[Sissy]

lamb,sheep - tend,shepard



bosko - βόσκω = to feed, to pasture, to graze
poimaino - ποιμαίνω = to shepherd, to care for, to protect

arnion - αρνίον= little lamb, lambkin
probaton - πρόβατον = sheep

John 21:15-17 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus told him, "FEED my LAMBS." Then he said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus told him, "TAKE CARE OF my SHEEP." He said to him a third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was deeply hurt that he had said to him a third time, "Do you love me?" So he said to him, "Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you!" Jesus told him, "FEED my SHEEP.

Jesus first commands (these are not suggestions, but being in the imperative, are commands) Peter to "Feed my little lambs," and then to "Take care of my sheep." Finally, he links the first verb with the second noun ("feed my sheep").

In the first command, bosko (feed) is primarily about giving nourishment, or herding them to the place where they get nourishment (such as letting them out into a pasture). It is noteworthy that Jesus did not use the word "lamb," but the diminutive form, "little lamb." Clearly this is a command to feed and nourish those who are young or brand new in the faith.

In the second command, poimaino (care for, shepherd) is usually translated "shepherd," from the idea that the primary responsibility of a shepherd is to watch over and protect the sheep. This word does NOT really include within its meaning the idea of FEEDING. Shepherds didn't really provide the sheep with food, they simply watched over them while the sheep ate in the pasture, and their primary responsibility was to protect them from predators, to administer aid if they were injured, and in general to make sure their basic needs were met. So this is a command to watch over, protect, guide, and care for the general need of the church.

Little lambs is definitely a reference to the brand new believers, while sheep appears to be a reference to the remaining believers (the church as a whole).

In the last command, Jesus went back to bosko, but now linked it with sheep instead of lambs.

I think the order of these commands is important, and indicates the priority or level of importance, with the first command being the most important, the second one the next, and so on.

The first responsibility of those in authority in the church is to teach and disciple the new believers to prepare them for ministry (the ultimate goal of all believers). The second responsibility is to watch over, protect, and care for the general needs of the rest of the believers, particularly as they launch out into ministry within and without the church. And finally, the last priority is to make sure the rest of the believers continue to learn, grow and mature while they minister to others. It is easy for those actively involved in ministry to neglect their own spiritual welfare until they find themselves stagnated and feeling isolated from the very God they are trying to serve.

So the last thing on the list here is to make sure those who are more mature in the faith, and thus, are in active ministry within the church, are continuing to grow spiritually, and are not stagnating in any way.

There is no assumption that little lambs can feed (teach) themselves, while there IS an assumption that the sheep as a whole can "mostly" provide for themselves, but they will require "some" teaching (teaching them comes AFTER caring for their other needs and protecting them). This shows us that the first and most vital need a new believer has is to be taught about Christianity, ideally to be discipled by a more mature believer. The primary need of the rest of the flock is to be cared for and protected, with teaching them as a secondary consideration.

Grace and peace,

Rhomphaia