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Psalm 119:176
I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.

Isaiah 53:6
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Jeremiah 23:2
Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.

the Shepherd.

1 Peter 5:4
And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Psalm 23:1-3
A Psalm of David. The LORDis my shepherd; I shall not want…

Psalm 80:1
To the chief Musician upon ShoshannimEduth, A Psalm of Asaph. Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellestbetween the cherubims, shine forth.

Bishop.

Hebrews 3:1
Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

Acts 20:28
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

but now you have returned
The concept of returning implies repentance and a change of direction. In the New Testament, repentance is a central theme, calling believers to turn away from sin and back to God. This return is not merely a physical or emotional change but a spiritual transformation. The Greek word used here for "returned" suggests a complete turning around, indicating a decisive action taken by the believer. This aligns with the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32), where the son returns to the father, symbolizing repentance and restoration.

to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
The titles "Shepherd" and "Overseer" are rich with meaning. "Shepherd" is a title frequently used for Jesus, as seen inJohn 10:11, where He declares, "I am the good shepherd." This title emphasizes His role in guiding, protecting, and caring for His flock. The shepherd imagery is deeply rooted in the Old Testament, with figures like David, a shepherd-king, prefiguring Christ. "Overseer" (or "Bishop" in some translations) denotes authority and responsibility, suggesting Christ's role in watching over and guiding the spiritual well-being of believers. This dual role underscores His comprehensive care and leadership, fulfilling prophecies such asEzekiel 34:23, where God promises to set up one shepherd over His people. The combination of these titles assures believers of Christ's intimate involvement in their lives, providing both guidance and oversight.

- Peter borrows the picture fromIsaiah 53:6—“All of us like sheep have gone astray; each has turned to his own way”—reminding us that wandering is the universal human condition.

- Sheep drift without intending to; likewise, sin often feels casual, even harmless, yet it leaves us vulnerable (Proverbs 14:12).

- Apart from Christ, we lack true direction or defense (Ezekiel 34:5-6), exposed to spiritual predators and dangers we scarcely recognize.

- Two words that signal a decisive change (Ephesians 2:13). What once was true need not remain true.

- The gospel interrupts lostness and rewrites our story, shifting us from danger to safety, from estrangement to belonging (Colossians 1:21-22).

- “Now” also highlights present assurance, not merely a future hope (Romans 8:1).

- “Returned” implies repentance—a turning from self-chosen paths back to God’s way (Acts 3:19).

- It also carries restoration: the prodigal embraced, the stray retrieved (Luke 15:4-7, 20).

- The initiative is God’s—He sought us first (John 6:44)—yet our response is real, personal, and decisive (James 4:8).

- Jesus calls Himself “the good shepherd” who lays down His life for the sheep (John 10:11).

- A shepherd guides, feeds, protects, and knows each sheep by name (Psalm 23:1-4;John 10:3).

- In returning to Him, we submit to His leading and trust His care, exchanging our anxious wandering for His wise paths.

- “Overseer” (also rendered “Guardian”) accents His vigilant watch (Hebrews 13:20-21).

- He preserves our souls in every circumstance—temptation, trial, even death (2 Timothy 4:18;1 Peter 1:5).

- This oversight is personal and continual; no detail or danger escapes His notice (Matthew 10:29-31).

Once aimless like straying sheep, we are now safely gathered by Jesus, the Shepherd who guides and the Overseer who guards. Repentance redirects our wandering hearts, and His ongoing care secures our souls, giving us confidence to follow Him today and forever.

But are now returned.--The tense of the original verb points to the actual historical time at which it took place, rather than the position now occupied, "but now ye returned." The word "now" is used in the same way in1Peter 2:10, where literally it is, "but nowdid obtain mercy." "Returned" does not in the Greek imply that they had at first been under the Shepherd's care and had left Him. The word is that which is often rendered "were converted," and only indicates that they turned round and moved in a contrary direction.

The shepherd and bishop of your souls.--Undoubtedly this means Christ. The first of the two titles is of course suggested by the simile of the sheep. The image is so natural and so frequent, that we can not say for certain that it proves St. Peter's acquaintance with the parable of the Good Shepherd in John 10. More probably, perhaps, he is thinking ofPsalm 23:3, "He convertedmy soul" (LXX.), where "the Lord," as usual, may be taken to mean the Son of God rather than the Father; or else ofEzekiel 34:11;Ezekiel 34:16, where the words rendered "seek them out" in our version is represented in the LXX. by that from which the name of a "bishop" is derived. (Comp.Ezekiel 34:23;Ezekiel 37:24; alsoIsaiah 40:11, which last citation comes from a passage which has been in St. Peter's mind just before,1Peter 1:24.) It is hardly necessary to add that to the Hebrew mind the thought of superintendence and ruling, not that of giving food, was uppermost when they spoke of shepherds, and that the pastors spoken of in the Old Testament are not the priests or givers of spiritual nutriment, but the kings and princes. Thus it will here be nearly synonymous with the second title of bishop. This name suggests in the first instance not so much overseeing asvisiting--i.e.,going carefully into the different cases brought under the officer's notice. (Comp.1Peter 5:2;1Peter 5:4, andActs 20:28.) Both words were already familiar as ecclesiastical words already, and as such were especially appropriate to Christ, the Head of the Church; but as they had not yet become stereotyped in that sense, the writer adds, "of your souls," to show that it was not an outward sovereignty and protectorate which the Messiah had assumed over them. "Soul" is a word of which St. Peter is fond (1Peter 1:9;1Peter 1:22;1Peter 2:11;1Peter 4:19;2Peter 2:8), but which is, perhaps, never used by St. Paul in this sense. It is to be remarked how St. Peter works almost every section of the Epistle round, so as to end with some encouragement to the readers to cling to Jesus as the Messiah, and to their Christian state, from which they were in danger of receding into Judaism. He makes even the special exhortations lead up to that which is the main exhortation of the Letter. . . .

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