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On my last message on titles came some questions, and I like to go a little further into it and hopefully answer the questions you may have.
First of all there is a distinction, a difference between function and title.
So why should anyone call me “pastor Harry” while others are not named like that.
Have you ever heard somebody introduce himself as “I am bookkeeper John” or “I am carpenter James” or “I am student Bill?”
That would be strange wouldn’t it? Probably people would laugh if someone did, or have second thoughts about that person.
It is strange, because it is what they do, it is their function not their title.
You see how strange it actually is to use a function as title?
Ofcourse you can call your own father ‘father’. Because He is.
But when you call your neighbor father, and your mother would confirm that; I’m sure your real father would have problems with that.
Here too there is a difference between titles and functions.
Your real father will not present himself saying “Hello I am father Mark”. (using the function as title).
But he can say “I am Mark, the father of Mary”. (explaining relationship and function)
In the King James Version the word pastor occurs 9 times. 8 times in Jeremiah and once in Ephesians. There are also translations where the word “pastor” is only mentioned once. (Jeremiah 17:16).
In all cases it is translated from the same root words.
From the Hebrew word הער ra‘ah (raw–aw’); meaning to tend a flock; i.e. pasture it; to graze (literally or figuratively); generally to rule; by extension, to associate with (as a friend)
In the NASB it also only appears once (in Ephesians 4) where it is translated from the Greek word ποιμην poimen (poy-mane’); and also meaning shepherd (literally or figuratively).
In many cases it points to real shepherds, a few times to the function inside the body of Christ, and further it refers to God. Like in Psalms 23 where we read: “The Lord is my shepherd”
Some extra info:
The word is further translated as: shepherd (10 times), shall feed (8 x), the shepherds (8), feed (7), and feed (5), of the shepherds (5), as a shepherd (3), Do feed (3), feeding (3), he feeds (3), shepherds (3), the Shepherd (3), They shall feed (3), and he shall feed (2), and they fed (2), fed (2), feeds (2), He shall feed (2), keeping (2), my shepherd (2), of shepherds (2), pastors (2), shepherding (2), that feed (2), the pastors (2), to pasture (2), to shepherd (2), will feed (2), you shepherds (2), your shepherds (2), – (1), a keeper (1), a shepherd (1), and feed them (1), and I fed (1), And I will feed (1), And shall feed (1), and shall the shepherds (1), and shepherd (1), and that shall feed (1), and the pastors (1), and their own shepherds (1), and You shall be fed (1), are shepherding (1), as he at the shearing (1), as he fed (1), As the shepherd (1), be to the pastors (1), but a companion (1), but he who is a companion (1), but he who keeps company (1), did my shepherds (1), do and fed (1), do feed them (1), do shepherd (1), do you feed (1), does devour you (1), for shepherds (1), friendship (1), from a pastor (1), from feeding (1), have broken (1), He evil entreats (1), he had used as his friend (1), he keeps (1), I will feed (1), I will feed them (1), kept (1), kept them (1), let them feed (1), like a shepherd (1), O Shepherd (1), O you shepherds (1), of a shepherd (1), pasture (1), pasture them (1), shall eat up (1), shall the shepherds (1), shall they feed (1), shepherds them (1), so he fed them (1), that fed (1), that shall feed (1), their shepherds (1), Then shall feed (1), they eat (1), those shepherds them (1), to feed (1), to tend (1), to the shepherds (1), up a shepherd (1), who fed (1), with you the shepherd (1), you feed (1), you to have eaten up (1), your pastors (1).
What others do is their responsibility.
I prefer to stick to what Jesus said, and not use those titles. So just ‘brother’ is good enough for me.
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