Pastor
PASTOR
Shepherd, one whose office it is to feed and guard the flock of Christ, Zep 4:11 1Pe 5:2 . See SHEPHERD.
Fuente: American Tract Society Bible Dictionary
Pastor
Eph 4:11 is the only passage in the NT in which pastor occurs, although its Greek equivalent, , is frequent; everywhere else is rendered shepherd. This exceptional translation is justified, because here only is used of some kind of Christian minister. It is used of Christ as the great shepherd of the sheep (Heb 13:20 from LXX_ of Isa 63:11), as the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls (1Pe 2:25), and as the chief Shepherd (1Pe 5:4)-expressions suggested by Himself (Joh 10:11; Joh 10:14). But the metaphor is obvious, and is frequent from Homer onwards. The cognate verb is used of tending Christian flocks; in Christs charge to St. Peter (Joh 21:16), in St. Peters charge to his fellow-elders (1Pe 5:2), and in St. Pauls charge at Miletus to the elders of the Church at Ephesus (Act 20:28). In Eph 4:11, while apostles and prophets and evangelists have each a separate article, pastors and teachers are coupled by a common article, and probably form only one group, distinguished by being attached to particular congregations, whereas apostles, prophets, and evangelists were itinerant preachers and missionaries. But pastors and teachers are not convertible terms; almost all pastors would be teachers, but not all teachers were pastors.
Literature.-See Commentaries on Eph 4:11, esp. J. A. Robinson (1903) and B. F. Westcott (1906); A. Harnack, The Mission and Expansion of Christianity2, Eng. tr._, 1908, i. 336-346.
A. Plummer.
Fuente: Dictionary of the Apostolic Church
PASTOR
Literally a shepherd; figuratively a stated minister appointed to watch over and instruct a congregation. Of the qualifications of ministers we have already made some remarks under that article; but the following, taken from the works of a spiritual and useful writer, we hope, will not be found superfluous. Jesus Christ’s description of an evangelical pastor, Mat 24:45, includes two things, faithfulness and prudence. “If a minister be faithful, he deceives not others; and if he be prudent, he is not apt to be deceived himself. His prudence suffers not deceivers easily to impose upon him; and his faithfulness will not suffer him knowingly to impose upon his people. His prudence will enable him to discern, and his faithfulness oblige him to distribute wholesome food to his flock. But more particularly,
1. “Ministerial faithfulness includes pure and spiritual aims and intentions for God, Php 2:20-21.
2. Personal sincerity, or integrity of heart, Neh 9:8. 1Co 2:12.
3. Diligence in the discharge of duty, Mat 25:21. 1Ti 5:21.
5. An unshaken constancy and perseverance to the end, Rev 2:10. But the Lord’s servants must not only be faithful, but prudent, discreet, and wise. Fidelity and honesty make a good Christian; but the addition of prudence to fidelity makes a good steward. Faithfulness will fix the eye upon the right end; but it is prudence must direct to the proper means of attaining it.
The use of prudence to a minister is unspeakably great: it not only gives clearness and perspicacity to the mind, by freeing it from passions and corporeal impressions, enabling it thereby to apprehend what is best to be done, but enables it in its deliberations about the means to make choice of the most apt and proper; and directs the application of them in the fittest season, without precipitation by too much haste, or hazard by too tedious delay. 2. “Prudence will direct us to lay a good foundation of knowledge in our people’s souls by catechising and instructing them in the principles of Christianity, without which we labour in vain.
2. Ministerial prudence discovers itself in the choice of such subjects as the needs of our people’s souls do most require and call for.
3. It will not only direct us in the choice of our subjects, but of the language, too, in which we dress and deliver them to our people.
4. It will show us of what great use our own affections are for the moving of others; and will therefore advise us, that, if ever we expect the truths we preach should operate upon the hearts of others, we must first have them impressed on our own hearts, Php 3:18.
5. It will direct us to be careful, by the strictness and gravity of our deportment, to maintain our esteem in the consciences of our people.
6. It will excite us to seek a blessing from God upon our studies and labours, as knowing all our ministerial success entirely depends thereupon.” 1Co 3:7.
See Flavel’s Character of an Evangelical Pastor, in the second Volume of his Works, p. 763, fol. ed. and books under article MINISTRY.
Fuente: Theological Dictionary
pastor
(Latin: pasco, feed)
An individual priest, or a moral person (a religious order or community) on whom a parish has been conferred, with the rights to the benefice of that parish. Pastors exercise the care of souls under the authority of the bishop. Pastors are irremovable when they enjoy the right of perpetuity of office. Such a pastor cannot be removed or transferred unless for a canonical reason, viz., a reason which is stipulated by the law of the Catholic Church. Other pastors are removable, such as religious and those who have charge of a congregation which has not as yet attained the status of a canonical parish.
