Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 10:13
The hireling fleeth, because he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
13. The hireling fleeth ] These words are of still more doubtful authority. Omitting both the doubtful portions the sentence will run (The hireling) leaveth the sheep and fleeth; and the wolf snatcheth them and scattereth ( them); because he is an hireling and careth not, &c.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Because he is a hireling – Because he regards only his wages. He feels no special interest in the flock.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
The reason why he that is a mere hired servant, and hath no property in the sheep, fleeth, is, because he is a hireling, and doth what he doth merely for his wages; and when a danger ariseth, which his wages will not balance, he will never encounter it; he hath no property in the sheep, nor any love to them, nor care for them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
7-14. I am the door of thesheepthat is, the way in to the fold, with all blessedprivileges, both for shepherds and sheep (compare Joh 14:6;Eph 2:18).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling,…. And has no propriety in the sheep; had he, he would abide by them, and defend them; but because he has not, he will not expose himself to any danger, but leaves them:
and careth not for the sheep; what becomes of them, providing only for his own safety. Abarbinel y has a note on Isa 40:11 which may serve to illustrate this passage:
“”he shall feed his flock like a shepherd”; not as he that feeds the flock of others, for the hire they give him, but as a shepherd that feeds his own flock; who has compassion more abundantly on it, because it is his own flock; and therefore he saith, “behold his reward is with him”, for he does not seek a reward from another; “and his work is before him”; for he feeds what is his own, and therefore his eyes and his heart are there.”
Which is not the case of the hireling; he does not care for them, he has not their good at heart; but the good shepherd has, such an one as Christ is.
y Mashmia Jeshua, fol. 20. 4.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Because he is a hireling ( ). And only that, without the shepherd heart that loves the sheep. Reason given for the conduct of the hireling after the parenthesis about the wolf.
And careth not for the sheep ( ). Literally, “and it is no care to him about the sheep.” This use of the impersonal (present active indicative) is quite common, as in Mt 22:16. But God does care (1Pe 5:7).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
The hireling fleeth. The best texts omit. Read, as Rev., supplying he fleeth.
Careth not [ ] . Literally, the sheep are not a care to him. See on 1Pe 5:7. The contrast is suggestive.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) ”The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling,” (hoti misthos estin) “Because he is(only)an hireling, he flees; His nature is betrayed by his conduct, by his abandoning the sheep without a fight, without any effort of resistance, Jas 4:7; 1Pe 5:8-9. This is a bleak picture of duty deserted, 1Co 15:58; Gal 6:9.
2) “And careth not for the sheep.” (kai ou melei auto peri ton probaton) “And it matters not to him concerning (what happens to)the sheep.” He took the position, not for the good of the sheep, but for his own sake. The appearance of the wolf only brought out that he cared for himself first, not the sheep, though he was a paid hired hand and on the job when the wolf came, Mat 7:15-20.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
13. The hireling fleeth. The reason is, because he careth not for the sheep, which means, that his heart is not moved by the scattering of the flock, because he thinks that it does not at all belong to him. For he who looks to the hire, and not to the flock, though he may deceive others, when the Church is in a state of tranquillity, yet when he comes into the contest, will give proof of his treachery.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(13) The hireling fleeth.These words are again an addition to the text, and should he omitted with the great majority of the best authorities. If we omit them this verse must be immediately connected with that which precedes, the last clause of which is a parenthesisBut 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 maketh havoc), because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. The sense is not affected by the omission, and the words were apparently added as a gloss to make the meaning clear. The thought of the hireling is repeated to express the nature of the man, and to strengthen the contrast with the Good Shepherd which immediately follows.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
13. Because he is a hireling His only interest is his wages, in contradistinction from the owner, whose interest is in the sheep.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Joh 10:13. The hireling It is not barely receiving of hire which denominates a man a hireling,(for the labourer is worthy of his hire, Jesus Christ himself being the judge; yea, and the Lord hath ordained, that they who preach the gospel, should live of the gospel;) but it is the loving of hire; the loving of hire more than the work;working for the sake of hire. He is a hireling, who would not work were it not for the hire; to whom this is the great, if not the only motive of working. O merciful God! if a man who works only for hire be such a wretch, a mere thief and robberwhat is he who continually takes the hire, and yet does not work at al
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
Ver. 13. The hireling fleeth ] Yet is not every one that fleeth to be judged a hireling presently. There is a lawful flight, as when the quarrel is personal, &c. Christ fled often when persecuted; so may we. God hath made us not as butts to be perpetually shot at; but as the marks of rovers, movable, as the wind and sun may best serve. Fuge, fuge, Brenti, cite, citius, citissime: Flee, flee, flee, Brentius, quickly, more quickly, very quickly, so friendly did a senator of Hala advise Brentius. He embraced the advice, and saved his life by it. (Melch. Adam. in Vit. Brentii.)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Joh 10:13 . , not, as in Joh 10:12 , . , “because the antithesis of the hireling was there first brought forward and greater emphasis was secured by that position”. Meyer. Klotz, p. 378, says that is placed after more words than one “ubi quae praeposita particulae verba sunt aut aptius inter se conjuncta sunt aut ita comparata, ut summum pondus in ea sententia obtineant”. He flees , his nature is betrayed by his conduct. He does not care for the sheep but for himself. He took the position of guardian of the sheep for his own sake, not for theirs; and the presence of the wolf brings out that it is himself, not the sheep, he cares for.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
The hireling fleeth. [L] Tm. Trm. WI R omit, but not the Syriac. See App-94. note 3, p. 136.
