What image comes to mind when you hear the word "pastor?".
Is a "pastor" a man in black, with a tight, white, starched collar?
"I take my role seriously as a pastor."
— Jesse Jackson
The Bible Curmudgeon is back for another round.
It's time once again to pick on bible translators.
What do you immediately think of when you hear the word "pastor?"
Is this a pastor?
Someone with a stiffly starched collar, or perhaps someone in fancy vestment robes?
Is this a "pastor?"
Image courtesy of The Logos Project, via Vimeo
"Pastor" is an archaic word for shepherd.
If you're a "dyed in the wool" KJV-only Christian, then you already know this. And what does a shepherd do? The shepherd guides, protects, and cares for his sheep.
But what excuse do the translators of most "modern" bible versions have for this "throwback" word that no one really understands any more? A word that is in fact universally misunderstood?
Are we cute enough for you?
Image courtesy of Gemma Evans and http://unsplash.com
The bible calls us "sheep."
"All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all."
- Isaiah 53:6
And it clearly speaks of Jesus our God as "The Good Shepherd" and the "Chief Shepherd."
Those who assist Jesus in shepherding the flock are "under-shepherds," or simply "shepherds."
Why would a person, or a committee, with the stated intention of helping people understand the scriptures, intentionally use an archaic word that produces invalid mental images?
There is no legitimate reason.
It's time for us to stop using the honorific "Pastor" and to start calling those who help guide us "shepherds." It might help us bear in mind that we are sheep who are in need of shepherding.
We need a Good Shepherd
Image courtesy of Sam Carter and http://unsplash.com
Honorable mention:
Today's "Honorable Mention" goes to the English Standard Version, which does not contain the word "pastor" at all.
Until next time, this has been your friendly Steemit neighborhood Bible Curmudgeon.
More from the Curmudgeon:
What the Heck Is A "Pastor?"
Jesus and Nicodemus
Second Thessalonians Chapter 1
The Word "Church"
The Word "Angel"
🕎Is John's Gospel Anti-Semitic?🕎
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Personally, I think there are bigger fish to fry. It wouldn't make sense to start refering to pastors as shepards since language has evolved to include both words. The word shepard is used to describe one who heards sheep, and a pastor is the head of a Christian organization who's sheep are metaphorical. It doesn't take more than five minutes in a first grade Sunday school for kids to get it. If an adult doesn't get it, he/she probably doesn't want to know anyhow.
Ah, you've missed my point, @ryeis1...
It is the fact that language has evolved that demands a change in translation. People no longer recognize that "pastor" means "shepherd."
Exactly! The point is that "pastor" is no longer a valid translation of the Greek "ποιμήν" because the English language has changed. "Pastor" no longer has the same meaning as "shepherd," and so it is no longer a translation.
But I agree with you that there are "bigger fish to fry," and I've "fried" some of them in other entries in my "Curmudgeon's Bible" series of articles. You can find them on my Library Christianity Shelf if you care to see some of the "bigger fish." And I expect to write more articles in this series as well.
Thanks for reading, and taking the time to comment. :D
Last Pastor I came across stole some of My Sound Equipment, so not a word to be venerated.
Wow, how sad...
Someone would have to have an utterly twisted sort of entitlement view to do that intentionally... :O
The whole Pastor, Vicar, Priest has always had me baffled and I agree we all are sheep, some are black though :)
Yes, sheep indeed. And only Jesus can turn us black lambs white... ;)
I am already a white sheep, I am good, well most of the time :)
It's those exceptions that are the problem! :O
Don't think anyone can be good all the time, we have to balance our life :)
You're right, we just can't because of our nature.
Here's the problem:
God is HOLY, which is an idea that is so foreign to us that we can't easily wrap our minds around it. Moses once asked to see God's face, and God complied (partly), but only after hiding Moses safely behind a rock and only allowing him to see a small glimpse.
Stated another way, we can never survive God's presence unless we are completely and perfectly pure. If any fragment of our sin remains, God's holy presence will destroy us.
I'm just describing the reality of it, as best I understand it.