Fuente: New Catholic Dictionary
Pastor
This term denotes a priest who has the cure of souls (cura animarum), that is, who is bound in virtue of his office to promote the spiritual welfare of the faithful by preaching, administering the sacraments, and exercising certain powers of external government, e.g., the right of supervision, giving precepts, imposing light corrections — powers rather paternal in their nature, and differing from those of a bishop, which are legislative, judicial, and coactive. A pastor is properly called a parish-priest (parochus) when he exercises the cure of souls in his own name with regard to a determined number of subjects who are obliged to apply to him for the reception of certain sacraments specified in the law. In this article “parish-priest” is always taken in this strict sense. Pastors (whether parish-priests or not) are either irremovable (inamovibiles) or movable (amovibiles ad nutum). An irremovable pastor or rector is one whose office gives him the right of perpetuity of tenure; that is, he cannot be removed or transferred except for a canonical reason, viz., a reason laid down in the law and, in the case of a criminal charge, only after trial. (See IRREMOVABILITY.) A movable pastor or rector is one whose office does not give him this right; but the bishop must have some just and proportionate reason for dismissing or transferring him against his will, and, should the priest believe himself wronged in the matter, he may have recourse to the Holy See, or to its representative where there is one having power in such cases. Moreover, according to some canonists, even movable pastors in case of a criminal charge cannot be absolutely removed from their office without a trial (cf. Pierantonelli, “Praxis Fori Ecclesiastici,” tit. iv; Smith, “Elements of Ecclesiastical Law”, n. 418.) This, certainly, is the case in the United States of America (Decrees of Propaganda, 28 March, and 20 May, 1887).
The Council of Trent (Sess. XXIV, cap. xiii, de Ref.) shows it to be the mind of the Church; that dioceses should, wherever it is possible, be divided into canonical parishes (See PARISH), to be governed by irremovable parish-priests. In places, therefore, where the Tridentine law cannot be fully carried out, bishops adopt measures which fulfil this requirement as nearly as circumstances allow. One such measure was the erection of quasi-parishes, districts with defined limits, ordered for the United States in 1868 (Second Plenary Council of Baltimore, n. 124). Another such was the institution of irremovable rectors (pastors with the right of perpetuity of tenure), ordered for England in 1852 (First Provincial Council of Westminster Decr. xiii), and for the United States in 1886 (Third Plenary Council of Baltimore, n. 33).
The power to appoint pastors is ordinarily vested in the bishop. Among the candidates possessed of the necessary qualifications the appointment should fall on the one who is best fitted for the office. Moreover, according to the Council of Trent (Sess. XXIV, cap. xviii, de Ref) candidates for the office of parish-priest should (a few cases excepted) pass a competitive examination (concursus). This provision of the Council of Trent is sometimes by particular enactments applied in the selection of candidates for the office of irremovable rectors, as happens in the United States (Third Plenary Council of Baltimore, tit. ii, cap. vi).
With regard to the faculties and powers of pastors, those of parish-priests are sufficiently defined by the law, and hence are ordinary, not delegated. Of these faculties some are called rights strictly parochial, because in a parish they belong exclusively to the parish-priest, so that their subjects cannot with regard to them have recourse to another priest, except with his or the bishop’s consent. These rights are the following: the right of administering baptism, holy viaticum, and extreme unction in all cases where there is no urgent necessity; the right of administering paschal communion, of proclaiming the banns of marriage, and of blessing marriages. To the parish-priest are also reserved the celebration of funerals (except in certain cases specified in the law), and the imparting of certain blessings, the chief one being blessing of the baptismal font. To pastors, who are not parish-priests, the right of assisting at marriages is given by the law as to parish-priests. The other rights usually are granted to them by the bishops and are defined in the particular laws; such is very commonly the case in the United States, England, and Scotland, with regard to baptism, holy viaticum, extreme unction, and funerals. Mention should be made here of the custom which exists in certain dioceses of the United States, whereby the faithful of one district are permitted to receive such sacraments from the pastor of another district if they rent a pew in his church (Second Plenary Council of Baltimore, nn. 117, 124, 227, and the statutes of several diocesan synods). Rights not strictly parochial are those which belong by law to parish-priests, but not exclusively. Such are the faculties of preaching celebrating Mass, low or solemn, hearing confessions, administering Holy Communion. Pastors who are not parish-priests receive these faculties from their bishop.
