Lecture 3 Lectio 3 The good shepherd Pastor bonus 10:11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for his sheep. [n. 1398] 10:11 Ego sum pastor bonus. Bonus pastor animam suam dat pro ovibus suis. [n. 1398] 10:12 But the hireling and he who is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep and flies: and the wolf catches and scatters the sheep: [n. 1400] 10:12 Mercenarius autem, et qui non est pastor, cuius non sunt oves propriae, videt lupum venientem, et dimittit oves, et fugit. Et lupus rapit, et dispergit oves. [n. 1400] 10:13 And the hireling flies because he is a hireling, and he has no care for the sheep. [n. 1408] 10:13 Mercenarius autem fugit, qui mercenarius est, et non pertinet ad eum de ovibus. [n. 1408] 1397. Here he explains the second clause of the parable, he who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep (John 10:1). 1397. Hic exponit secundam clausulam praemissae parabolae scilicet, qui intrat per ostium, pastor est ovium, et First, he gives the explanation; primo ponit expositionem; second, he makes it clear, at I am the good shepherd. secundo manifestat eam, ibi ego sum pastor bonus etc. First, he explains that he is the good shepherd; Exponit autem illam particularem, dicens se esse pastorem bonum: second, he states the office of a good shepherd, at the good shepherd gives his life for his sheep; secundo subdit boni pastoris officium, ibi bonus pastor animam suam dat pro ovibus suis; third, he shows that the opposite is found in an evil shepherd, at but the hireling . . . leaves the sheep and flies. tertio ostendit de malo pastore contrarium, ibi mercenarius autem . . . videt lupum venientem, et fugit. 1398. He says, in regard to the first, I am the good shepherd. That Christ is a shepherd is clear enough, for as a flock is led and fed by the shepherd, so the faithful are nourished by Christ with spiritual food, and even with his own body and blood: for you were straying like sheep, but now have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls (1 Pet 2:25); he will feed his flock like a shepherd (Isa 40:11). 1398. Dicit ergo quantum ad primum ego sum pastor bonus. Quod autem Christus sit pastor, manifeste ei competit: nam sicut per pastorem grex gubernatur et pascitur, ita fideles per Christum spirituali cibo, et etiam corpore et sanguine suo reficiuntur; I Petr. c. II, 25: eratis aliquando sicut oves non habentes pastorem; sed conversi estis nunc ad pastorem et episcopum animarum vestrarum; Is. XL, 11: sicut pastor gregem suum pascet. To distinguish himself from an evil shepherd and thief, he adds, good. ‘Good,’ I say, because he fulfills the office of a shepherd, just as a soldier is called ‘good’ who fulfills the office of a soldier. But since Christ had said above that the shepherd enters by the door, and here he says that he is the shepherd, and before he said he was the door, I am the door (John 10:7), then he must enter through himself. And he does enter through himself, because he manifests himself and through himself knows the Father. We, however, enter through him, because it is by him that we are led to happiness. Sed ad differentiam mali pastoris et furis addit bonus. ‘Bonus’, inquam, quia implet pastoris officium, sicut ‘bonus’ miles dicitur qui implet militis officium. Sed cum Christus dixerit supra, pastorem intrare per ostium, et iterum se esse ostium, hic autem dicat se esse pastorem, oportet quod ipse per semetipsum intret. Et quidem per seipsum intrat, quia seipsum manifestat, et per seipsum novit Patrem. Nos autem per illum intramus, quia per ipsum beatificamur. Note that only he is the door, because no one else is the true light, but only shares in the light: he, John the Baptist, was not the light, but that he might bear witness to the light (John 1:8). But we read of Christ that he was the true light, which enlightens every man (John 1:9). Therefore, no one else refers to himself as a door; Christ reserved this for himself. But being a shepherd he did share with others, and conferred it on his members: for Peter was a shepherd, and the other apostles were shepherds, as well as all good bishops: I will give you shepherds after my own heart (Jer 3:15). Now, although the Church’s rulers, who are her children, are all shepherds, as Augustine says, yet he expressly says, I am the good shepherd, in order to emphasize the virtue of charity. For no one is a good shepherd unless he has become one with Christ by love, and has become a member of the true shepherd. Sed attende, quod nullus alius est ostium nisi ipse, quia nullus alius est lux vera, sed per participationem; supra I, 8: non erat ille lux, scilicet Ioannes Baptista, sed ut testimonium perhiberet de lumine. Sed de Christo dicitur erat lux vera quae illuminat omnem hominem. Et ideo esse ostium nemo se dicit: hoc sibi ipse Christus proprie retinuit; esse autem pastorem, aliis communicavit, et membris suis dedit: nam et Petrus pastor, et ceteri apostoli pastores fuerunt, et omnes boni episcopi; Ier. III, 5: dabo vobis pastores secundum cor meum. Licet autem praepositi Ecclesiae, qui filii sunt, omnes pastores sint, ut Augustinus dicit; ideo tamen singulariter dicit ego sum pastor bonus, ut insinuet virtutem caritatis. Nullus enim est pastor bonus nisi per caritatem efficiatur unum cum Christo, et fiat membrum veri pastoris. 