Criteria for a hired shepherd - Jn 10:12-13 -

The original Korean text: https://blog.naver.com/stevision/220432403288

 

>> He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep. (Jn 10:12-13) <<

 

In general, a hired pastor is defined as a religious person who ministers in the church to take financial benefits. But a hireling as defined by Jesus has a little strict qualification.

 

1) A hired pastor has been appointed a priest by Jesus.

'Hire' means that he won the confidence of the employer anyway and was called by him. Don't you think so?

 

2) A hired pastor is one who neglects his ministry when he is in trouble.

 

"He sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees."

 

There can be various excuses for a pastor to temporarily or continually neglect his ministry, such as illness and financial hardship of himself and his family. You behave like a hireling in the sight of Jesus if you neglect the ministry, or preaching and teaching, then. In no case should the sheep of Jesus be in a state of 'sheep without a shepherd'. If you can't carry out the ministry, you should be faithful to the Lord and set a new pastor in place of you for a while.

 

You're a religious robber or a religious swindler if you become a pastor, using dishonest methods and means, especially against the opposition of many, and hurting the glory of God, to minister in the church and receive money from the church.

 

Jesus does not appoint a man to the priesthood in order to hurt the glory of God. Anyone who steps into the priesthood by wicked hereditary succession or simony does not even deserve to be called 'a hired pastor', does he? Isn't he a thief because he was not called to work in the vineyard, yet he got into the vineyard and ate the grapes as he like?