Pastors

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Let's start with just what a Hebrew would have thought of the word
translated 'pastor' and just what the duties of this person would be.  What
I have been doing of late is to look at all of the verses that a particular
word appear.  When one does this, an interesting thing occurs.  I have
found that one can use a single word or variation of a single word and
preserve the meaning of every verse.  When one does this, the prejudice of
the translators becomes very obvious in many verses.  Also, by the context
of other verses and the way the word is used by the penman, one can more
closely determine the meaning attached to the word.

When I look at the verses at:
http://www.khouse.org/cgi-bin.blb/strongs.pl?book=Gen&chapter=13&verse=7&str
ongs=07462 I find that the word FEED or a variation of that word; feeder,
fed, ate, etc. allows the context of EVERY verse to be maintained with
perfect literal sense.  I would then like to proffer that the 'pastors' of
the Old Testament were the 'feeders' of the sheep or cattle.  This could be
accomplished by either taking the sheep to the food or bringing the food to
the sheep.  The word used for pastor can also be translated as feeder in
the New Testament.  Of the 18 times it appears in the New testament it is
used either generically or specifically for Jesus ALONE 17 times.  Let's
now look at the ONE time the word is used in reference to a man in the body
of Christ and EXACTLY what the implication of this single passage is.

Eph 4
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists;
and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the
edifying of the body of Christ: 

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the
Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the
fulness of Christ: 

14 That we [henceforth] be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried
about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, [and] cunning
craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things,
which is the head, [even] Christ: 

16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that
which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the
measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of
itself in love. 

First I would like to point out that pastors are mentioned in this LONG
sentence that STRESSES the importance of the unity of the whole body, each
man fulfilling his individual office in a manner that edifies the
collective and are NOT placed at the head of anything and indeed, seem to
be rather far down on the list.  

Next I would like to refer to the Greek which sheds some interesting light
on just what Paul meant when he wrote this verse down.  We will also see
that what he meant was not what many have take upon themselves today.  

As we 'discect' the verse, an interesting pattern arises.  The word
translated as 'and' in the KJV is in fact two words in the Greek.  The
words are 'de' and 'kai'.  The word de is best translated 'then' and the
word kai is best translated 'and'.  I would like to note also that the word
kai CAN also be a restatement of the original thought or rendered 'in other
words', though this is not common.  Now let's see what changes this would
make to the above verse:

"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and
some, pastors and teachers" would become "And he gave some, apostles; then,
prophets; then, evangelists; then pastors and teachers"  Pastors and
teachers occupy the same 'level' on this list.  Now consider the meaning of
the word translated 'pastor' in light of the word 'feed'.  What does a
teacher do?  Don't they 'feed' you information?  

What other duties can one assume from this information?  Consider this
discription of a 'shepherd':

The tasks of a Near Eastern shepherd were:
- to watch for enemies trying to attack the sheep
- to defend the sheep from attackers
- to heal the wounded and sick sheep
- to find and save lost or trapped sheep
- to love them, sharing their lives and so earning their trust.

Consider also that these feeders of the sheep were delivered a number of
sheep and at the appointed time, they had better have a certain number of
sheep!  They were allowed a certain number but should the 'tally' of lost
sheep be too high...

Was the shepherd ever to RULE over the sheep, you know, use his 'authority'
on them?  We only have One Pastor friends and that is Jesus Christ.  

What then does this passage in Ephesians mean?  Think about what God told
Peter:

John 21
17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?
Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me?
And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I
love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

How then does the pastor accomplish the other duties of the shepherd?  How
can one protect the sheep from wolves and from the 'wayward' sheep that
would harm them?  Consider what Paul considered to be the enemy of all us
sheep:

Ephesians 6
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against
spiritual wickedness in high places. 

How then do we defeat these foes?  How can these wolves be defeated?  There
is not ONE instance below that doesn't involve learning and applying the
Word of God!  NOT ONE!

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to
withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on
the breastplate of righteousness; 

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to
quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is
the word of God: 

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and
watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; 

19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my
mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, 

20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly,
as I ought to speak.

Paul's 'watching' was done by prayer in the Word!  He FED by preaching AND
teaching.  The Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God!  Does God give His
authority to the one delivering the Word or to the Word?  

ALL taught the Word: Apostles then prophets then evangelist then pastors
and teachers.  ALL on the same mission but sent to different types of
mission fields with different applications of the Word.  ALL armed with the
Word but the MANNER and INTENSITY being different according to calling. 
The 'office' was determined by the circumstance of the 'recipients' and NOT
by some predisposed hierarchy!  Jesus said His Authority was God, Paul said
his Authority was God in Christ Jesus, Peter said his Authority was God in
Christ Jesus as did ALL of the Apostles and the prophets and evangelists as
well as pastor/teachers!  

What do YOU say?   

Timothy Litteral
brotim@gte.net Luke 6:26
Let's chat on ICQ or Powwow!
http://members.tripod.com/~trlitteral/