“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?”
Shepherds. That is, princes, magistrates, chief priests, and scribes. (Challoner) — Shepherds may lawfully take milk, (1 Corinthians ix. 7.) but the sheep and its wool belong to the master. (Worthington) — Excellent instructions are here given for all in authority. (Calmet)
“Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.”
Fat. Pastors often disguise the truth to flatter the rich, or the more just souls are ruined by their negligence.
“The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.”
Healed. God alone can restore to life. But pastors will not be excused by ignorance if they know not the maladies and the remedies of their flock. — Hand. This was blamed in the Pharisees, and is contrary to the spirit of the gospel, Matthew xxiii. 4., and 1 Peter v. 2.
“And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. because: or, without a shepherd”
Field. The people being neglected, followed false prophets and idols. Their teachers were so far from striving to reclaim them, that they perhaps shewed them the example. (Calmet)
“As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;”
No shepherd. Pastors who seek only their temporal advantage, (1 Timothy vi. 5., and Titus i. 7.; Haydock) are hirelings; and if they teach false doctrine, they are wolves, John x. (Worthington)
“Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.”
Cease. Both the leaders and the people were led into captivity.
“As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. As: Heb. According to the seeking”
Day, in persecution. I will count my sheep, lest any be lost.
“And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.”
Land. All this cannot be understood of the synagogue alone.
“I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.”
Preserve, (Septuagint, Syriac) which seems more natural than Hebrew and Chaldean, “destroy.” I will not eat them, like bad shepherds, ver. 3. (Calmet) — God and those whom he sends, will take care of the flock, Ephesians iv. (Worthington)
“And as for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he goats. cattle: Heb. small cattle of lambs and kids he goats: Heb. great he goats”
Cattle. The crimes of the pastors do not excuse the flock. In it there are people of different dispositions. The rich often destroy, and these are brought to an account, ver. 24. (Calmet)
“And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.”
David; Christ, who is of the house of David. (Calmet) — That king had been dead long before, so that no Jew or heretic can deny but that the Messias is here meant, as [in] chap. xxxvii. 24., &c. (Worthington) — He possessed eminently all the virtues of David, and was of his seed. Zorobabel, &c., cannot be understood, as we have no proof that the governors after the captivity were chosen from the tribe of Juda, chap. xxi. 27.
“And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods .”
Peace. Christ pacifies all, Romans xv. 33., Micheas v. 5., and Ephesians vi. 15. — Beasts: those who promote idolatry; or, speaking of Christians, who teach heretical doctrine and persecute the Church. (Calmet)
“And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing.”
Make. Literally, “place.” (Haydock) — Septuagint read not a blessing, which seems superfluous. (Calmet) — Yet Chaldean has it, and the idea is more complete. (Haydock)
“And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more. of renown: or, for renown consumed: Heb. taken away”
A bud of renown, (germen nominatum.) He speaks of Christ, our Lord, the illustrious bud of the house of David, renowned over all the earth. See Jeremias xxxiii. 15. (Challoner) — Septuagint, Syriac, “a plant of peace.” Chaldean, “established.” (Calmet)
“And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord GOD.”
Men. What has been said of sheep (Menochius) relates to you. — Am the Lord. This is not in Hebrew or Protestants. (Haydock) — But it is found in one Hebrew manuscript and Septuagint, as this version is thus frequently confirmed. (Kennicott, Dis. ii.)