Pastors are naturally entitled to a salary. This is furnished by the revenues of the parochial benefice, should there be one; otherwise, it is taken from the revenues of the church or from the offerings. Such offerings as the faithful contribute of their own accord, without specifying the purpose of their donation, belong to the pastor. This assertion is based on the presumption that these gifts are meant to show the gratitude of the faithful towards the priests who spend their lives in caring for the souls committed to their charge. This presumption, however, ceases wherever custom or law provides that at least a certain portion of these offerings should belong to the church. This is generally the case where churches, not possessing other sources of income, depend entirely on the offerings. An illustration of such laws is to be found in the eighth decree of the Second Provincial Council of Westminster, approved by Leo XIII in the Constitution “Romanos Pontifices” of 8 May, 1881. Accordingly, in countries where this is in force, the usual collections taken up in the churches belong to each mission, in addition to the pew-rents, and it is from these revenues that the salaries of pastors and assistants are ordinarily drawn.
Pastors, besides having rights, have also obligations. They must preach and take care of the religious instruction of the faithful, especially of the young, supply their spiritual needs by the administration of the sacraments, reside in their parish or mission, administer diligently the property entrusted to their care, watch over the moral conduct of their parishioners, and remove, as far as possible, all hindrances to their salvation. Moreover, parish-priests must make a profession of faith and take the oath prescribed by Pius X in his “Motu Proprio”, 1 Sept., 1910; they must also offer the Holy Sacrifice on behalf of their flock on Sundays and certain holydays set down in the law. When the number of the faithful entrusted to the care of the pastor is so large that he alone cannot fulfil all the duties incumbent on his office, the bishop has the right to order him to take as many priests to help him as may be necessary. These are called assistants or auxiliary priests, and differ both from coadjutors who are given to pastors for other reasons determined by the law, and from administrators who take charge of a parish during its vacancy, or the absence of its pastor.
Positive law (Council of Trent, Sess. XXI, cap. iv, de Ref.), modified in some countries by custom, reserves to the parish-priest the right to choose his assistants, a choice, however, which is subject to the approval of the bishop, and it is also from the bishop that assistants receive their faculties. The amount of their salary is likewise to be determined by the bishop, and, as to its source, the same rules hold as those already mentioned with regard to pastors. As to their removal, (a) when their nomination belongs by law to the parish-priest, they can be removed either by him or by the bishop, (b) when their nomination belongs to the bishop, he alone can remove them; in any case a reasonable cause is necessary, at least for the lawfulness of the act, and the assistant who believes that he has been wronged may have recourse to higher authorities, as mentioned above with regard to movable pastors. Their office, however, does not cease with the death of the priest or bishop who appointed them, unless this was clearly expressed in the letters of appointment. For the recent legislation regarding the removal of parish-priests, see PARISH, section II, 2.
———————————–
BAART, Legal Formulary (4th ed., New York), nn. 86-113; BOUIX, De Parocho (3rd ed., Paris, 1889); FERRARIS, Bibliotheca Canonica etc. (Rome, 1885-99); NARDI, Dei Parrochi (Pesaro, 1829-60); SANTI, Pr£lectiones juris canonici (New York, 1905); SCHERER, Handbuch des Kirchenrechts (Graz, 1886), xcii-iii; SMITH, Elements of Ecclesiastical Law, I (9th ed., New York, 1893), nn. 639-70; WERNZ, Jus Decretalium (Rome, 1899), tit. xxxix; RAYMUNDI ANTONII EPISCOPI, Instructio Pastoralis (5th ed., Freiburg, 1902); AICHNER, Compendium juris eccl. (6th ed., Brixon, 1887), 426-41; CRONIN, The New Matrimonial Legislation (Rome, 1908).
HECTOR PAPI Transcribed by Bobie Jo M. Bilz Dedicated to Reverend J. Ronald Knott, Pastor of the Cathedral of the Assumption, Louisville, Kentucky, 1983-1997.
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XICopyright © 1911 by Robert Appleton CompanyOnline Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. KnightNihil Obstat, February 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., CensorImprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York
Fuente: Catholic Encyclopedia
Pastor
(, roch, from , to feed, Jer 2:8; Jer 3:15; Jer 10:21; Jer 12:10; Jer 17:16; Jer 22:22; Jer 23:1-2; , Eph 4:11), a shepherd (as elsewhere rendered). Besides this literal sense, the word is’ employed figuratively in the Scriptures in somewhat the same way as it is now used to denote a stated minister appointed to watch over and instruct a congregation. SEE SHEPHERD.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
PASTOR
Eph 4:8-11 states that pastors and teachers were among the risen Christs gifts to the church. The grammatical link between the two words in the original language indicates that they refer to the same people, pastor-teachers.
