nor did he leave his flock that was committed to him. David did
not return to his father’s sheep, but guided his people in the
integrity of his heart.1030
Amos did not
turn back to feed his sheep, or to gather (the fruit of) trees, but he
guided them and performed his office of prophecy. Elisha did not
turn back to his yoke, but served Elijah and filled his place.
And he1031
who was for him as
a shepherd, because he loved fields and merchandise and vineyards and
oliveyards and tillage, did not wish to become his disciple; and
(therefore) he did not commit the flock into his hand.
6. I beseech you, ye pastors, that ye set not over the flock, leaders who are foolish and stupid, covetous also
and lovers of possessions. Every one who feeds the flock shall
eat of their milk.1032
And every
one who guides the yoke shall be ministered to from his labour.
The priests have a right to partake of the altar, and the Levites shall
receive their tithes. Whoever eats of the milk, let his heart be
upon the flock; and let him that is ministered to from the labour of
his yoke, take heed to his tillage. And let the priests who
partake of the altar serve the altar with honour. And as for the
Levites who receive the tithes, they have no portion in Israel. O
pastors, disciples of our great Pastor, be ye not like hirelings;
because the hireling cares not for the sheep. Be ye like our
Sweet Pastor, Whose life was not dearer to Him than His sheep.
Rear up the youths and bring up the maidens; and love the lambs and let
them be reared in your bosoms; that when ye shall come to the Chief
Pastor, ye may offer to Him all your sheep in completeness, and so He
may give you what He has promised: Where I am, ye also shall
be.1033
These
things, brief as they are, will be sufficient for the good pastors and
leaders.
7. Above, my beloved, I have written to remind
thee of the character that becomes the whole flock. And in this
discourse I have written to thee about the pastors, the guides of the
flock. These reminders I have written to thee, beloved, as thou
didst ask of me in thy dear letter.
8. The Steward brought me into the King’s
treasury and showed me there many precious things; and when I saw them
my mind was captivated with the great treasury. And as I looked
upon it, it dazzled my eyes, and took captive my thoughts, and caused
my reflections to wander in many ways. Whosoever receives
thereof, is himself enriched, and enriches (others). It lies open
and unguarded before all that seek it; and though many take from it
there is no deficiency; and when they give of that which they have received, their own portion is greatly multiplied. They that receive freely let them give
freely1034
as they have received. For (this treasure) cannot be sold for a price, because
there is nothing equivalent to it. Moreover the treasure fails
not; and they that receive it are not satiated. They drink, and
are still eager; they eat, and are hungry. Whosoever is not
thirsty, finds not ought to drink; whoever is not hungry, finds nothing
to eat. The hunger for it satisfies many, and from the thirst for
it flow forth water-springs. For the man who draws nigh to the
fear of God is like the man who in his thirst draws near to the
water-spring and drinks and is satisfied, and the fountain is not a
whit diminished. And the land that needs to drink in water,
drinks of the fountain, but its waters fail not. And when the
land drinks, it needs again to drink, and the spring is not lessened by
its flowing. So is the knowledge of God. Though all men
should receive of it, yet there would come no lack in it, nor can it be
limited by the sons of flesh. He that takes from it, cannot take
away all; and when he gives, he lacks nothing. When thou takest
fire with a candle from a flame, though thou kindle many candles at it,
yet the flame does not diminish when thou takest from it, nor does the
candle fail, when it kindles many. One man cannot receive all the
King’s treasure, nor when a thirsty man drinks of the fountain,
do its waters fill. When a man stands on a lofty mountain, his
eye does not (equally) comprehend the near and the distant; nor, when
he stands and counts the stars of heaven, can he set limits to the
hosts of the heavens. So when he draws nigh unto the fear of God,
he cannot attain to the whole of it; and when he receives much that is
precious, it does not seem to be diminished; and when he gives of that
which he has received, it is not exhausted, nor has it come to an end
for him. And remember, my beloved, what I wrote to thee, in the
first discourse, about faith, that whoever has freely received ought to
give freely as he has received, as our Lord said:—Freely ye
have received, freely give.1035
For
whosoever keeps back part of anything he has received,1036
even that which he has obtained shall be taken away from him. Therefore, my beloved, as I have been able
to obtain now from that treasure that fails not, I have sent unto thee
from it. Yet though I have sent it to thee, it is all with
me. For the treasure fails not, for it is the wisdom of God; and
the steward is our Lord Jesus Christ, as He testified when He
said:—All things have been committed to Me by My
Father.1037
And while
He is the steward of the wisdom, again, as the Apostle
said:—Christ is the power of God and His wisdom.1038
This wisdom is imparted to many,
yet nothing is lacking, as I explained to thee above; the Prophets
received of the spirit of Christ, yet Christ was not a whit
diminished.
9. Ten treatises have I written unto thee,
my beloved. Whatsoever thou hast asked of me, I have explained to
thee without (receiving) ought from thee. And that which thou
enquiredst not of me, I have given unto thee. I have asked thy
name and written unto thee. I have asked of myself thy question,
and I have answered thee as I was able, for thy persuasion.
Whatsoever I have written unto thee, meditate in these things at every
time; and labour to read those books which are read in the church of
God. These ten little books that I have written for thee, they
borrow one from another, and depend one upon another. Separate
them not one from another. From Olaph to Yud I have
written for thee, each letter after its fellow. Read thou and
learn thou and the brethren, the monks, and the faithful, they from
whom mocking is far removed; as I wrote unto thee above. And
remember that which I pointed out to thee, that I have not brought
these matters to an end, but short of the end. Nor are
these things sufficient; but
hear thou these things from me without wrangling, and enquire
concerning them with brethren who are apt for persuasion.
Whatsoever thou hearest that assuredly edifies, receive; and whatever
builds up strange doctrines, overthrow and utterly demolish. For
wrangling cannot edify. But I, my beloved, as a stonecutter have
brought stones for the building, and let wise architects carve them out
and lay them in the building; and all the labourers that toil in the
building shall receive reward from the Lord of the house. E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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