Feed (tend) (1006) bosko by Greek Word Studies

Tend (1006) (bosko) is used only in the Gospels and most often describe literal feeding of animals (especially the feeding of the swine) and twice is used figuratively where people are compared to lambs and sheep (Jn 21:15, 17). The present imperative calls for this to be the "shepherds" lifestyle. He is to continually be about the business of feeding the lambs. Earlier Jesus had called Peter to evangelism (Lk 5:10), but now (even in the face of his triple denial) Jesus gives Peter an even greater responsibility of teaching those who have been caught. Why? What was the prerequisite? Moral perfection? Clearly not. An academic degree? No, none were available from the "University of the Sea of Galilee"!) The answer is clear in triplicate - Peter loved Jesus. Peter's loved issued forth in a desire to serve His Master, even as John described in his first epistle... Little children, let us not love (agapao) with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. (1Jn 3:18) Bosko - 9x in 9v - Mt 8:30 Mt 8:33 Mk 5:11 Mk 5:14 Lk 8:32 Lk 8:34 Lk 15:15 Jn 21:15 Jn 21:17. NAS = feed(1), feeding(3), herdsmen(3), tend(2). Bosko - 25v in the non-apocryphal Septuagint - 9.7" class="scriptRef">Ge 29:7, 9; 37:12, 16" class="scriptRef">16; 41:2; 1Ki 12:16; Job 1:14; Isa 5:17; 11:6, 7; 14:30; 30:23; 34:17; 49:9; 65:25; 10" class="scriptRef">Jer 31:10; Ezek 34:2, 3, 8, 10, 13, 14,1 5, 16; Da 4:16 Isaiah 11:7 Also the cow and the bear will graze (Lxx = bosko), their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox... Isaiah 65:25 The wolf and the lamb will graze (Lxx = bosko) together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox; and dust will be the serpent's food. They will do no evil or harm in all My holy mountain" says the LORD. Comment: The two preceding passages are descriptive of that glorious future time of worldwide peace, even in the animal kingdom, in the coming Millennium. Jeremiah 31:10 Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, and declare in the coastlands afar off, and say, "He who scattered Israel will gather him and keep him as a shepherd keeps (Hebrew = raah = pasture, tend, graze, feed; Lxx = bosko) his flock." The prophet Ezekiel uses bosko in Jehovah's indictment of the Jewish "shepherds" who had failed to feed God's sheep... Ezekiel 34:2 "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to those shepherds, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding (Hebrew = raah = pasture, tend, graze, feed; Lxx = bosko) themselves! Should not the shepherds feed (Hebrew = raah = pasture, tend, graze, feed; Lxx = bosko) the flock. 3 (Explains with what the "shepherds" were feeding themselves) You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat sheep without feeding (Hebrew = raah = pasture, tend, graze, feed; Lxx = bosko) the flock. Ezekiel 34:13 "I (Jehovah) will bring them (His sheep "Israel") out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and bring them to their own land; and I will feed (Lxx = bosko) them on the mountains of Israel (This will be fulfilled in the coming Millennium), by the streams, and in all the inhabited places of the land (of Israel). 14 "I will feed (Lxx = bosko) them in a good pasture, and their grazing ground will be on the mountain heights of Israel. There they will lie down on good grazing ground and feed (Lxx = bosko) in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.15 "I will feed (Lxx = bosko) My flock and I will lead them to rest," declares the Lord GOD. 16 "I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken and strengthen the sick; but the fat and the strong (Those in Israel who refuse to receive Messiah as their Chief Shepherd) I will destroy. I will feed (Lxx = bosko) them with judgment. Thayer writes bosko in the figurative sense portrays... the duty of a Christian teacher to promote in every way the spiritual welfare of the members of the church Liddell-Scott... I. of the herdsman, to feed, tend, Lat. pasco, Od. 2. generally, to feed, nourish, support, of earth, Ib.; of soldiers = to maintain (Hdt., Thuc). Metaphorically, to feed up troubles, i.e. children. II. Pass., of cattle, to feed, graze, to feed on. 2. metaphorically to be fed or nurtured Notice that Jesus thrice states that the lambs and sheep are "my" possession (doubly) first by creation (Col 1:16-note, Heb 1:2-note) and then by redemption (1Pe 1:18-note), cp His purchase Acts 20:28). And so those of us who have any shepherding role in the lives of other believers are simply stewards who are to faithfully represent their Master and we will be held accountable (cp Heb 13:17-note) Augustine quipped... Feed my sheep as mine and not as yours. Clearly Peter got the message that he was merely an undershepherd of Christ's sheep writing years later... Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd (aorist imperative = command to do this effectively; poimaino) the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. (1Pe 5:1, 2, 3-note, 1Pe 5:4-note) Jeremias writes... “My lambs” of Jn. 21:15 are members of the community as the objects of Jesus’ loving care. Some commentators interpretative Jesus' use of arnion (little lamb, lambkin) as an allusion to young converts, which is a reasonable interpretation, for they would certainly need to be fed with the pure milk of the Word of God in order to grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord (1Pe 2:2-note, 2Pe 3:18-note). MacArthur comments... Jesus described believers as His lambs, emphasizing not only their immaturity, vulnerability, and need, but also that they are His (cf. Matt. 18:5-10). It is the same responsibility given to every pastor, as Paul pointed out in Acts 20:28 and as Peter himself exhorted in 1Pe 5:2-note. Paul instructed the young pastor Timothy that the means to doing this was to “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction” (2Ti 4:2-note). (MacArthur, J: John 12-21. Chicago: Moody Press or Logos or Wordsearch)

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Feed (tend) (1006) bosko

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