THEOSISJerome of Stridon
The people of God found themselves dispersed due to either moral failings or misleading teachings, as there was no true shepherd willing to sacrifice himself for the flock. Instead, they encountered hirelings focused solely on their own gain, fleeing at the sight of danger. Consequently, the Lord's flock has been ravaged by wild beasts, reflecting the scripture, ‘You have laid the darkness, and there was night, and in it all the beasts of the oak shall pass away: the snarling beasts of the forest shall roar, and seek their food from God (Psalm 103:20-21). Those who elevate themselves above the knowledge of God scatter across every mountain, and those who scorn the simplicity of the church in their haughty conceit occupy every high hill.
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They roam the entire earth in search of temporal rather than eternal treasures. Yet, no one has sought after them or sought to bring them back, for the shepherds, preoccupied with their own delights, show little concern for the plight of the Lord's flock.