Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 10:12
But he that is a hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
12. an hireling ] The word occurs nowhere else in N.T. excepting of the ‘hired servants’ of Zebedee (Mar 1:20). The Good Shepherd was introduced in contrast to the thief. Now we have another contrast to the Good Shepherd given, the hired shepherd, a mercenary, who tends a flock not his own for his own interests. The application is obvious; viz., to those ministers who care chiefly for the emoluments and advantages of their position, and retire when the position becomes irksome or dangerous.
and not the shepherd ] Better, and not a shepherd, as in Joh 10:2.
the wolf ] Any power opposed to Christ. See on Joh 10:28.
and scattereth the sheep ] The best authorities omit ‘the sheep;’ but the words might easily be omitted as apparently awkward and superfluous after the preceding ‘them.’ But in any case the meaning is ‘snatcheth certain sheep and scattereth the flock.’
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
A hireling – A man employed to take care of the sheep, to whom wages is paid. As he does not own the sheep, and guards them merely for pay, rather than risk his life he would leave the flock to the ravages of wild beasts. The word translated hireling is often employed in a good sense; but here it denotes one who is unfaithful to his trust; and especially those ministers who preach only for support, and who are unwilling to encounter any danger or to practice any self-denial for the welfare of the church of God. They are those who have no boldness in the cause of their Master, but who, rather than lose their reputation or place, would see the church corrupted and wasted by its spiritual foes.
Whose own the sheep are not – Who does not own the sheep.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
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.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Those that deal in sheep, either keep them themselves, or by their near relations, as Jacobs sons, and David, and Labans daughters did; or else they hired persons to keep them for them. There is a great deal of difference between the care of an owner, and the care of a hired servant in any thing; the owner taketh a more natural, diligent care, because the whole profit of the sheep, thriving and doing well, returneth unto himself. The hired servant may be careful in his measure and degree; but no such servant will take the care that an owner will take, nor run the hazards that he will run, because he knoweth that, let the flock thrive never so well, he shall have no more than the wages he is hired for: therefore what our Saviour saith is true concerning the generality of such hired servants, they will take some care of the flocks of sheep in their trust so long as there appeareth no danger, but if any danger appeareth, they leave the sheep, and flee, and the wolf cometh, and scattereth the sheep.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
12. an hireling . . . whose own thesheep are notwho has no property, in them. By this Hepoints to His own peculiar relation to the sheep, the same as HisFather’s, the great Proprietor and Lord of the flock, who styles Him”My Shepherd, the Man that is My Fellow” (Zec13:7), and though faithful under-shepherds are so in theirMaster’s interest, that they feel a measure of His own concern fortheir charge, the language is strictly applicable only to “theSon over His own house” (Heb3:6).
seeth the wolf comingnotthe devil distinctively, as some take it [STIER,ALFORD, &c.], butgenerally whoever comes upon the flock with hostile intent, inwhatever form: though the wicked one, no doubt, is at the bottomof such movements [LUTHARDT].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd,…. 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, , “he is the wolf” u; or any false prophet, or teacher, who are ravenous wolves; though sometimes in sheep’s clothing; or any tyrant, oppressor, or persecutor of the saints:
and leaveth the sheep; as the idol shepherd, against whom a woe is pronounced, Zec 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 Ac 8:1. The Jews have a rule concerning such an hireling shepherd w, 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 x 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.”
u Caphtor, fol. 58. 1. w T. Bab. Bava Metzia, fol. 41. 1. & 93. 2. & 106. 1. x Hilchot Shechirut c. 3. sect. 6.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
He that is a hireling ( ). Old word from , to hire (Mt 20:1) from (hire, wages, Lu 10:7), in N.T. only in this passage. Literally, “the hireling and not being a shepherd” ( ). Note with the participle to emphasize the certainty that he is not a shepherd in contrast with in verse 1 (conceived case). See same contrast in 1Pe 1:8 between and . The hireling here is not necessarily the thief and robber of verses John 10:1; John 10:8. He may conceivably be a nominal shepherd (pastor) of the flock who serves only for the money, a sin against which Peter warned the shepherds of the flock “not for shameful gain” (1Pe 5:2).
Whose own ( ). Every true shepherd considers the sheep in his care “his own” () even if he does not actually “own” them. The mere “hireling” does not feel so.
Beholdeth (). Vivid dramatic present, active indicative of , a graphic picture.
