Книга пророка Иезекииля, Глава 34, стих 16. Толкования стиха

BISHOPS HAVE TO TAKE GREAT CARE. AUGUSTINE: The Lord did not say, “I will provide other good shepherds to do these things,” but “I myself,” he said, “will do them. I will commit my sheep to nobody else.” You are all right, brothers; you are all right, you sheep. It is we bishops, it seems, who have got to worry, there being apparently not a single good shepherd. SERMON 46.26.

PASTORAL DUTIES OF SHEPHERDS. BASIL THE GREAT: If you are a shepherd, take care that none of your pastoral duties is neglected. And what are these duties? To bring back that which is lost, to bind up that which was broken, to heal that which is diseased. HOMILY ON THE WORDS “GIVE HEED TO THYSELF.”

GOD DOES NOT DESERT US. GREGORY THE GREAT: If we are negligent, does almighty God desert his sheep? No; he himself will pasture them, as he promised through the prophet. FORTY GOSPEL HOMILIES 19.

WE CAN ALL SHEPHERD EACH OTHER. GREGORY THE GREAT: We must all of us strive zealously to make known to the church both the dreadfulness of the coming judgment and the kingdom of heaven’s delight. Those who are not in a position to address a large assembly should instruct individuals, offering instruction in personal talks; they should try to serve those around them through simple encouragement. . . . You who are pastors, consider that you are pasturing God’s flock. We often see a block of salt put out for animals to lick for their well-being. Priests among their people should be like blocks of salt. They should counsel everyone in their flocks in such a way that all those with whom they come in contact may be seasoned with eternal life as if they had been sprinkled with salt. We who preach are not the salt of the earth unless we season the hearts of those who listen to us. We are really preaching to others if we ourselves do what we say, if we are pierced with God’s love, if, since we cannot avoid sin, our tears wash away the stains on our life that come with each new day. We truly feel remorse when we take to heart the lives of our forebears in the faith so that we are diminished in our own eyes. Then do we truly feel remorse, when we attentively examine God’s teachings and adopt for our own use what those we revere themselves used for theirs. And while we are moved to remorse on our own account, let us also take responsibility for the lives of those entrusted to our care. Our own bitter compunction should not divert us from concern for our neighbor. What good to love and strive to do good for our neighbor and abandon ourselves? We must realize that our passion for justice in the face of another’s evil must never cause us to lose the virtue of gentleness. Priests must not be quick-tempered or rash; they must instead be temperate and thoughtful. We must support those we challenge and challenge those we support. If we neglect this, our work will lack either courage or gentleness. What shall we call the human soul but the food of the Lord? It is created to become nothing less than Christ’s body and to bring about growth in the eternal church. We priests are to season this food. Cease to pray, cease to teach, and the salt loses its taste. FORTY GOSPEL HOMILIES 17.

THE GRACE OF GOD WALKS AHEAD OF US. CASSIODORUS: In every good deed we are anticipated by the Lord’s grace. He deigns to in-spire us to make us wish to entreat him. EXPOSITIONS OF THE PSALMS 118.10.

THE PROMISE OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD. CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA: This is the promise of him who is the good Shepherd. CHRIST THE EDUCATOR 1.9.84.

С 11-го стиха речь приобретает утешительный характер, она направлена уже к рассеянным овцам – пленным евреям.

В 11–16 стихах Господь предстает как Истинный Пастырь. Освободив своих овец от нерадивых пастырей, Он возьмет их под Свое покровительство, соберет их и будет заботиться о них. Погибшего отыщет, заблудшего возвратит на путь истины, пораненного перевяжет, немощного подкрепит, сильного сохранит, т.е. каждой душе будет дано то, что ей необходимо.