THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
What justification can be offered by those responsible for guiding the flock of words yet fail to tend to them properly, slaying some while neglecting others, despite witnessing them being consumed by wild beasts or taken by strangers? Here, the labor is lighter and the care simpler, for the soul is shepherded, and both body and spirit require significant effort elsewhere. Consider the words of Jacob, the shepherd of his flocks: ‘I languished by day from the heat, and by night from the cold, and my sleep fled from my eyes’ (Gen. 31:40). In this day and age, who among the shepherds can claim to have risked their safety for the salvation of their flock? It would seem that none can assert such a thing. Only Paul, the apostle to the world, had the boldness to declare this, and even more.
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Yet, one may ask, where did Paul endure such trials? Listen to his own words: ‘Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not burn with indignation?’ (2 Cor. 11:29). Here is an example of true pastoral love! The misfortunes faced by others compound my own distress; the challenges experienced by others amplify my sorrow. All those placed in positions of spiritual leadership should strive to emulate him, ensuring their devotion mirrors that of one who has displayed tireless care for the silent sheep throughout the years. In that context, negligence might not have resulted in calamity; however, here, if even a single sheep disappears or is taken by a predator, it represents a significant loss, a grievous injury, and an unimaginable consequence! If our Lord did not hesitate to shed His own blood for the flock, what leniency can be expected for one who neglects the care of those esteemed by the Lord Himself?
God rebukes the teachers of Israel for failing to nurture their flock. The prophet Ezekiel once admonished them by declaring, ‘Woe unto the shepherds of Israel, who shepherd themselves! Should not the flock be cared for by the shepherds?’ Yet they acted contrary, which is the utmost wickedness and the source of all other wrongs. Thus, the prophet states that they did not guide the lost back to safety, nor did they seek out those who had strayed, nor mend the broken, nor heal the sick; they cared for themselves and ignored the sheep (Ezekiel 34:4, 8).
In stark contrast, God declared, ‘You ate the fat, and clothed yourselves with the wool; you slaughtered the fat sheep, but did not feed the flock.’ Christ exemplified the ideal shepherd when He said, ‘The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep’ (John 10:11). David also displayed this commitment on several occasions, particularly when a grave wrath loomed over the nation. Witnessing the widespread devastation, he cried out, ‘Behold, I have sinned, I have done wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done?’ (2 Sam. 24:17).