The wolf coming ( ). Present middle predicate participle of .
Leaveth the sheep, and fleeth ( ). Graphic present actives again of and . The cowardly hireling cares naught for the sheep, but only for his own skin. The wolf was the chief peril to sheep in Palestine. See Mt 10:6 where Jesus says: “Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves.”
And the wolf snatcheth them and scattereth them ( ). Vivid parenthesis in the midst of the picture of the conduct of the hireling. Bold verbs these. For the old verb see John 6:15; Matt 11:12, and for , late word (Plutarch) for the Attic , see Mt 12:30. It occurs in the vision of Ezekiel (Eze 34:5) where because of the careless shepherds “the sheep became meat to all the beasts of the field, and were scattered.” Jesus uses in 10:29 where no one is able “to snatch” one out of the Father’s hand.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Hireling [] . From misqov, hire. See on 2Pe 2:13. Wyc., merchant.
Seeth [] . 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.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd,” (ho misthos kai ouk on poimen) “The one who is an hireling and not being (existing as) a shepherd,” one who works for wages, as an hired hand without sympathy, compassion, feeling, heart, or love for the sheep, but he is there simply for what he can get for his work; Israel’s religious leaders fell to this low plane in olden days, Eze 34:1.
2) “Whose own the sheep are not,” (hou ouk estin ta probata idia) “Whose sheep (he attends) are not his own,” not his own property, Jer 23:1-2, though he is in trust of their care for wages.
3) “Seeth the wolf coming,” (theorei ton lukon erchomenon) “He sees the wolf approaching,” for the kill, to destroy and scatter the flock, Zec 11:15-16. He becomes a traitor to his trust, a thing that may do as much harm as the kill of the wolf. The wolf doubtless signified the ravages of the Sadducees and the Pharisees against the flock of Jesus, Luk 12:32.
4) “And leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: (kai aphiesin ta probata kai pheugei) “And he leaves (deserts) the sheep and flees,” runs away, rather than resist the wolf and try, at risk of personal danger, to protect the sheep. He leaves, even before the wolf enters the flock, and the battle begins. He cares chiefly for his own safety and welfare, Eze 34:2-6; Zec 11:17.
5) “And the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.” (kai ho Ikos harpazei auta kai skorpizei) “And the wolf seizes or snatches and scatters them.” What the wolf does not kill or mangle he scatters. God’s flock, the church, like sheep, need good (ideal) under shepherds today who will not “turn tail” or flee when grievous wolves approach or sneak into the flock; Men of the cloth who know truth and its worthiness and are loyal to their Lord-Superior whose flock they oversee, Act 20:28-30; 1Pe 5:2-4.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
12. But the hireling. By hirelings we are to understand those who retain the pure doctrine, and who proclaim the truth, as Paul says, to serve a purpose rather than from pure zeal. Though such persons do not serve Christ faithfully, yet we ought to hear them; for Christ wished that the Pharisees should be heard, because they sat in Moses ’ seat, (Mat 23:2😉 and, in like manner, we ought to give such honor to the Gospel, as not to shrink from its ministers, though they be not good men. And as even the slightest offenses render the Gospel distasteful to us, that we may not be hindered by such false delicacy, let us always remember what I have formerly suggested, that if the Spirit of Christ does not operate so powerfully in ministers, as to make it plainly evident that he is their shepherd, we suffer the punishment of our sins, and yet our obedience is proved.
And he who is not the shepherd. Though Christ claims for himself alone the name of a shepherd, yet he indirectly states that, in some respects, he holds it in common with the agents by whom he acts. For we know that there have been many, since the time of Christ, who did not hesitate to shed their blood for the salvation of the Church; and even the prophets, before his coming, did not spare their own life. But in his own person he holds out a perfect example, so as to lay down a rule for his ministers. For how base and shameful is our indolence, if our life is more dear to us than the salvation of the Church, which Christ preferred to his own life!