1399. The office of a good shepherd is charity; thus he says, the good shepherd gives his life for his sheep. It should be noted that there is a difference between a good shepherd and an evil one: the good shepherd is intent upon the welfare of the flock, but the evil one is intent upon his own. This difference is touched upon: ho, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? (Ezek 34:2). Therefore, one who uses the flock only to feed himself is not a good shepherd. From this it follows that an evil shepherd, even over animals, is not willing to sustain any loss for the flock, since he does not intend the welfare of the flock, but his own. But a good shepherd, even over animals, endures many things for the flock whose welfare he has at heart. Thus Jacob said: by day the heat consumed me, and the cold by night (Gen 31:40). However, when dealing with mere animals it is not necessary that a good shepherd expose himself to death for the safety of the flock. But because the spiritual safety of the human flock outweighs the bodily life of the shepherd, when danger threatens the safety of the flock the spiritual shepherd ought to suffer the loss of his bodily life for the safety of the flock. This is what our Lord says, the good shepherd gives his life, i.e., his bodily life, for his sheep, the sheep who are his by authority and charity. Both are required, for they must belong to him and he must love them; the first without the second is not enough. 1399. Officium boni pastoris est caritas; unde dicit bonus pastor animam suam dat pro ovibus suis. Sciendum est enim, quod differentia est inter bonum pastorem et malum: nam bonus pastor intendit commodum gregis; malus autem commodum proprium: et haec differentia tangitur Ez. XXXIV, 2: vae pastoribus qui pascunt semetipsos. Nonne greges pascuntur a pastoribus? Qui igitur utitur grege ut semetipsum tantum pascat, non est pastor bonus. Ex quo sequitur quod pastor malus, etiam corporalis, nullum detrimentum vult sustinere pro grege, cum non intendat eorum commodum, sed proprium. Bonus vero pastor, etiam corporalis, sustinet multa pro grege, cuius bonum intendit; unde Iacob dixit Gen. XXXI, 40: nocte ac die gelu urebar et aestu. Sed in corporalibus pastoribus non exigitur a bono pastore ut exponat se morti propter salutem gregis. Sed quia spiritualis gregis salus praeponderat corporali vitae pastoris, ideo cum periculum imminet de gregis salute, debet quisque spiritualis pastor, corporalis vitae sustinere dispendium pro gregis salute. Et hoc est quod Dominus dicit bonus pastor animam suam, idest vitam corporalem, ponit pro ovibus suis, idest auctoritate et caritate. Utrumque enim exigitur, et quod ad eum pertineant, et quod eas amet: nam primum sine secundo non sufficit. Furthermore, Christ has given us an example of this teaching: he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren (1 John 3:16). Huius autem doctrinae Christus nobis exemplum praebuit; I Io. III, 16: si Christus posuit animam suam pro nobis, et nos debemus pro fratribus animas ponere. 1400. Now he considers the evil shepherd, showing that he possesses characteristics contrary to those of the good shepherd. 1400. Hic agit de malo pastore, ostendens, ei contrarias conditiones inesse a conditionibus boni pastoris, et First, he mentions the marks of an evil shepherd; primo ponit mali pastoris conditiones; second, he shows how these marks follow one another, at but the hireling . . . flies. secundo ostendit quomodo ipsae conditiones se invicem consequuntur, ibi mercenarius autem . . . fugit. Concerning the first he does two things: Circa primum duo facit. first, he gives the marks of an evil shepherd; Primo ponit conditiones mali pastoris; second, he mentions the danger which threatens the flock because of an evil shepherd: the wolf catches and scatters the sheep. secundo insinuat periculum imminens gregi, ex malo pastore, ibi et lupus rapit etc. 1401. Note that from what has been said about the good and evil shepherd, there are three differences in their traits: first in their intentions; second, in their solicitude; and third in their affections. 