The good news is that when Jesus became a man, he lived his life absolutely perfectly. This qualified him to be a perfect sacrifice for us. He paid for his people's sins when he gave himself over to death on the cross. For those who will believe in him, he purifies us of all sin and replaces it with his holiness, thus enabling us to enter God's presence.
How can you be totally good, you have have some fun, things happen?
Definitely some food for thought here. I've never been able to wrap my head around the difference between pastor, father, priest; probably because it's been a lifelong journey to find my religious home. I can wrap my head around a shepherd but had quite an averse inner reaction to being referenced as sheep. I can't explain WHY that happened because I always reference myself as "the black sheep of the family." Interesting... And that is my 1 A.M. thought on that. :)
Hi, Mere,
Thanks a lot for your thoughtful comment.
Scriptures use a variety of descriptive words for leaders and as descriptions of various servants. It has interested me particular, ever since I attended a Catholic school for about a year, that use of the honorific "father" was actually prohibited by Jesus:
I have often wondered how some of the largest denominations (Catholic and Anglican) can justify the use of such terminology?
As far as our "sheepishness," I see it all the time (usually in others) and I do recognize it in myself. I guess that having learned of Jesus as my "Good Shepherd" since childhood has perhaps made me a little less averse to seeing myself as a sheep. ;)
My father grew up with a very strict Roman Catholic background and I don't believe my mother has any religion but I was always fascinated by faith and a higher being. My parents never took us to church. I was allowed to go with grandma when we visit once a year. I loved the ceremony and tradition of it.
The sacrament is indeed sacred. About 10 years ago I was a hired soloist for an Episcopal church and they never saw me go up to the rail for holy communion. They were very kind and said, "Any denomination is welcome as long as you were baptized." The shock on their face was funny when I said I never was. And it was then, in that beautiful church, surrounded by these beautiful people that I decided as an adult to "take the plunge."
I'm not on board with all things from any denomination but I do have a very strong faith. Sometimes I call it God. Sometimes it's Faith, the Universe, or Mother Nature. It's all greater than I am and a matter of that moment's context, I suppose.
And here I am with 3 AM musings....and still a challenge post to publish. LOL
Thank you, Mere, for sharing such musings with me, even in the wee hours...
I hope you're not killing yourself with sleep deprivation!
Most Christian churches, at the point of offering "the Lord's supper," will warn visitors that the supper is only meant for believers. And yes, some require baptism as a sort of "proof" of that belief. This is really for the good of any unbelievers who may be present, as there are some scriptural warnings of negative consequences for those who partake "unworthily."
Not that any of us, even believers, are "worthy," but my understanding of the theology is that Jesus' sacrifice on our behalf is what makes us worthy. He pays for our failings and gives us his goodness in their place.
Hope you get some rest! ;)
You know, I really haven't spent that much time looking at the linguistic end of things...
My uncle Erik (in Denmark) was a "pastor," quite literally his title as a Lutheran minister in the 1960s... I think that's pretty much the only time in recent memory I can think of that particular "title" being used, except in a more facetious manner like a funny movie. Other "people of the cloth" I have known have generally been "Rev" or "Father." Which-- perhaps-- opens a whole new linguistic kettle of fish.
But yes, Pastor as a synonym for "Shepherd" makes total sense... reminds me of the sci-fi series "Firefly" in which the priest literally was addressed as "Shepherd."
Yes! Firefly! AWESOME series, and they surely got "Shepard" right! :D
And, as I mentioned to Meredith in another comment, I don't understand how some rather large denominations can countenance the use of "Father" and "Reverend" as honorifics... ??? It is a real puzzle for me, considering what Jesus had to say:
That is, to me, less of a "linguistic" problem than a pure problem of practical compliance with Jesus' express directive.
As I've mentioned in earlier entries in this series, I have studied Greek, and to a lesser extent Hebrew, but I don't by any stretch of the imagination consider myself a linguistic expert. However, there are still some translator choices that appear quite egregious to me, and very obvious.
Thanks for your thoughtful comment! :D
Never thought of it like that.
Thanks for your visit and comment. Glad to think you may have a new insight. ;)
agreed
Thanks.
