Historical chapter commentary
Verse 2. Shepherds. That is, princes, magistrates, chief priests, and scribes. Challoner.—Shepherds may lawfully take milk, (1 Corinthians 9:7) but the sheep and its wool belong to the master. Worthington.—Excellent instructions are here given for all in authority. Calmet.
Verse 3. Fat. Pastors often disguise the truth to flatter the rich, or the more just souls are ruined by their negligence.
Verse 4. Healed. God alone can restore to life. But pastors will not be excused by ignorance if they know not the maladies and the remedies of their flock.—Hand. This was blamed in the Pharisees, and is contrary to the spirit of the gospel. Matthew 23:4. 1 Peter 5:2.
Verse 5. Field. The people being neglected, followed false prophets and idols. Their teachers were so far from striving to reclaim them, that they perhaps shewed them the example. Calmet.
Verse 8. No shepherd. Pastors who seek only their temporal advantage, (1 Timothy 6:5. Titus 1:7. Bible.) are hirelings; and if they teach false doctrine, they are wolves. John 10. Worthington.
Verse 10. Cease. Both the leaders and the people were led into captivity.
Verse 12. Day, in persecution. I will count my sheep, lest any be lost.
Verse 13. Land. All this cannot be understood of the synagogue alone.
Verse 16. Preserve, (Septuagint Syr.) which seems more natural than Hebrew and Chal. “destroy.” I will not eat them, like bad shepherds. verse 3. Calmet.—God and those whom he sends, will take care of the flock. Ephesians 4. Worthington.
Verse 17. Cattle. The crimes of the pastors do not excuse the flock. In it there are people of different dispositions. The rich often destroy, and these are brought to an account. verse 24. Calmet.
Verse 23. David; Christ, who is of the house of David. Calmet.—That king had been dead long before, so that no Jew or heretic can deny but that the Messias is here meant, as Calmet. 37:24. and so forth Worthington.—He possessed eminently all the virtues of David, and was of his seed. Zorobabel, and so forth cannot be understood, as we have no proof that the governors after the captivity were chosen from the tribe of Juda. Calmet. 21:27.
Verse 25. Peace. Christ pacifies all. Romans 15:33. Mic. 5:5. Ephesians 6:15.—Beasts: those who promote idolatry; or, speaking of Christians, who teach heretical doctrine and persecute the Church. Calmet.
Verse 26. Make. Lit. “place.” Bible.—Septuagint read not a blessing, which seems superfluous. Calmet.—Yet Chal. has it, and the idea is more complete. Bible.
Verse 29. A bud of renown, (germen nominatum.) He speaks of Christ, our Lord, the illustrious bud of the house of David, renowned over all the earth. See Jeremiah 33:15. Challoner.—Septuagint Syr. “a plant of peace.” Chal. “established.” Calmet.
Verse 31. Men. What has been said of sheep ( Menochius.) relates to you.—Am the Lord. This is not in Hebrew or Prot. Bible.—But it is found in one Hebrew MS. and Septuagint as this version is thus frequently confirmed. Kennicott, Dis. ii.