What is here said about laying down life for the sheep, may be viewed as an undoubted and principal mark of paternal affection. Christ intended, first, to demonstrate what a remarkable proof he gave of his love toward us, and, next, to excite all his ministers to imitate his example. Yet we must attend to the difference between them and him. He laid down his life as the price of satisfaction, shed his blood to cleanse our souls, offered his body as a propitiatory sacrifice, to reconcile the Father to us. Nothing of all this can exist in the ministers of the Gospel, all of whom need to be cleansed, and receive atonement and reconciliation to God by that single sacrifice. But Christ does not argue here about the efficacy or benefit of his death, so as to compare himself to others, but to prove with what zeal and affection (288) he is moved towards us, and, next, to invite others to follow his example. In short, as it belongs exclusively to Christ to procure life for us by his death, and to fulfill all that is contained in the Gospel, so it is the universal duty of all pastors or shepherds, to defend the doctrine which they proclaim, even at the expense of their life, and to seal the doctrine of the Gospel with their blood, and to show that it is not in vain that they teach that Christ has procured salvation for themselves and for others.
But here a question may be put. Ought we to reckon that man a hireling, who, for any reason whatever, shrinks from encountering the wolves? This was anciently debated as a practical question, when tyrants raged cruelly against the Church. Tertullian, and others of the same class, were, in my opinion, too rigid on this point. I prefer greatly the moderation of Augustine, who allows pastors to flee on the condition that, by their flight, they contribute more to the public safety than they would do by betraying the flock committed to their charge. And he shows that this is done, when the Church is not deprived of well-qualified ministers, and when the life of the pastor in particular is so eagerly sought, that his absence mitigates the rage of enemies. But it the flock — as well as the pastor — be in danger, (289) and if there be reason to believe that the pastor flees, not so much from a desire to promote the public advantage as from a dread of dying, Augustine contends that this is not at all lawful, because the example of his flight will do more injury than his life can do good in future. The reader may consult the Epistle to Bishop Honoratus, ( Ep. 108) On this ground it was lawful for Cyprian to flee, who was so far from shuddering at death, that he nobly refused to accept the offer of saving his life by a treacherous denial of his Master. Only it must be held that a pastor ought to prefer his flock, or even a single sheep, to his own life.
Whose own the sheep are not. Christ appears here to make all shepherds besides himself to be, without exception, hirelings; for, since he alone is shepherd, none of us have a right to say that the sheep which he feeds are his own But let us remember that they who are guided by the Spirit of God reckon that to be their own which belongs to their Head; and that not in order to claim power for themselves, but to keep faithfully what has been committed to their charge. For he who is truly united to Christ will never cease to take an interest in that which He valued so highly. This is what he afterwards says:
(288) “ De quel zele et affection.”
(289) “ Que s’il y a danger aussi bien pour les brebis que pour la personne du pasteur.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(12) But he that is an hireling.The Greek word occurs again in the New Testament only in the next verse and in Mar. 1:20. It implies a lower position than the household servant, and is more nearly what we should call the tramp-labourer. The thought follows from that of the good shepherd who in the time of danger will give his own life for the sheep. The hireling has no interest in the sheep, and cares for them only as far as to secure his own hire. This want of interest is strongly expressed in the double statement, not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not. In the interpretation we are not to think of the hierarchy, who have been already, in Joh. 10:8, designated as thieves and robbers, breaking into the fold, but of all persons who from any other motive than love for humanity, and by any other way than the door which is Christ, or by any other call than that of the Holy Spirit, take upon themselves the office of shepherds of the flock. The hour of danger will distinguish between the shepherd and the hireling. The one, loving the sheep, will give even his life for them. The other, caring only for the hire, in whatever form it comes, will flee and leave the sheep as a prey to the wolf.
And the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.The words the sheep are not found in the majority of the better MSS., and their insertion makes the sentence awkward, because the pronoun them has been immediately before used for the same sheep. Adopting the better reading (see Note on next verse), we have, and the wolf catcheth them, and maketh havoci.e., seizeth individual sheep, and maketh havoc in the flock. Under the general image we are to understand all the spiritual foes which destroy individual souls and rend the Church of Christ. The wolf is the natural enemy of the sheep, and the fit emblem of all evil persons, who are the natural enemies of the sheep of Christs fold. He spake of false prophets as ravening wolves (Mat. 7:15). He sent forth the Twelve as sheep in the midst of wolves (Mat. 10:16), and the Seventy, whose mission, we shall see (comp. Note on Joh. 10:22), was connected with the teaching of this chapter, as lambs among wolves (Luk. 10:3). St. Paul foresaw that in the very city from which St. John wrote this Gospel, after his departing, grievous wolves would enter in among them, not sparing the flock (Act. 20:29). These are the only passages in the New Testament where the word occurs, and from them we may gather that while wolves represent all false teachers and foes to truth, the wolf represents him who is the source from whence they come. As all shepherds are related to the Good Shepherd, so are all wolves to the wolf whose work they do.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
12. A hireling In real life the shepherd was sometimes even the munificent owner of the flocks; but often he was an employe for wages. Our Lord avails himself of this fact to distinguish between the mere mercenary and the true under shepherd, who is, as it were, but a representative and multiplication of the Good Shepherd.
