The Shepherd
Outline summary of observations from Huldrych Zwingli’s “The Shepherd”, a sermon preached in October, 1523.
“The image of both pastors [true and false] set forth by that most famous clerk, Huldrych Zwinglius, and how translated out of the Latin and into Englishe by John Wernon Synonoys. A most fruitful and necessary book, to be had and read in all churches, therewith to enarm all simple and ignorant folks, against the ravenous wolves and false prophets. London, 1550.”
Introduction: the content and purpose for writing:
To “find the color and shape of a true shepherd”; To “see the false wolves which pass themselves off in sheep’s clothing . . . standing with their fangs and claws which the sheep’s clothing cannot cover.”
Purpose for writing:
To lead them [false shepherds] away from their designs; and if not, to warn the godly Christian people against them; that God would rule (God has delivered His people in the past; God has provided salvation for His people now; God will be faithful to deliver from this darkness).
That people would hate and grow tired of them;
That rulers would hate and grow tired of them.
Concluding remarks to the Introduction:
Be strong and encouraged; Be faithful and diligent;
“Continue to exercise care for your children which were born to you as you have done until now, and teach them not to abandon the healing teaching of God because of any flattery or threats of the false shepherds.”
“Put your foot firmly in between the teeth of the ravenous wolves and do not let the little sheep be snatched away from you. Above all watch out for the little papist fox [Zwingli’s opponent Theobald Huter] who would gladly, where permitted, eat as the wolves.”
“A shepherd and the sheep he tends bear so clearly a resemblance to God and to us . . .”
“[T]hose sent among his sheep as shepherds learn to administer their office and commission from no other model than the only true word of God . . . the Lord Jesus Christ . . .”
Concerning The True Shepherd
The Activity of Christ—the Word of God which as expressed itself visibly.
Stand opposed to danger and persecution by enemies of the Word of God. “Thus must every shepherd be prepared that in his pasture some will become worse, but some will be resurrected from their sins.” (Lk 2:34ff)
He will also be opposed by unbelievers. (1 Cor 2:14)
Parents [of the shepherd] must be prepared to see their children suffer mockery and rejection of the world.
[Shepherd] must: Persist in the work of God and leave father and mother (Lk 2:48ff); Must not be distracted from ministry by family(Mt. 10:37); Must not be influenced to limit or direct by the will of parents (Jn. 2:4); Must hate the one who persists against him to make him unfaithful (Mt. 10:39; Lk 14:26)
Persist in the work of God in himself: Deny, empty self (Mt. 16:24ff; Lk 9:23); Must be pawned like a servant; Must look to God for power and His Word for guidance; Must take cross daily (To confront personal sin; To find those who do not bear their cross; To strive in the Spirit against the flesh (Gal 5:17))
Be filled with God: Take all confidence in Him; Take all consolation from Him (Lk 22:35; Mt 10:19; Jn 20:22)
Take the Holy Spirit: Feed sheep from Him: “the shepherd must lead his sheep into no other pasture than that in which he has previously been nourished.” Speak out of Him; Move not without Him (Lk 24:29; Acts 1:4); Rejoice because of Him;
Preach empowered by Him: “Repent from sin” (Mt. 4:17); Prepare the way for Him (Mt. 3:2); Grace; Forgiveness; Healing; Rejoicing
Wash the sheep; Keep them out of their excrement; Lead them so as not to lose what they have newly possessed, including salvation.
Beware hypocrisy (Mt 5:19; Ti 1:16; Ro 2:21-24) “If Christ did not need works of hypocrisy, then it is not seemly to have anything to do with them.” “No one may concoct anything that would improve or replace the divine.”
Preach “nothing other than the word of God.” Help charges “understand their infirmity”; know the limitation of human power and the capability of divine power. Assurance; Healing; Nourishment in the form of the Bible.
The Prophets and Apostles concerning the “other external things and what he should hope for”:
Attack fearlessly the most harmful of all vices; Do not be threatened by the inflated power of this world nor by any persecution (Jer 1:9ff; 2 Cor. 10:5; Mt. 9:36).
Speak against (Ezek. 3:18): Hypocrisy; Unjust leaders (you are in their power if you do not). Rulers should be good, not oppressors (Lk 22:25); “[T]he shepherd should not excuse the king, prince or government, but as soon as he sees them departing from the way should point out to them their error” (1 Sam 15).
Those who sin (Jer 1:7; Is 58:1; 2 Sam 11-12): Give yourself (Jn 10:12; Mt. 10:27ff); Look to Christ (John 10:11; Mt 16:23; Mt 21:12ff; Mk 11:15-18; Lk 19:45ff; Mt. 23)
If he preaches the gospel without scolding anyone, “what will the poor pastor preach? The whole world lies in evil and he should not rebuke it. Why then do they need a shepherd?”