1401. Notandum autem, quod ex his quae dicta sunt de bono pastore et his quae dicuntur de malo, triplex differentia conditionum ipsorum, scilicet boni et mali pastoris, accipi potest. Prima quidem distinctio accipitur quantum ad intentionem; secunda quantum ad affectum tertia quantum ad sollicitudinem. 1402. First, they differ in their intentions, and this is implied by their very names. For the first is called a good shepherd, and this implies that he intends to feed the flock: should not shepherds feed the sheep? (Ezek 34:2) But the other one, the evil shepherd, is called a hireling, as though he were intent on his wages. Thus they differ in this: the good shepherd looks to the benefit of the flock, while the hireling seeks mainly his own advantage. This is also the difference between a king and a tyrant, as the Philosopher says, because when a king rules he intends to benefit his subjects, while a tyrant seeks his own interest. So a tyrant is like a hireling: if it seems right to you, give me my wages (Zech 11:12). 1402. Differunt ergo primo in intentione, et hoc ex nomine utriusque: nam primus dicitur pastor, ex quo datur intelligi quod intendit pascere gregem; Ez. XXXIV, 2: nonne greges pascuntur a pastoribus? Iste autem, scilicet malus, dicitur mercenarius, quasi mercedem quaerens. Ut sic differant in hoc: quod bonus pastor quaerit utilitatem gregis; mercenarius autem principalius commodum proprium. Haec etiam differentia est inter regem et tyrannum, ut Philosophus dicit, quia rex in suo regimine intendit utilitatem subditorum; tyrannus vero utilitatem propriam; unde est sicut mercenarius: Zach. c. II, 12: si bonum est in oculis vestris, afferte mihi mercedem. 1403. But may not even good shepherds seek a wage? It seems so, for reward those who wait for thee (Sir 36:16); the Lord God comes . . . his reward is with him (Isa 40:10); how many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare (Luke 15:17). 1403. Sed numquid possunt quaerere etiam boni pastores mercedem? Videtur quod sic; Eccli. XXXVI, 18: da mercedem, Domine, sustinentibus te; Is. XL, 10: ecce merces eius cum eo; et Lc. XV, 17: quanti mercenarii in domo patris mei abundant panibus. I answer that wages can be taken in a general sense and in a proper sense. In a general sense, a wage is anything conferred by reason of merits. And because everlasting life, which is God, this is true God and eternal life (1 John 5:20), is conferred by reason of merits, everlasting life is said to be a wage. And this is a wage that every good shepherd can and should seek. In the strict sense, however, a wage is different from an inheritance, and a wage is not sought after by a true child, who is entitled to the inheritance. A wage is sought after by servants and hirelings. Thus, since everlasting life is our inheritance, any one who works with an eye towards it is working as a child; but any one who aims at something different (for example, one who longs for worldly gain, or takes delight in the honor of being a prelate) is a hireling. Respondeo. Dicendum quod merces potest accipi dupliciter: scilicet communiter et proprie. Communiter quidem, omne quod meritis redditur, dicitur merces, et quia vita aeterna, quae est Deus, I Io. ult., 20: hic est verus Deus, et vita aeterna, meritis redditur, ideo ipsa vita aeterna merces dicitur. Et hanc mercedem potest et debet quaerere quilibet bonus pastor. Proprie autem dicitur merces aliquid segregatum ab hereditate; et ad hanc non debet habere respectum ille qui est verus filius, ad quem spectat hereditas; sed ad eam respectum habent servi et mercenarii. Unde, cum vita aeterna sit hereditas nostra, qui operatur habens ad eam respectum, operatur ut filius; qui vero intendit aliquid seorsum ab ea (puta terrenis commodis inhiat, honore praelationis gaudet) mercenarius est. 1404. Second, they differ in their solicitude. We read of the good shepherd that the sheep are his own, not only as a trust, but also by love and solicitude: I hold you in my heart (Phil 1:7). On the other hand, it is said of the hireling, whose own the sheep are not, i.e., the hireling has no care for them: my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves (Ezek 34:8). 1404. Secundo distinguuntur quantum ad sollicitudinem: quia de bono pastore dicitur quod oves sunt suae, non solum commissione, sed etiam amore et sollicitudine; Phil. I, 7: eo quod habeam vos in corde etc.; sed de mercenario dicitur cuius non sunt oves propriae, idest, earum sollicitudinem non habet; Ez. XXXIV, 8: neque quaesierunt pastores gregem meum, sed pascebant semetipsos. 1405. Third, they differ in their affections. For the good shepherd, who loves his flock, gives his life for it, i.e., he exposes himself to dangers that affect his bodily life. But the evil shepherd, because he has no love for the flock, flees when he sees the wolf. Thus he says, he . . . sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep and flies. 