Psalm 23:1 for the win. 💪
Amen! :D
Pastor, Shepherd, tomatoes, tometoes. As long as the leader walks and talks in the likeness of our Chief Shepherd, I'm fine with whatever label is chosen.
It's not the label that matters, it's the heart.
True up to a point; my point being that translators ought to translate, not obscure matters.
Thanks for commenting.
Translating is an unbelievably complicated work in which many decisions need to be made to transfer a source text into a presently readable work. There will always be a certain percentage of controversial decisions made, and I'm sure one could argue both points of every discussion at every decision. This is why many teachers read the bible in their original written languages, Aramaic, Greek and Hebrew.
Your point about not obscuring matters is also a matter of perspective. For the Roman Catholic Church, which is around from about 50 AC the latin text (the Vulgate)was considered for ages as the official bible and in Latin, the verb pascere means - "to lead to pasture, set to grazing, cause to eat". Hence the word "pastor", that was in those days less obscure than a word like Shepherd, since English wasn't very developed at that time..
As languages and histories evolve, these things happen. They are impossible to prevent. Words and their meaning change continually, but...
It's not the label that matters, it's the heart.
That is why translations need to change continually. Translation is undoubtedly complicated work, requiring many decisions. Sadly, many translators are "stuck in the past," or worse yet, use their translations as vehicles for promoting ideas based on personal bias.
My "Curmudgeons Bible" series is a growing collection of articles in which my purpose is to enlighten readers who do not have the benefit of knowledge of the original languages. If you review the collection on my Christianity Library Shelf, you'll see that I do not claim to be an "expert" in languages or translations.
However, it doesn't take an expert to observe that there are significant deficiencies in existing translations, nor to point out some of the more egregious ones for the benefit of uninformed readers. And I admittedly bring my own personal biases to the table. This gives my readers what may be new insights, and thus new choices and paths to greater understanding.
Words matter. Meanings matter. The intent of the heart matters. While the distinction between "shepherd" and "pastor" may not be a huge one, there's a slippery slope that has begun if you claim that it matters not at all:
Far be it from me to argue scripture with you, brother. Thank you for the wise words, I'm going to think about this and read some more of your posts in this series.
Thanks for your gracious interaction. I hope we'll be able to chat about scripture again.
That is exactly what I am - it's the perfect English translation.
In saying that, there are a few other very good translations.
God Bless you brother!
You are one of the few who already knows what "pastor" really means, but I suspect that even you may have some "overlap" in your mind with the starched collar brigade... ;)
For the rest of the world, it would be good if they didn't have to do "mental gymnastics" to "get it." ;)
Thanks for your visit and for commenting! :D
BTW, which other translations do you favor?
"The harvest is plentiful, the laborers are few. Therefor pray to the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into His harvest" LK 10:2
We just talked about this in the service last night.
The fact is, the Pastor is the servant of all. I got in the ministry thinking that I was going to be some hot shot up behind the pulpit and that I was something special. The fact is, I am the servant of all. My phone is on 24/7 to help people. The life that you would normally live is tied to giving yourself to others. Your time, your love, sometimes your money, your humility and sometimes your freedom. But in the end its worth it. You can't take any of this stuff with you, but you can take souls.
"Do not store up treasures on earth where moth and rust can destroy or thieves break in a steal, but store up your treasures in heaven where neither moth or rust can destroy where thieves can not break in and steal"
The only treasure you are going to bring with you to heaven is the souls of men and women.
That should be the heart of a Pastor. In my humble opinion.
Thank you for sharing your shepherd's heart with us. Also, the relevant scriptures.
Blessings!
You are welcome my friend. I posted a few of my sermons on line so my mom could get saved. She ended up praying and knows Jesus in a personal way now. This is my little store front church. My wife an I started in our living room back in 2007.
:)
Ain't a pastor where cows eat???
Hahahahahaha! Yes indeed! We put those bovines "out to pastor," for sure! ;)
Beautiful post ! Thank you so much for your effort !!
Upvoted !
You're welcome.
thank you !
:)
thank you so much !
wow...
:)