Those in idolatry (1 Kings 12-13; 1 Kings 18-19)
“If the shepherd would read the prophets then he would find nothing other than an eternal battle with the powerful and the vices of this world.”
1. Isaiah 1:23 against the powerful
2. Isaiah 5:4 against impiety
3. Ezek 34:2-10 against shepherds who feed themselves.
4. Jonah 1, 3 against godless cities.
"If the shepherd is leading against all the great and high powers of this world and must fight against them, then it is necessary that he be well armed.”
1. Into the armory of Christ (Eph 6)
2. Sent forth (Mt 10:7-25; Mk 6:7-13; Lk 9:1-11, 10:2-18)
3. If the shepherd is protected until he is killed, then he is rightly protected, “for no one who is not God’s suffers death for the sake of God.” God is all powerful; He is God, Lord and Father; All confidence is placed in Him; He has not promised anything He will not do; He is to be followed in all He demands; You will have joy when with Him. God’s Word will not fail.
Love for the flock is: necessary so that all things are judged and measured. (I Cor 13:4-8). Sheep must be: Struck; Pushed or pulled; Called or lured; Carried when weak Loved without fail.
Love is Necessary for his accomplishment of anything laid out so far; Necessary for stability in persecution.
The False Shepherds: false prophets in true form. (Mt. 7:15ff).
They come in unarmed, innocent form . . . like sheep: Behavior shows like a bite they are wolves, Speak for their sake (or their money chests) not for the sake of Christ; Complain; are apathetic and have their own “traditions”; Reject confession; Lead to disorder; Do not understand the Church (Where Christ is the Head; Where the Word of God dwells--Built on Christ (Mt 16:18); Universal and local (1 Cor 1:2); They come undermining the faith)
No regard to history; No interest in preaching; Desire godliness without the Word of God, deceiving by illusion [scripture twisting] Destroy the passion of Christ by holding out salvation by works.
Are not appointed by the Great Shepherd. “if you inspect the false shepherds down to their feet, you will find their wolf’s claws always sticking out.” Applies to Bishops, Pastors, Teachers.
They take, not give (Mt. 7:16); Take the wool; Take the milk; Feed out of compulsion, not love. Do not practice what is preached; and, if there is no preaching, there is nothing to gauge the practice! Watch their response:
1. A true shepherd is accused or slandered and is not harmed.
2. A false shepherd: Hates the Word of God and defames those who preach; Lives in sin, a glutton and carouser; Is a crank, half mad and immoderate, undisciplined; Does not shelter the poor. They gather riches, not disperse them; Cannot teach. “Those who teach their own dreams rather than the Word of God.”
Evidenced by Christ as: Bearers of bad fruit (Mt. 13:29); Not devout or lovers of God; Flammable (John 15:5ff); Influenced and indulged; Unlikely to suffer and avoid pain; Are easily excited to rage and vindictiveness; Do not act as parents and put their concerns before their sheep; Thieves and destroyers, punishing and nurturing for the sake of money; Hostile to true shepherds; Do not resist kings and people who sin, but allow them to go ahead without shame;
1. Wolves are not sent into the midst of wolves;
2. Unrest and rebellious when discovered.
3. “What is to be considered here is not bodily injury but the falsification and concealment of the Word of God. For the false shepherds have either been silent [not preached it] or have falsified it. They still press with all earnestness, power and deception that one either not preach the gospel at all or else preach with the deceitful, false mixture and power of human teaching.
How to get away from False Shepherds:
a. “Point out their wages and see if perhaps in viewing the reward they would stand down and not serve for such a payment any longer.”
b. See if the simple and the elect are led into error (Deut 13:1-5; Mt 24:24).
c. See if people are led to idols and not away from them.
d. See if God threatens them with a sword and they still speak with the thoughts of their heart. (Jer 23:1, Isa 30:13, Ezek 43:1-10)
e. See if they concern themselves with the chaff and not the wheat, the goats instead of the sheep.
How to do away with them
a. Killing is not allowed without the command of God; therefore angry, ill-tempered Christians would be unjust if one thinks to strike them. Be willing to suffer death yourself before you listen to a shepherd or wolf who will pull you away from God.
b. Leave them to God. (Mt. 7:19.)
c. Do not listen to them. “If the entire parish recognizes his falsehood then cast him out unanimously.” (Ezek 34:10; Deut 13:5; Psa 139:7; John 8:3-11 )
