Shepherd (4165) (poimaino from poimen = shepherd) was one who tended flocks like a shepherd and who carried out oversight, protecting, leading, encouraging, discipling, guarding, guiding and feeding ("feed and lead"). Here Peter applies this agricultural term metaphorically to church leaders who were to exercise administrative and protective activity over the community of believers. English dictionaries say that "to shepherd" means to guide, direct or guard in the manner of a shepherd. Shepherd is in the aorist imperative a command calling for effective action - do this now. Do it effectively. Don't delay. It can even convey a sense of urgency. In short, the shepherd's role concerning the flock is to... Graze, Guide and Guard Poimaino is used 11 times in the NAS ( Matt. 2:6; Lk. 17:7; Jn. 21:16; Acts 20:28; 1 Co. 9:7; 1 Pet. 5:2; Jude 1:12; Rev. 2:27; 7:17; 12:5; 19:15) and is translated: caring, 1; rule, 3; shepherd, 5; tending sheep, 1; tends, 1. There are 23.4" class="scriptRef">49 uses in the Septuagint - Gen. 30:31, 6" class="scriptRef">36; 7.2" class="scriptRef">37:2, 13; Exod. 2:16; 3:1; 1 Sam. 16:11; 17.34" class="scriptRef">17:34; 25:16; 2 Sam. 5:2; 7:7; 1 Chr. 11:2; 17:6; Ps. 2:9; 23:1; 28:9; 37:3; 48:14; 49:14; 78:71f; 80:1; Prov. 9:12; 22:11; 28:7; 29:3; Song 1:7, 8; 2:16; 6:2, 3, Is 40:11; 61:5; Jer. 3:15; 6:3, 18; 22:22; 23:2, 4; Ezek. 34:10, 23; Hos. 13:5; Mic. 5:4, 6; 7:14; Zech. 11:4, 7, 9, 17 Larry Richards writes that... The verb poimaino means "to act as a shepherd," "to feed and care for the flock." In the Judaism of the first century, the occupation of a shepherd was considered demeaning, and shepherds were generally despised. However, the NT itself reflects the attitude of the OT, and the metaphor continues to be used to represent God's love for his people. (Richards, L O: Expository Dictionary of Bible Words: Regency) In the Near East the citizens in a country were referred to as “herd” and the king as “shepherd,” and the OT and NT pick up this imagery. Because shepherds were the sole source of provision, protection, and control for sheep, in ancient Near Eastern usage “shepherd” came to be a term descriptive of political leaders. The law codes of Lipit-ishtar and Hammurabi each refer to the ruler as the divinely appointed shepherd of his people. Jesus is the ultimate example of a "Good Shepherd" Who leads the sheep and protects the sheep (Jn 10:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13) even to being willing to lay down His life. Jesus' willingness to die for His flock contrasts with hirelings who don't care for the sheep and will depart when the wolves come, leaving the sheep to be ravaged and destroyed. Jesus passes the responsibility of shepherding the flock to Peter (see John 21:15-17 = "Shepherd My sheep") and Peter passes on this same command to the leaders in each church. In the first use of poimaino Matthew records the Messianic prophecy from Micah 5:2 writing... 'AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER, WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.' (Matthew 2:6) John MacArthur commenting on the combination of "Ruler" and "shepherd" in Matthew 2:6 writes that this combination of a Ruler who will shepherd (poimaino) shows that the shepherding function is more than tender care. It is sovereign dominance. Nowhere is that made more clear than by the use of the verb poimaino in Revelation 2:27; Rev 12:5; Rev 19:15. In each of those verses the verb is justifiably translated “rule”-and “with a rod of iron” at that. Its appearance in Revelation 7:17, as well as its use in John 21:16; Acts 20:28; and 1 Peter 5:2, could warrant a similar rendering. (MacArthur, J: Matthew 1-7 MacArthur New Testament Commentary Chicago: Moody Press) In John 21, Jesus instructed Peter using poimaino in the second of 3 commands (which seem similar in the English translation = "tend...shepherd...tend")... So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said^ to him, "Tend (bosko - 1006 = pasture, graze = present imperative) My lambs." He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" He said^ to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Shepherd (KJV = "feed", poimaino - present imperative) My sheep." He said^ to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Tend (bosko - 1006 = pasture, graze = present imperative) My sheep. (John 21:15-17) Peter by writing this letter is fulfilling Christ's command to Shepherd or Feed His sheep. Note what happens when there are no "true" shepherds feeding the flock. And seeing the multitudes, (Jesus, the Shepherd and Guardian of our souls, see 1Pe 2:25-note) felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and downcast like sheep without a shepherd. (Mt 9:36) Jude uses poimaino in his description of the men who had crept in unnoticed and were turning the grace of God into licentiousness writing that... These are in your love-feasts craggy rocks; feasting together with you, without fear shepherding (poimaino, "shepherds who feed only themselves", NIV) themselves (furthering their own schemes and lusts instead of tending the flock of God) (YLT, "shepherds who feed only themselves", NIV) In Ezekiel 34 Jehovah condemns the self-centered shepherds who were leading the sheep (Israel) only for self-gain (cf "filthy lucre" below) and who were failing to graze, guide and guard the flock, Ezekiel recording that... "Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the lost; but with force and with severity you have dominated them. And they were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and they became food for every beast of the field and were scattered. My flock wandered through all the mountains and on every high hill, and My flock was scattered over all the surface of the earth; and there was no one to search or seek for them." (Ezekiel 34:4-6). Marvin Vincent has a lengthy note on poimaino writing that... The word involves the whole office of the shepherd — guiding, guarding, folding, as well as feeding. Hence appropriate and often applied to the guides and guardians of others. Homer calls kings “the shepherds of the people.” To David the people said, “The Lord said to thee, Thou shalt feed (as a shepherd) my people Israel” (2Sa 5:2; compare Ps. 78:70, 71, 72). God is often called a shepherd (Ge 48:15; Ps. 23:1; 77:20; 80:1; Is. 40:11; Ezek. 34:11–31). Jesus calls himself the good shepherd (John 10:11). Peter, who is bidden by Jesus to shepherd his sheep (John 21:16, poimaine, Rev., tend), calls him the Shepherd of Souls (1Peter 2:25- note), and the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4-note); and in the Epistle to the Hebrews (Hebrews 13:20-note), he is styled the great Shepherd of the sheep. In Revelation 2:27 (see note), rule is literally to shepherd (Revelation 19:15-note); but Christ will shepherd his enemies, not with the pastoral crook, but with a sceptre of iron. Finally, Jesus will perpetuate this name and office in heaven among his redeemed ones, for “the Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, shall be their shepherd (Revelation 7:17-note). In this verse the word governor is in harmony with the idea of shepherding, since the word hegoumenos originally means one who goes before, or leads the way, and suggests Christ’s words about the good shepherd in John 10:3, 4: “He calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.… He goeth before them, and the sheep follow him.” (1Peter 5: Greek Word Studies) THE FLOCK OF GOD AMONG YOU: to en humin poimnion tou theou: (Is 63:11; Jer 13:17,20; Ezek 34:31; Zech 11:17; Lk 12:32; 1Co 9:7) (Ps 78:71,72; Acts 20:26,27) "Copy and paste the address below into your web browser in order to go to the original page which will allow you to access live links related to the material on this page - these links include Scriptures (which can be read in context), Scripture pop-ups on mouse over, and a variety of related resources such as Bible dictionary articles, commentaries, sermon notes and theological journal articles related to the topic under discussion." http://www.preceptaustin.org/1peter_verse_by_verse_51-14.htm#shepherd