The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 2 — Section 204

as to who are entrnsted with the highest privileges of Christian fellowship. It is easier not to encourage the unworthy to enter than to eject them after they have made themselves obnoxious to the community. Nothing can be more foolish than to enlarge the nominal roll of a Church by including doubtful names. A wise teacher has said, "'It would be well if we had fewer Christians, and better ones." IV. THERE IS A DISCIPLINE WHICH BELONGS ONLY TO Gon. We can regulate the conditions of member~hip in organized societies, But we cannot really determine who are true members of Christ's flock. Therefore, in excluding the apparently unfit from a Church, we cannot, we dare not, pretend to pronounce a sentence of excommunica- tion upon them. Much less are we justified in forcibly stamping out heresy, schism, and, what is far worse, worldly and sinful professions of Christianity, by the rouah treatment of persecution. Wheat and tares must both grow together until the harv~st (Matt. :xiii. 30). Then, indeed, God will judge. The great Fisherman will divide hie own fish when he brings the net to land (Matt. xiii. 48). Ver. 23.-77ie one shepherd. In place of the many unworthy shepherds who have fattened themselves by spoiling the flock of Israel, God will now give his people one good Shepherd, reviving the royal line of Di!.vid. The shepherd of Bethlehem had been a irue protector of his people. He is to appear again in his great Descendant. No 4ioubt Ezekiel's contemporary readers would look for a restoration of the temporal monarchy, as Christ's disciples looked for it (Acts i. 6). But such a restoration was never accomplished. The prophecy is fulfilled in a higher though an unexpected way by Christ as our good Shepherd. L THE PEBSON OF THE SHEPHERD. "My servant David." Jesus Christ is the only person to whom these words can apply. Not only was he of the family of David; he realized to the full the ideal that David set forth in broken lights and failed to attain himself. He is the true David, the true Shepherd-King. 'l'hus a.mid the sorrows of the exile, the disconsolate captives are cheered by a. vision of the coming Christ, though as yet but vaguely and dimly discerned. We, with fuller knowledge, can turn from our disappointments and failures and find consolation in the Christ who has come and who is ever in our midst. Perhaps if the old shepherds had not been eo unworthy, this wonderful prediction of the new Shepherd would not have been ma.de. The disappoint- ments of worldly confidence drive us to Christ. When earthly friends" fail or leave us," we need the true l:<'riend who "sticketh closer than a brother." If Christian ministers have been unworthy, Christ abides faithful. Perhaps too much confidence waa given to the human instruments; then the shock of discovering this to be misplaced may Dot be wholly hurtful; it may help the Church to look a.way from men and trust only ill Christ. II. THE APPOINTMEIIT OF THE SHEPHERD. He is set up by God. God sent Christ. It is God's will that his scattered sheep should be restored. 'l'ba.t was stated earlier {see vers. 11, 12). Now we see how it is to be done. Christ is to be the new Shepherd who will seek and find the lost sheep. He comes to us thus with all the authority of liis Father. He is called God's" Servant "-a remarkable and unusual expression for the :Messiah. This reminds us of" the Servant of the Lord" in the latter part of Isaiah. The name was recalled by St. Peter when preaching to the Jews (Acts iii. 13). St. Paul tells us that in his great humiliation Christ took on him the form of a servant (Phil. iL 7). This agrees with the whole spirit of the life of our Lord, who came not to do his own will, but the will of him that sent him. It implies a rebuke of the bad llhepherds, who had only pleased themselves and so neglected their Master's interests. They were too proud to consider themselves servants. But the great Son .of David is willing to be a Servant. Ill. THE WORK OF THE SHEPHERD, 1. He rules the flock. He is "set over n the aheep. The shepherd has authority over the flock. They are required to follow him. He shuts them up in the fold at night. Christ is King, as the Greater David. He is appointed to rule his flock as the Shepherd and Bishop of soul~. If we would profit by his care we must obey his voice. 2. Hefceds the flock. They would starve in the wilderness. The shepherd can lead them into the green pastures. He can supply them with winter st"rcs. Christ feeds his people with his own body and blood. 8. HtJ mus the flock. 'l'l:.0ugh not stated in this verse, and perhaps not directly following <JH, xxxIV. 1-31.J THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. 211