The wolf The devil, either as persecutor, or as seducer to sin and destruction. The mercenary in either case takes care simply of his own interest. He does not himself desire to destroy; but he would rather allow destruction than harm himself.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“He who is a hireling, and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees. And the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hireling and does not care for the sheep.”
The way of the good shepherd is in contrast with the hired shepherd who is not known by the sheep, for the hireling is careless as to their welfare and flees when danger comes (v. 12). This is because the latter does not have any affection for the sheep (v. 13). They do not reject the shepherd, but to them there are more important things than Him and His sheep. Theirs is the way of self-seeking. Note that these hirelings do not seek to enter the fold. That is for the false shepherds. These are under-shepherds, supposedly to Jesus, who prove like Judas to put wealth and safety before loyalty. The way will never be easy. But note the point. The sheep must not look to the under-shepherds who may well fail, but to the true Shepherd Himself. Peter is nothing, Paul is nothing, Apollos is nothing, John is nothing. They are all but under-shepherds (see 1Co 3:5-7). It is Jesus Who is the Shepherd towards Whom all must look.
It is not for us to try to decide who is a hireling and who is a thieving wild beast, although the murderous element among the Pharisees, and the later persecutors were included in the latter. The pictures cover all who profess to speak in God’s name but fail to fulfil a true ministry, some because they reject the Way In, others because their hearts are self-seeking, really fixed on something else. There have been many such through history, and alas, there are many such today, often even revered as they tear the hearts out of the sheep.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Joh 10:12 f. In opposition to the idea of the good shepherd, we have here that of the hireling . The term must not be taken to refer to the conduct of the Pharisees in their leadership of the people (Baeumlein and older writers, also my own view previously), as these hierarchs are included in the characteristic designation of Thieves and Robbers (Joh 10:8 ; Joh 10:2 ), with which the description of the hireling, who is cowardly , and careth not for the sheep, would not harmonize. Nor can it be directed against the mode in which the legitimate priesthood lead the people, as Godet thinks; for the priesthood consisted to a large extent of Pharisees, and formed with these latter, as far as antagonism to Christ was concerned, one great party (Joh 7:32 ; Joh 7:45 ; Joh 11:47 ; Joh 11:57 ; Joh 18:3 ). The expression rather represents those leading teachers of the people of God, who, instead of being ready to sacrifice their lives for the community, flee from danger, and forsake, with feelings of indifference and disregard, their charge . Under the figure of the , there rise to the view of Christ the many cross-forsaking teachers, who would arise even in the apostolic age (Gal 6:12 ; Phi 3:18 ), and to whom the Apostle Paul forms the most brilliant historical contrast. The question by whom the is to be regarded as hired , leads beyond the purpose of the allegory, which is to set forth, in contrast to the good shepherd, the idea of a shepherd who, influenced solely by self -interest, takes charge of a flock, which is not his own property .
] is closely connected with . : he, however, who is a hireling (hired for wage) and is not a shepherd , shepherd in the sense of being owner of the sheep which he leads out to pasture; hence the words , etc., are added for the purpose of more emphatically expressing the meaning. Note that Christ possesses a Church (flock) even before His death; partly, according to the old theocratic idea , namely, that of the old people of God as His , Joh 1:11 ; partly in reality , namely, the totality of those who believed on Him, whom the Father has given Him (Joh 6:37 ); partly proleptically (Joh 10:16 ); though, as far as He is concerned, they are first purchased (compare Act 20:28 ; Tit 2:14 ) by Him through His death, after which event began the extension of His shepherd’s functions to all, by the drawing of His Holy Spirit (Joh 12:32 ).