1405. Tertio differunt quantum ad affectum: nam bonus pastor qui diligit gregem, animam suam dat pro eo, idest, exponit se periculo vitae corporalis. Malus autem, quia nullum affectum habet ad gregem, fugit cum videt lupum. Unde dicit videt lupum venientem, et dimittit oves. Here, the wolf is understood in three ways. First, for the devil as tempting: what fellowship has a wolf with a lamb? No more has a sinner with a godly man (Sir 13:17). Second, it stands for the heretic who destroys: beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves (Matt 7:15); I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock (Acts 20:29). Third, it stands for the raging tyrant: her princes in the midst of her are like wolves (Ezek 22:27). Therefore, the good shepherd must guard the flock against these three wolves, so that when he sees the wolf, i.e., the devil tempting, the deceiving heretic and the raging tyrant, he can oppose him. Against those who do not, we read, you have not gone up into the breaches, or built up a wall for the house of Israel (Ezek 13:5). Accordingly, we read of the evil shepherd that he leaves the sheep and flies: woe to my worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock (Zech 11:17). As if to say: you are not a shepherd, but only appear to be one: even her hired soldiers in her midst are like fatted calves; yea, they have turned and fled together, they do not stand (Jer 46:21). Lupus iste tripliciter accipitur. Primo quidem diabolus tentans; Eccli. XIII, 21: sed si communicabat aliquando lupus cum agno, sic peccator iusto. Secundo vero haereticus mactans; Matth. VII, 15: attendite a falsis prophetis, qui veniunt ad vos in vestimentis ovium; Act. XX, 29: ego scio quoniam intrabunt post discessionem meam lupi rapaces in vos, non parcentes gregi. Tertio tyrannus saeviens: Ez. II, 27: principes eius in medio eius quasi lupi. Debet ergo bonus pastor contra hunc lupum triplicem, subditum gregem tueri: dum scilicet videns lupum, idest tentationem diabolicam, deceptionem haereticam et saevitiam tyrannicam, opponit se: contra quod dicitur Ez. XIII, 5: non ascendistis ex adverso, neque opposuistis murum pro domo Israel. Et ideo dicitur de malo pastore, quod fugit et dimittit oves; Zach. II, 17: O pastor, et idolum derelinquens gregem; quasi dicat: non es pastor, sed similitudinem et idolum geris pastoris; Ier. XLVI, 21: mercenarii eius in medio eius, quasi vituli saginati versi sunt, et fugerunt simul, nec stare potuerunt. 1406. But we find the contrary: when they persecute you in one town, flee to the next (Matt 10:23). Therefore, it seems to be lawful for a shepherd to flee. 1406. Sed contra hoc est quod dicitur Matth. V, 11: si vos persecuti fuerint in una civitate, fugite in aliam. Ergo videtur quod licet pastori fugere. I reply that there are two answers to this. One is that given by Augustine in his Commentary on John. There are two kinds of flight: that of the soul and that of the body. When we read here, he leaves the sheep and flies, we can understand it to mean the flight of the soul: for when an evil shepherd fears personal danger from a wolf, he does not dare to resist his injustices but flees, not by running away, but by withdrawing his encouragement, refusing to care for his flock. Respondeo. Dicendum quod ad hoc est duplex solutio. Una est Augustini super Ioannem. Est enim duplex fuga: scilicet animi et corporis. Quod autem hic dicitur dimittit oves et fugit, intelligitur de fuga animi: nam dum malus pastor a lupo sibi periculum metuit, resistere eius iniustitiae non praesumit; sed fugit non mutando locum, sed subtrahendo solatium, refugiens scilicet gregis sollicitudinem. This should be the explanation when considering the first kind of wolf, because it is not necessary to physically flee from the devil. But since sometimes a shepherd does flee physically because of certain wolves, such as powerful heretics and tyrants, another answer must be given, as found in Augustine’s Letter to Honoratus. As he says, it seems lawful to flee, even physically, from the wolves, not only because of the authority of our Lord, as cited above, but because of the example of certain saints, as Athanasius and others, who fled from their persecutors. For what is censured is not the flight itself, but the neglect of the flock; so, if the shepherd could flee without abandoning his flock, it would not be blameworthy. Sometimes it is the prelate himself who is the one sought, and at other times, it is the entire flock. It is obvious that if the prelate alone is sought, others can be assigned to guard