Pastophori, a title among the ancient Greeks for those of their priests whose duty it was to carry the Pastas (q. v.) in the sacred rites of heathen antiquity. The priests of Isis and Osiris among the ancient Egyp- tians, who were so denominated, were arranged in in- corporated colleges, which again were divided into lesser companies, each consisting often Pastophori, headed by an officer, who was ap])ointed every five years, to pre- side over them. Along with the Egyptian worship, the Pastophori were long after found in Greece. The duty of this class of priests was to carry in their religious processions the pastos, or sacred shawl, often employed in covering and concealing from public view the ady- tum or shrine containing the god. It was customary for the Pastophori to chant sacred music in the tem- ple, and to draw aside the pastos that the people might behold and adore their deity. (Jenerally speaking, this order of priests had the custody of the temple and all its sacred appurtenances. The Pastophori were looked upon by the Egyptians as eminently skilled in the med- ical art.
Pastophoria has been applied in ecclesiastical lan- guage to different purposes : (1) It designates that which was borne on a shrine. (2) A small chapel (p)as- ton), the sacristy of the (Jreek chapel (from Trc'irrmo, in the sense of an embroidery which was wrought upon the curtain that hung before it). It comprehended the diaKot'iKoi' and (TKr]vo(j>v\uKiov. (3) The watcher's chamber. The ancient (i. e. classical) Greeks used the term to denote the residence within an Egj'ptian tem- ple appropriated to the Pastophori (q. v.). The same word occurs in the Septuagint translation of the Old Testament, where in Ezek. xl, 17 it is used for the chambers in the outward court of the Temple. Jerome, in commenting upon the passage, says that in the trans- lations of Aquila and Symmachus it is rendered Gazo-
PASTOR
752
PASTOR
phylacium ami Exedra, and signified chambers of the j treasurv, and habitations for the priests and Levites [ round about tliat court of the Temple. This explana- tion of the word was probably derived from the writings of Josephus, who mentions the pastophorium as a part ^ of the Temple at Jerusalem, constituting the treasury, in which the offerings of the people were deposited. Jerome, in another passage in his commentary on Isaiah, terms the pastophorium the chamber or habitation in i which the ruler of the Temple dwelt. It is plain, there- | fore, that the word must have been employed in a very extensive signification.
Pastor (!^""i, roeh, from ni"n, to feed, Jer. ii, 8 ; iii, 15; X, 21; xii, 10; xvii, 16; xxii, 22; xxiii, 1, 2; iroi- ni)v, Eph. iv, 11), a shepherd (as elsewhere rendered). Besides this literal sense, the word is employed figura- tively in the Scriptures in somewhat the same way as it is now used to denote a stated minister appointed to watch over and instruct a congregation. See Shep- herd.
PASTOR, Christian, literally a shepherd, from pas- tor in Latin. It may be considered the exact equiva- j lent of ■TToifit'jv in Greek and iH^I in Hebrew. See ; above. i
No idea has been for ages more familiar in Oriental countries than that of the shepherd as the feeder and • guide of a flock. Yet the terras expressing it seem i never to liave been applied in the Old Testament in their figurative sense to the Jewish priests except by the later prophets, more especially Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Zechariah, whose writings have a strong Messianic tinge. Those prophets denounced terrible woes against the "brutish pastors" who sought not the Lord, but ■who destroyed and scattered the sheep of his pasture. That they were also authorized to announce the glori- ous coming day of " the Lord our righteousness," and to promise that he should "feed his flock like a shep- herd," " gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom," "seek that which was lost," "bind up that which was broken," "strengthen that which was sick," "feed them with judgment," and "be their shep- herd." They also recorded God's promise, in Avhich he said, evidently with reference to the days of the Messiah, " I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding" (Jer. iii, 15). Under the new dispensation the Lord Jesus Christ was prominentlj' recognised as " the great Shep- herd of the sheep," " the chief Shepherd," and " the Shepherd and Bishop of souls." In this character Christ portrayed himself when he said, "I am the good Shep- herd and know my sheep, and am known of mine." "The good Sheplierd giveth his life for the sheep" (John X, 11, 14). He employed a similar idea when giving his parting injunctions to his disciples: "Feed my lambs," " Feed my sheep."
The foregoing injunctions, taken in connection with the great commission, " Go teach all nations," show at once the nature and importance of the pastoral office in Christianity. That office is a function of the Christian ministry supplementary to the preaching of the Word. In order to make full proof of his ministry, the man of God must be both a preacher and a pastor. Preaching and the pastoral care have a common object. Never- theless they employ somewhat ditferent though never antagonistic means for its accomplishment. Their rela- tions and correspondences will be better understood from a comparative view. I'reaching is the initial work. It awakens attention, arouses conscience, proclaims the ter- rors of the law, offers the mercy of salvation, and per- suades men to be reconciled to God. Pastoral care feeds the flock of Christ, nourishes and cherishes tlie lambs of his fold, gives milk to babes, and strong meat to them that are of full age. Preaching introduces the Gospel. Pastoral care establishes and perpetuates the institutions of Christianity. Preaching enlarges the area of Chris- tian influence. Pastoral care individualizes the appli-