Another point that is clearer in the original language than in English is the connection between the words pastor, shepherd and flock. All come from the same Greek root. A pastor, or shepherd, is one who leads and cares for Gods flock, the church (Joh 21:15-17; Act 20:28-29; 1Pe 5:1-4). In referring to leaders of Gods people as shepherds, the New Testament writers were following a well established Old Testament usage of the word (Num 27:17; Isa 63:11; Jer 50:6; see SHEPHERD). But whereas the shepherd-leaders of Israel were often concerned only for themselves (Eze 34:2-6), the Christians example of a shepherd-leader, Jesus Christ, gave himself for the flock (Mat 9:36; Mat 10:6; Joh 10:1-15; 1Pe 5:1-4).
One reason why pastors must also be teachers is that their means of feeding the flock is the teaching of the Word (Act 20:28; see TEACHER). Some may move from place to place, spending periods of varying lengths in different churches (Act 11:25-26; Act 20:31). Others may be settled residents of particular localities, and most likely be elders in their local churches (Act 20:28-32; Col 4:12-13). Elders must have pastoring abilities (1Pe 5:1-4) and teaching abilities (1Ti 3:2). Their leadership and care of the church involves feeding it on teaching that is wholesome and protecting it from teaching that is harmful (Act 20:29; 1Ti 1:3-7; 1Ti 6:3-21; Tit 1:9; see ELDER).
It is not the duty of the pastor-teachers to carry out all the service of God in the church. They must not encourage the Christians to be totally dependent on them. On the contrary they should use their God-given gifts in such a way that all the Christians are better equipped to carry out Gods service and better able to understand Christian teaching. In this way individual Christians will grow to spiritual maturity and the church as a whole will be built up (Eph 4:11-16; cf. Eze 34:2-6).
Fuente: Bridgeway Bible Dictionary
Pastor
PASTOR, SHEPHERD
A well-known office of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Ghost delights to set forth Jesus under this lovely character in all his word. Sometimes he represents him as the Great Shepherd, (Heb 13:20) -and sometimes he calls him the Good Shepherd, which giveth his life for the sheep, (Joh 10:11) -and by his servant the prophet Zechariah, he calls him JEHOVAH’S Shepherd, (Zec 13:7) -and by Peter, the Chief Shepherd, holding him forth to the under pastors of his flock as a glorious pattern for them to follow, assuring them that when the Chief Shepherd shall appear “they shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.” (1Pe 5:4) And to distinguish him from every other, and as the only Shepherd of JEHOVAH, to whom the flock is given, and who alone was, and is, able to purchase it with his blood, and to preserve it by his power, by his servant the prophet Ezekiel, he is expressly called the one Shepherd; “I will set up one Shepherd over them, and he shall feed them.” (Eze 34:23)
The Holy Ghost hath not only thus delighted to mark the sweet features of his character, but hath given the several features also of his office. “He shall feed his flock” (saith the Lord, by the prophet Isaiah, Isa 40:11) “like a shepherd.” And how is that? Surely, from a knowledge of their persons, their wants, their desires, their abilities, Jesus graciously makes suitable provision for every one, and for all. It is his flock the church, both from the Father’s gift, his own purchase, the conquests of his grace, and the voluntary willingness of his people in the day of his power. “He calleth his own sheep by name:” they shall all pass (saith the Holy Ghost, by the prophet Jeremiah, Jer 33:13) “under the hands of him that telleth them.” Hence, from a knowledge of their number, their persons, their wants, and necessities, it is impossible that one can be overlooked, forgotten, neglected, or lost. He saith himself, “My sheep shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand.” Oh, the precious office and character of the Lord Jesus as the Pastor and Shepherd of his people! He feeds, he protects, he heals, he watches over, restores when wandering, and gathers them out from all places whither they have wandered in the cloudy and dark day, and leads them in the paths of righteousness, for his name’s sake.