the flock in his territory, and console and govern the flock in his place. So if he flees under these circumstances, he is not said to leave the sheep. In this way, it is lawful to flee in certain cases. But if the whole flock is sought, then either all the shepherds should be with the people, or some should remain while the others leave. But if all desert the flock, then these words apply, he . . . sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep and flies. Sed haec expositio necessaria est quantum ad primum lupum, nam contra diabolum non oportet corporaliter fugere. Sed quia contingit etiam aliquem pastorem fugere corporaliter propter aliquos lupos, scilicet haereticum habentem potestatem et tyrannum, ideo adhibenda est alia responsio, quam Augustinus ponit in epistola ad Honoratum. Nam, ut ipse dicit, videtur quod liceat etiam corporaliter fugere lupos, non solum ex auctoritate Domini supra posita, sed etiam exemplo sanctorum aliquorum, puta Athanasii et aliorum persecutores fugientium. Non enim quia fugit, sed quia dimittit oves vituperatur: unde si posset fugere non dimittendo oves, non esset vituperabile. Contingit enim aliquando, quod quaeritur persona praelati; aliquando totus grex. Manifestum est autem quod si quaeratur sola persona praelati, possunt alii loco sui ad gregis custodiam deputari, qui vice sui consolentur et gubernent gregem. Unde si sic fugiat, non dicitur dimittere oves; et hoc modo, in casu, fugere licet. Si autem quaeratur totus grex, aut oportet quod pastores omnes simul sint cum ovibus, aut oportet quod aliqui ex eis remaneant, et aliqui recedant. Si autem totaliter deserant gregem, tunc eis competit quod hic dicitur videt lupum venientem, et dimittit oves, et fugit. 1407. Here he mentions the twofold danger that threatens. One is the ravaging of the sheep; so he says, and the wolf catches, i.e., takes for himself what belongs to another, for the faithful are Christ’s sheep. Therefore, leaders of sects and wolves snatch the sheep when they entice Christ’s faithful to their own teachings: my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts (Ezek 34:8). 1407. Hic ponitur periculum imminens, quod est duplex. Unum est ovium rapina; unde dicit lupus rapit, scilicet, quod alienum est, sibi usurpat. Fideles enim Christi sunt eius oves. Tunc igitur aliquis haeresiarcha et lupus rapit oves, quando fideles Christi ad doctrinam suam falsam attrahit; Ez. c. XXXIV, 8: factus est grex meus in direptionem omnium bestiarum agri. The other danger is that the sheep be scattered; so he says, and scatters the sheep, insofar as some are led astray and others persevere: my sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them (Ezek 34:6). Aliud periculum est ovium dispersio, unde dicit et dispergit oves, inquantum aliqui seducuntur, et aliqui persistunt; Ez. XXXIV, 6: dispersi sunt greges mei; et non erat qui requireret. 1408. Now he shows how the above-mentioned marks are related, for the third follows from the first two. Since the evil shepherd seeks his own advantage and has no love or solicitude for the flock, it follows that he is not willing to endure any inconvenience for them. Thus he says of the hireling, he flies, for this reason, because he is a hireling, that is, he seeks his own advantage, which is the first mark; and he has no care for the sheep, i.e., he does not love them, and is not solicitous for them, which is the second mark. So we read about the evil shepherd: she deals cruelly with her young, as if they were not hers (Job 39:16). The opposite is true of the good shepherd, for he seeks the welfare of his flock, and not his own: not that I seek the gift; but I seek the fruit which increases to your credit (Phil 4:17). Furthermore, he is concerned for his sheep, that is, he loves them and is solicitous for them: I hold you in my heart (Phil 1:7). 1408. Hic ostendit quomodo praedictae conditiones se invicem consequuntur: nam ex primis duabus sequitur tertia. Ex hoc enim quod quaerit utilitatem suam, et non afficitur ad gregem per amorem et sollicitudinem, sequitur quod non velit pro eo incommodum sustinere. Et ideo dicit mercenarius autem fugit, ideo scilicet quia mercenarius est, idest, quaerit commodum proprium quantum ad primam conditionem; et non pertinet ad eum de ovibus, idest, non eas diligit, neque pro eis sollicitatur, quantum ad secundam conditionem eius. Unde Iob XXXIX, 16, dicitur de malo pastore: induratur ad filios quasi non fuerint sui. E converso autem est de bono pastore: nam gregis commodum quaerit, non proprium; Philip. IV, 17: non quaero datum, sed quaero fructum etc. Et pertinet ad eum de ovibus; idest, eas diligit, et de eis sollicitatur, Phil. I, 7: eo quod habeam vos in vinculis meis etc. Lecture 4 Lectio 4