SEV Biblia, Chapter 10:12
Mas el asalariado, y que no es pastor, de quien no son propias las ovejas, ve al lobo que viene, y deja las ovejas, y huye, y el lobo las arrebata, y esparce las ovejas.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - John 10:12
Verse 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 the reader apply this, or any of the preceding censures, to any particular class or order of men: every religious party may have a hireling priest, or minister; and where the provision is the greatest there the danger is most. Whose own the sheep are not] A hireling priest, who has never been the instrument of bringing souls to God, will not abide with them in the time of danger or persecution. They are not the produce of his labour, faith, and prayers: he has no other interest in their welfare than that which comes from the fleece and the fat. The hireling counts the sheep his own, no longer than they are profitable to him; the good shepherd looks upon them as his, so long as he can be profitable to them.
Among the ancient Jews some kept their own flocks, others hired shepherds to keep them for them. And every owner must naturally have felt more interest in the preservation of his flock than the hireling could possibly feel.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 12. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd , etc.] 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, who live upon the Gospel, as Christ has ordained, and who are worthy of their reward, and are not to be called hirelings by way of reproach; since they teach not for hire and reward, but for the good of souls, and the interest of the Redeemer; but such who seek only their gain, from their quarter, and mind their own things, and not the things of Jesus Christ: whose own the sheep are not ; who have neither a propriety in them, nor an hearty affection for them, and so care not what becomes of them: such an one seeth the wolf coming; by whom may be meant, either Satan; so the Jews compare Israel to a flock of sheep, and Satan, they say, bazh awh , he is the wolf f455 ; or any false prophet, or teacher, who are ravenous wolves; though sometimes in sheeps clothing; or any tyrant, oppressor, or persecutor of the saints: and leaveth the sheep ; as the idol shepherd, against whom a woe is pronounced, ( Zechariah 11:17). And fleeth ; not being willing to bear any reproach or persecution, for the sake of Christ; not such a keeper of the flock as David, who went after the lion and the bear, and when they rose up against him, did not flee, but caught them by the beard and slew them; nor like the Apostle Paul, who fought with beasts at Ephesus, and would turn his back on none, nor give place, no, not for an hour, that truth might continue; and the wolf catcheth them ; some of them: and scattereth the sheep ; the rest; so are the sheep of Christ and his churches sometimes scattered, by persecution raised against them; (see Acts 8:1,4). The Jews have a rule concerning such an hireling shepherd f456 , which is this; a shepherd that feeds his flock, and leaves it, and goes to the city, and a wolf comes and ravines, and the lion comes and tears in pieces, he is free; but if he leaves by it his staff and his scrip, he is guilty.
Which Maimonides thus expresses and explains; a shepherd who can deliver that which is torn, and that which is carried captive, with other shepherds, and with staves, and does not call the other shepherds, nor bring the staves to deliver them, he is guilty: one that keeps freely, and one that keeps for hire; he that keeps freely, calls the shepherds, and brings the staves freely; and if he does not find them, he is not guilty; but he that keeps for hire, is obliged to hire shepherds and staves, in order to deliver them.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 10-18 - Christ is a good Shepherd; many who were not thieves, yet were careles in their duty, and by their neglect the flock was much hurt. Ba principles are the root of bad practices. The Lord Jesus knows whom he has chosen, and is sure of them; they also know whom they have trusted and are sure of Him. See here the grace of Christ; since none coul demand his life of him, he laid it down of himself for our redemption He offered himself to be the Saviour; Lo, I come. And the necessity of our case calling for it, he offered himself for the Sacrifice. He wa both the offerer and the offering, so that his laying down his life wa his offering up himself. From hence it is plain, that he died in the place and stead of men; to obtain their being set free from the punishment of sin, to obtain the pardon of their sin; and that his death should obtain that pardon. Our Lord laid not his life down for his doctrine, but for his sheep.
Greek Textus Receptus
ο 3588 T-NSM μισθωτος 3411 N-NSM δε 1161 CONJ και 2532 CONJ ουκ 3756 PRT-N ων 5607 5752 V-PXP-NSM ποιμην 4166 N-NSM ου 3739 R-GSM ουκ 3756 PRT-N εισιν 1526 5748 V-PXI-3P τα 3588 T-NPN προβατα 4263 N-NPN ιδια 2398 A-NPN θεωρει 2334 5719 V-PAI-3S τον 3588 T-ASM λυκον 3074 N-ASM ερχομενον 2064 5740 V-PNP-ASM και 2532 CONJ αφιησιν 863 5719 V-PAI-3S τα 3588 T-APN προβατα 4263 N-APN και 2532 CONJ φευγει 5343 5719 V-PAI-3S και 2532 CONJ ο 3588 T-NSM λυκος 3074 N-NSM αρπαζει 726 5719 V-PAI-3S αυτα 846 P-APN και 2532 CONJ σκορπιζει 4650 5719 V-PAI-3S τα 3588 T-APN προβατα 4263 N-APN
Vincent's NT Word Studies
12. Hireling (misqwtov). From misqov, hire. See on 2 Pet. ii. 13. Wyc., merchant.Seeth (qewrei). Very graphic. His gaze is fixed with the fascination of terror on the approaching wolf. Compare Dante:
"But not so much, that did not give me fear A lion's aspect which appeared to me.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
And a she wolf, that with all hungerings Seemed to be laden in her meagerness, And many folk has caused to live forlorn! She brought upon me so much heaviness, With the affright that from her aspect came, That I the hope relinquished of the height." "Inferno," i., 44 54.
Westcott cites Augustine on this word: fuga animi timor est, the flight of the mind is cowardice; with which again compare Dante:
"So did my soul, that still was fleeing onward, Turn itself back," etc.
"Inferno," i., 25.
Leaveth (afihsi). See on iv. 3.
Catcheth (arpazei). Better, as Rev., snatcheth; though catch is doubtless used by the A.V. in its earlier and stronger sense, from the low Latin caciare, to chase, corrupted from captare, to snatch or lay hold of. Compare the Italian cacciare, to hunt. The same word is used at ver. 28, of plucking out of Christ's hand. See on Matt. xi. 12.
The sheep. The best texts omit. Read, as Rev., scattereth them.
