Foolish and Worthless Shepherds - Zechariah 11:15-17

     The term shepherd appears throughout the Bible. The word translates the Hebrew  רֹעֵה  ro’eh as well as the Greek ποιμήν poimen. Both words carry the same basic meaning “to pasture, shepherd, shelter, protect”[1] and “one who herds sheep, shepherd, sheep-herder.”[2] Shepherding was tough and lowly work, often performed in solitude for long periods of time and in dangerous places (Gen 31:36-40; 1 Sam 17:34-35).

• "Shepherds stayed with their sheep day and night (Luke 2:8). They provided their flocks with food and water, defended them against thieves and wild animals (1 Sam. 17:34–35; Isa. 31:4; Amos 3:12), and searched for any sheep that wandered astray (Ezek. 34:12; Luke 15:4–6). Each shepherd carried a curved staff, used as a walking stick and for guiding and dividing the sheep (Lev. 27:32); a rod or club, used as a weapon; and a sling (1 Sam. 17:40). They might be aided by dogs (Job 30:1). Because shepherds were the sole source of provision, protection, and control for sheep, in ancient Near Eastern usage “shepherd” came to be a term descriptive of political leaders…Kings, priests, and prophets of Israel are characterized as faithful (Jer. 3:15; 23:4) or wicked shepherds (Isa. 56:11–12; Jer. 10:21; 23:1–2; 50:6). David in particular is called the shepherd appointed by God (2 Sam. 5:2; Ps. 78:70–72). Israel under inadequate leadership is spoken of as sheep without a shepherd (Num. 27:17; 1 Kgs. 22:17; Matt. 9:36). Shepherd imagery is also applied to God, who guides and cares for his people (e.g., Ps. 23:1–4; 28:9; 80:1; Isa. 40:11; Jer. 31:10; cf. Gen. 48:15). The eschatological Davidic king is depicted as a shepherd (Ezek. 34:23; Mic. 5:4)."[3]

The term shepherd is used figuratively in Scripture:

1. God the Father. God is referred to as the Shepherd who leads, feeds, and protects His people (Gen 48:15; Isa 40:11; Psa 23:1-4; 80:1; 100:1-3; Ezek 34:10-16).
2. Jesus as the “Good Shepherd” (John 10:14), the “Great Shepherd” (Heb 13:20), and the “Chief Shepherd” (1 Pet 5:4). As the ideal shepherd, Jesus has compassion for His sheep (Matt 9:36), feeds them with God’s Word (Mark 6:34), and lays down His life for them (John 10:11).
3. Human rulers. In the OT, these leaders primarily consisted of kings, prophets, and priests who were called by God to lead people into His will (Num 27:16-17; 2 Sam 5:1-2). These leaders were to feed God’s people with His Word (Lev 10:11; Deu 33:10; Ezra 7:10; Jer 3:15; Mal 2:7).
4. Church pastors. In the Church age, God has appointed under-shepherds (i.e. pastors) to lead, feed, and protect His people (Acts 20:28-32; Eph 4:11-14; 2 Tim 2:2; 4:2; 1 Pet 5:1-2). Pastors are appointed by God (Acts 20:28; cf. Eph 4:11) to work within the church, and with the church, serving as examples, and not “lording” their authority over others (1 Pet 5:3). Church pastors are to guard their flock against false teachers and their false doctrines, guiding believers into God’s will, and feeding them with the truths of Scripture. God’s Word is the food pastors serve to their flocks so they might be nourished and grow spiritually (1 Cor 3:2; Heb 5:12-14; 1 Pet 2:2).
5. Foolish and worthless leaders (Isa 56:11-12; Jer 10:21; 23:1-2; 50:6; Ezek 34:1-10; Zec 11:15-17). The two words to describe the bad shepherd in Zechariah 11:15-17 are foolish and worthless. Foolish translates the Hebrew word אֱוִלִי evili, which, in this context, connotes an immoral leader who had no regard for those to whom he was to minster. “The word [fool] is used in Scripture with respect to moral more than to intellectual deficiencies. The “fool” is not so much one lacking in mental powers, as one who misuses them; not one who does not reason, but reasons wrongly.”[4] The foremost characteristic of a fool is that God is absent from his heart; as the Scripture states, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God’”  (Psa 14:1). Being devoid of any divine viewpoint or concern, the fool thinks only of self and will use others as a means of personal benefit. Zechariah describes the foolish shepherd-leader as one “who will not care for the perishing, seek the scattered, heal the broken, or sustain the one standing, but will devour the flesh of the fat sheep and tear off their hoofs” (Zec 11:16). The word worthless translates the Hebrew word אֱלִיל elil, which connotes something of no value. In Zechariah 11:17 it refers to the leader who is of no value to God or others. The worthless shepherd has no sense of commitment to the flock under his care, and “who leaves the flock” (Zec 11:17). Elsewhere, Scripture describes the worthless person as one who “digs up evil” (Pro 16:27), “makes a mockery of justice” (Pro 19:28), and “plots evil against the LORD” (Nah 1:11). He leads others away from God (Deu 13:13), is given to lewd behavior (Judg 19:22), hides from justice (Judg 20:13), is unreasonable (1 Sam 25:17), defies authority (2 Sam 20:1), is willing to lie against the innocent and promote injustice (1 Ki 21:9-13), and seeks to overpower the timid leader (2 Chron 13:7). It should be noted that worthless persons can be born into good families, for “the sons of Eli were worthless men; they did not know the LORD” (1 Sam 2:12). And, they can attach themselves to a godly leader and cause trouble, such as “the wicked and worthless men among those who went with David” (1 Sam 30:22).

 

[1] Ludwig Koehler et al., The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1994–2000), 1258.

[2] William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 843.

[3] Allen C. Myers, The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1987), 939.

[4] Merrill Frederick Unger, R. K. Harrison, Howard Frederic Vos et al., “Fool”, The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary, (Chicago: Moody Press, 1988).