There is no justification for interpreting the wolf specially, either of the devil (Euth. Zigabenus, Aretius, Olshausen, and several others; admitted even by Chrysostom); or of heretics, after Act 20:20 (Augustine, Jansen, and several others). It is a general image of every sort of power, opposed to the Messiah , and bent on destroying the kingdom of God, which may make its appearance; this power, however, as such, has its causal and ruling principle in the devil, Joh 12:31 ; Joh 14:30 ; Mat 10:16 .
. .] he snatches them (namely, the individuals on which he falls), and scatters the sheep, i.e . the mass of them, the flock; hence the word is neither superfluous nor harsh (De Wette).
. ] nothing else. This and what follows supplies the ethical key to the behaviour described.
Notice further, that whilst in verse 12 we read . , here we have .; because the antithesis of the hireling was first brought forward in Joh 10:12 , and greater emphasis was secured by the immediate connection of . with . Comp. Klotz, ad Devar . p. 378.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
Ver. 12. The wolf scattereth ] To non-residents and other unconscionable ministers, Christ will say as once Eliab did to David, “With whom hast thou left those poor few sheep in the wilderness?” Vare, redde legiones, said Augustus, sighing. The like will this good shepherd say, judging; Pan curet oves, oviumque magistros, say many of our pluralists and idol shepherds. About Hildebrand’s time, so great was the negligence and wickedness of the clergy, that some set forth letters, as dated from the devils of hell to them; wherein they give them many thanks for the souls they had sent to hell, in such abundance as never was known before.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
12. ] The imagery is here again somewhat changed. The false shepherds are here compared to hirelings, i.e. those who serve merely for gain; the who fulfils the character implied by the word. The idea is brought in by . . . . ., which introduces a time of danger, when the true and false shepherds are distinguished.
. ] The purposes of this wolf are the same as those of the thief in Joh 10:10 , and in the allegory he is the same; the great Foe of the sheep of Christ . Lcke and De Wette deny this, and hold ‘any enemies of the theocracy’ to be meant; but no deep view of the parable will be content with this, see Mat 7:15 , where the are , the . of Joh 10:8 ; and their chief and father would therefore be , just as is the Shepherd.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Joh 10:12 . [ is omitted by recent editors] . In contrast to the good shepherd stands now not the robber but a man in some respects better, a hireling or hired hand (Mar 1:20 ), not a shepherd whose instincts would prompt him to defend the sheep, and not the owner to whom the sheep belong. So long as there is no danger he does his duty by the sheep for the sake of his wages, but when he sees the wolf coming he abandons the sheep and flees. “The wolf” includes all that threatens the sheep. In Xen., “ Mem. , ii. 7, 14, the dog says to the sheep: , , . , “and the wolf carries them off and scatters them”; cf. Mat 9:36 ; a general description careless of detail. Bengel says “lacerat quas potest, ceteras dispergit”.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
he that is an hireling = the hired servant. Greek. misthotos. Only here, Joh 10:13, and Mar 1:20.
and not = and not being.
seeth. Greek. theoreo = to view [with fixed gaze], i.e. with terror or fascination. See App-133.
and. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton (App-6), for emph.
catcheth them = catcheth or snatcheth them away. Same as “pluck”, verses: Joh 10:28, Joh 10:29. Compare Act 8:39. 2Co 12:2, 2Co 12:4; 1Th 4:17, &c.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
12.] The imagery is here again somewhat changed. The false shepherds are here compared to hirelings, i.e. those who serve merely for gain; the who fulfils the character implied by the word. The idea is brought in by . . . . ., which introduces a time of danger, when the true and false shepherds are distinguished.
