1 Peter 5:1-2 - Peter tells the elders among his readers that they are to, "shepherd the flock of God among you" (NASB)īishops in Western Christianity often bear a formal crosier in the form of a stylised shepherd's crook as a symbol of their pastoral/shepherding functions.Ephesians 4:11 - Paul wrote "And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers" (NASB).1 Corinthians 9:7 - Paul says, of himself and the apostles: "who tends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock?" (NASB).Acts 20:17 - the Apostle Paul summons the elders or presbyters of the church in Ephesus to give a last discourse to them in the process, in Acts 20:28, he tells them that the Holy Spirit has made them bishops, and that their job is to shepherd the flock of God among them.
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John 21:16 - Jesus told Peter: "Shepherd My sheep" (NASB).In five New Testament passages though, the words relate to church workers: The same words in the familiar Christmas story ( Luke 2) refer to literal shepherds. For example, Jesus called himself the "Good Shepherd" in John 10:11. The two words occur a total of 29 times in the New Testament, most frequently referring to Jesus. In telling Peter to shepherd his sheep, Christ appointed him as a "pastor".Įnglish-language translations of the New Testament usually render the Greek noun ποιμήν ( poimēn) as "shepherd" and the Greek verb ποιμαίνω ( poimaino) as "to shepherd". It occurs 173 times and relates to the feeding of sheep, as in Genesis 29:7, or to the spiritual feeding of human beings, as in Jeremiah 3:15, "Then I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will feed you on knowledge and understanding" ( NASB).Ĭhrist's Charge to Peter by Raphael, 1515. The Hebrew Bible (or Old Testament) uses the Hebrew word רעה ( roʿeh). Present-day usage of the word is rooted in the Biblical image of shepherding. Many Protestant churches call their ministers "pastors". The term "pastor" also relates to the role of elder within the New Testament, but is not synonymous with the biblical understanding of minister. The word "pastor" derives from the Latin noun pastor which means " shepherd" and relates to the Latin verb pascere - "to lead to pasture, set to grazing, cause to eat". A pastor also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, the term may be abbreviated to "Pr" (singular) or "Ps" (plural). For the bird genus, see Rosy starling.Ī pastor ( UK: / ˈ p ɑː s t ə/ US: / ˈ p æ s t ər/) is usually an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. For persons named Pastor, see Pastor (surname).