because. Greek. hoti. Same as “for” in Joh 10:4.
careth not for = is not himself concerned about.
for = concerning. Greek. peri. App-104.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Joh 10:13. , but) This has the force of explaining the word fleeth, repeated from the preceding verse.- , because he is an hireling) Ploce [A word placed twice, so that once the word itself, once an attribute of it, should be understood]. His concern is for the pay, not for the flock.- , and careth not for) Connect with fleeth [i.e. does not follow ]. The antithesis to this is to be observed, Joh 10:14-15. The words in antithesis respectively are:
The hireling is a hireling careth not for fleeth I the Good Shepherd know lay down My life. [266][267][268] Memph[269] and Theb[270] Versions, Lucifer, omit of last verse, and in this verse . But [271][272][273][274] Vulg. have the words.]
[266] the Vatican MS., 1209: in Vat. Iibr., Rome: fourth cent.: O. and N. Test. def.
[267] Bez, or Cantabrig.: Univ. libr., Cambridge: fifth cent.: publ. by Kipling, 1793: Gospels, Acts, and some Epp. def.
[268] Laurentianus or Amiatinus. These three I do not specially quote, except very occasionally, where they mutually differ, but simply quote Vulg. in general, as correctly given by Lachmann from these MSS. in his Greek Test.
[269] emph. the Memphitic, or Coptic Version from Egypt: third cent.: publ. by Wilkins at Oxford, 1716.
[270] heb. the Thebaic, or Sahidic do.: publ. by Woide and Ford, from MS. Alex, at Oxford, 1799.
[271] the Alexandrine MS.: in Brit. Museum: fifth century: publ. by Woide, 1786-1819: O. and N. Test. defective.
[272] Vercellensis of the old Itala, or Latin Version before Jeromes, probably made in Africa, in the second century: the Gospels.
[273] Veronensis, do.
[274] Colbertinus, do.
14. ) My [what is Mine], sheep.-, , and, and) Always the beginning of every good thing originates with God and Christ. As the Good Shepherd, He both knows and is known.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 10:13
Joh 10:13
he fleeth because he is a hireling,-He whose labor is for selfish ends flees when danger threatens, and when the chances are he will lose instead of gain by the danger. [All his care and love is centered on his pay and self-interest, and none on the church. It is said that when yellow fever struck Memphis the hireling shepherds fled to the north.]
and careth not for the sheep.-He works for his own selfish good and not for the good of others.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
careth not: Joh 12:6, Act 18:17, Phi 2:20
Reciprocal: Gen 31:39 – torn of Jdg 18:4 – hired me Jer 10:21 – the pastors Jer 13:20 – where Zec 11:5 – and their Zec 11:16 – which Zec 11:17 – that leaveth 1Ti 3:3 – not covetous 1Pe 5:7 – for
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
3
See the comments on the preceding verse about hirelings.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
[The hireling fleeth.] The Rabbins suppose that some such thing may be done by the hireling; when they allot a mulct, if a sheep should happen to perish through the neglect of its keeper.
“How far is the keeper for hire bound to watch his flock? Till he can say truly, ‘In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night.’ ”
“But if, whilst he is going to the city or any ways absent, the wolf or the lion should come and tear the flock, what then?….He ought to have met them with shepherds and clubs;” and not to have fled.
Fuente: Lightfoot Commentary Gospels
Ver. 13. The Alexandrian authorities reject the first words: but the hireling flees. In that case, the becausewhich follows, refers not to the last two propositions of Joh 10:12, but to the one which precedes them: he flees. After having thus described the cowardly guardians, Jesus returns to the description of the good shepherd and his conduct towards the flock, and expressly applies to Himself (, I, Joh 10:14) this figure.