Jesus hath his under pastors also, by whom he feeds and directs his flock; hence the Lord, by Jeremiah, promised,”I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which, shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.” (Jer 3:15) And a whole chapter is spent by the prophet Ezekiel, (Eze 34:1-31, in reproving the evil pastors who abused their office, and fed themselves of the flock, and not their people. Sometimes princes and governors are called pastors; thus David is said to have been taken from the sheepfold to be ruler over the Lord’s people Israel. (2Sa 7:8)
Fuente: The Poor Mans Concordance and Dictionary to the Sacred Scriptures
Pastor
paster (, roeh; , poimen; literally, a helper, or feeder of the sheep (the King James Version Jer 2:8; Jer 3:15; Jer 10:21; Jer 12:10; Jer 17:16; Jer 22:22; Jer 23:1, Jer 23:2, and in Eph 4:11, the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American))): Besides the literal sense the word has now a figurative meaning and refers to the minister appointed over a congregation. This latter meaning is recognized in the translation of the King James Version. See MINISTRY.
Fuente: International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Pastor
In the O.T. the word is raah, ‘to feed,’ and refers to those who should have succoured God’s people. They, as all others, had failed; they had destroyed and scattered the sheep. Jer 2:8; Jer 3:15; Jer 12:10; Jer 17:16; Jer 22:22; Jer 23:1-2. In the N.T. it is , which is applied to Christ Himself as the good Shepherd, etc. The pastor is one of the gifts in the church, Eph 4:11; he is one who is gifted to help on the saints individually, enter into their trials and difficulties, and bring the word to instruct and comfort them, or to remonstrate with and counsel them if needed.
Fuente: Concise Bible Dictionary
Pastor
General references
Jer 22:22 Shepherd
Fuente: Nave’s Topical Bible
Pastor
“a shepherd, one who tends herds or flocks” (not merely one who feeds them), is used metaphorically of Christian “pastors,” Eph 4:11. “Pastors” guide as well as feed the flock; cp. Act 20:28, which, with Act 20:17, indicates that this was the service committed to elders (overseers or bishops); so also in 1Pe 5:1-2, “tend the flock … exercising the oversight,” RV; this involves tender care and vigilant superintendence. See SHEPHERD.
Fuente: Vine’s Dictionary of New Testament Words
Pastor
Pastor (1). This name is connected with traditions of the Roman church, which, though accepted as historical by Baronius and other writers, including Cardinal Wiseman (Fabiola, p. 189), must be rejected as mythical. These traditions relate to the origin of two of the oldest of the Roman tituli, those of St. Pudentiana and St. Praxedis, which still give titles to cardinals, and the former of which claims to be the most ancient church in the world. The story is that Peter when at Rome dwelt in the house of the senator Pudens in the vicus Patricius, and there held divine service, his altar being then the only one at Rome. Pudens is evidently intended as the same who is mentioned 2Ti 4:21. His mother’s name is said to have been Priscilla, and it is plainly intended to identify her with the lady who gave to an ancient cemetery at Rome its name. The story relates that Pudens, on the death of his wife, converted his house into a church and put it under the charge of the priest Pastor, from whom it was known us “titulus Pastoris.” This titulus is named in more than one document, but in all the name may have been derived from the story. Thus in the Acts of Nemesius, pope Stephen is said to have held a baptism there (Baronius a.d. 257, n. 23). Our story relates that the baptistery had been placed there by pope Pius I., who often exercised the episcopal functions in this church. Here the two daughters of Pudens, Pudentiana and Praxedis, having given all their goods to the poor, dedicated themselves to the service of God. This church, under the name of Ecclesia Pudentiana, is mentioned in an inscription of a.d. 384, and there are epitaphs of priests tituli Pudentis of a.d. 489 and 528 (de Rossi, Bull. 1867, n. 60; 1883, p. 107). The original authority for the story appears to be a letter purporting to be written by Pastor to Timothy (see Boll AA. SS. May 19, iv. 299). He informs Timothy of the death of his brother Novatus, who, during his illness, had been visited by Praxedis, then the only surviving sisters. He obtains Timothy’s consent to the application of the property of Novatus to religious uses according to the direction of Praxedis; and baths possessed by Novatus in the vicus Lateritius are converted into a second titulus, now known as of St. Praxedis. This titulus is mentioned in an epitaph of a.d. 491 (de Rossi, Bull. 1882, p. 65); and priests of both tituli sign in the Roman council of 499. On this letter are founded false letters of pope Pius I. to Justus of Vienna, given in Baronius (Ann. 166, i.), a forgery later than the Isodorian Decretals. Those who maintain the genuineness of the letter of Pastor are met by the chronological difficulty of connecting Pudens with both St. Paul and Pius I. It has been argued that such longevity is not impossible; and it has been suggested that Praxedis and Pudentiana were not grand-daughters of Pudens. But the spuriousness of the whole story has been abundantly shown by Tillemont (ii. 286, 615).
[G.S.]