. ] The purposes of this wolf are the same as those of the thief in Joh 10:10, and in the allegory he is the same;-the great Foe of the sheep of Christ. Lcke and De Wette deny this, and hold any enemies of the theocracy to be meant;-but no deep view of the parable will be content with this,-see Mat 7:15, where the are , the . of Joh 10:8;-and their chief and father would therefore be , just as is the Shepherd.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Joh 10:12. , the hireling) who acts as a shepherd for the sake of his own advantage.- ) More frequently , is put with the participle, but here has the effect of giving greater emphasis.-, seizes them) he tears those which he can catch; he scatters the rest: two ways of doing injury. But the Good Shepherd collects together, Joh 10:16, Other sheep I have-not of this fold; them also I must bring,-and there shall be one fold.- , the sheep) all of them.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 10:12
Joh 10:12
He that is a hireling, and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, beholdeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth, and the wolf snatcheth them, and scattereth them:-Others who are hirelings or work for selfish ends forsake the sheep and flee when they see danger approaching and leave the sheep to be destroyed. [The laborer is worthy of his hire, and hence it is not the bare fact of a man receiving pay that makes him a hireling. He is a hireling who would not work were it not for the money he receives. He only cares for his own selfish ends. He will lead the flock away from hope with false doctrines when popularity lends its influence in that direction. Those he described above as thieves and robbers, he now describes as hirelings. Thus true and false shepherds are described.]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
he that: Joh 10:3, Isa 56:10-12, Eze 34:2-6, Zec 11:16, Zec 11:17, 1Ti 3:3, 1Ti 3:8, 2Ti 4:10, Tit 1:7, 1Pe 5:2, 2Pe 2:3
the wolf coming: Mat 7:15, Mat 10:16, Act 20:29
Reciprocal: Gen 31:39 – torn of Gen 33:3 – passed Jdg 18:4 – hired me 2Sa 24:17 – let thine 1Ch 21:17 – let thine Psa 10:9 – to catch Jer 10:21 – the pastors Jer 13:20 – where Jer 23:1 – pastors Eze 34:12 – As a shepherd seeketh out Zec 11:5 – and their Mal 1:10 – even Luk 10:3 – wolves Joh 10:2 – the shepherd Tit 1:11 – filthy
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2
A man who is hired to care for a flock of sheep would have no personal or affectionate interest in them. Such a person would not be expected to risk his life in defence of the flock, for he is acting only because of his financial interests. This would illustrate a man in the religious world who pretends to be laboring in behalf of the people of God, but who is in the business only because of personal interest in the form of money or popularity. Neither should he be expected to endure persecution or other disadvantages on account of the profession he is making. Catcheth them and scattereth the sheep. That is, the wolf gets hold of some of the sheep which he mangles, while the others will flee in terror, the shepherd having already deserted them.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Joh 10:12-13. He that is an hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, beholdeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep and fleeth (and the wolf catcheth them and scattereth), because he is an hireling and careth not for the sheep. A true shepherd will purchase the life of his sheep by the sacrifice of his own life. The man who has taken the work of a shepherd for hire, who is only a hireling and careth not for the sheep, abandons them as soon as danger approaches, and gains his own life at the cost of the life of his sheep. Since the sheep are not to him as his own the very name of shepherd is denied him. It may seem that the climax which usually shows itself in the narratives and discourses of this Gospel is here wanting, thief and robber being far stronger terms of reprobation than hireling. But it is not really so: the thief at all events has betrayed no trust, and is less guilty than the hireling who in the hour of need forsakes the duty he had pledged himself to fulfil. Whom then does the hireling represent? If the thief who comes under the guise of shepherd stands for all who force themselves into the place of rulers and guides, for the sake of private gain, the hireling seems to represent those who held such place by lawful right, but when faithfulness was needed most deserted duty through fear. Godet points to chap. Joh 12:42 as exemplifying the description here given. The lawful rulers dare not avow their own convictions and thus guard the people who trust in them; the Pharisaic spirit is too strong for them; they save themselves by silence and give up those for whom they should care to the persecution of the enemy. Some of these will yield to the foe and deny that Jesus is the Christ; many will be scattered. It is possible therefore that the wolf may here represent this spirit of Judaism, but we should rather say that it is the enemy (Luk 10:19) of God and man who is represented under the symbol of the natural foe of the sheep and of the Shepherd. Whatever agency may be used, the ultimate source of the murderous design is the spirit of evil, the Devil, he who was a murderer from the beginning.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 12
Hireling; that is, a man employed for wages, and influenced chiefly by his expected reward.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Thieves and robbers are wicked, but hired hands are typically just selfish. They take care of sheep for what they can get out of it, not for the sake of the job itself. While a good shepherd may be willing to sacrifice himself for the safety and welfare of his sheep, a hireling will save himself when danger arises (cf. Jer 10:21-22; Jer 12:10; Zec 11:4-17). This is understandable since the shepherd who owns his sheep has a vested interest in them whereas a hired hand does not. Israel’s leaders acted like hirelings when they tried to preserve their own positions and willingly sacrificed Jesus. Christian leaders behave as hired hands when we put our own needs ahead of those we serve (cf. 1Pe 5:2-3). Attitude is the crucial difference between a true shepherd and a hireling.