John 10:13

The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(13) The hireling fleeth.—These words are again an addition to the text, and should he omitted with the great majority of the best authorities. If we omit them this verse must be immediately connected with that which precedes, the last clause of which is a parenthesis—“But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth (and the wolf catcheth them, and maketh havoc), because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.” The sense is not affected by the omission, and the words were apparently added as a gloss to make the meaning clear. The thought of the hireling is repeated to express the nature of the man, and to strengthen the contrast with the Good Shepherd which immediately follows.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

10:10-18 Christ is a good Shepherd; many who were not thieves, yet were careless in their duty, and by their neglect the flock was much hurt. Bad principles are the root of bad practices. The Lord Jesus knows whom he has chosen, and is sure of them; they also know whom they have trusted, and are sure of Him. See here the grace of Christ; since none could demand his life of him, he laid it down of himself for our redemption. He offered himself to be the Saviour; Lo, I come. And the necessity of our case calling for it, he offered himself for the Sacrifice. He was both the offerer and the offering, so that his laying down his life was his offering up himself. From hence it is plain, that he died in the place and stead of men; to obtain their being set free from the punishment of sin, to obtain the pardon of their sin; and that his death should obtain that pardon. Our Lord laid not his life down for his doctrine, but for his sheep.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Because he is a hireling - Because he regards only his wages. He feels no special interest in the flock.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

12. an hireling … whose own the sheep are not—who has no property, in them. By this He points to His own peculiar relation to the sheep, the same as His Father's, the great Proprietor and Lord of the flock, who styles Him "My Shepherd, the Man that is My Fellow" (Zec 13:7), and though faithful under-shepherds are so in their Master's interest, that they feel a measure of His own concern for their charge, the language is strictly applicable only to "the Son over His own house" (Heb 3:6).

seeth the wolf coming—not the devil distinctively, as some take it [Stier, Alford, &c.], but generally whoever comes upon the flock with hostile intent, in whatever form: though the wicked one, no doubt, is at the bottom of such movements [Luthardt].

Matthew Poole's Commentary

The reason why he that is a mere hired servant, and hath no property in the sheep, fleeth, is, because he is a hireling, and doth what he doth merely for his wages; and when a danger ariseth, which his wages will not balance, he will never encounter it; he hath no property in the sheep, nor any love to them, nor care for them.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling,.... And has no propriety in the sheep; had he, he would abide by them, and defend them; but because he has not, he will not expose himself to any danger, but leaves them:

and careth not for the sheep; what becomes of them, providing only for his own safety. Abarbinel (y) has a note on Isaiah 40:11 which may serve to illustrate this passage:

""he shall feed his flock like a shepherd"; not as he that feeds the flock of others, for the hire they give him, but as a shepherd that feeds his own flock; who has compassion more abundantly on it, because it is his own flock; and therefore he saith, "behold his reward is with him", for he does not seek a reward from another; "and his work is before him"; for he feeds what is his own, and therefore his eyes and his heart are there.''

Which is not the case of the hireling; he does not care for them, he has not their good at heart; but the good shepherd has, such an one as Christ is.

(y) Mashmia Jeshua, fol. 20. 4.

Geneva Study Bible

The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

John 10:13. ὁ δὲ μισθωτὸς φεύγει, not, as in John 10:12, ὁ μισθ. δὲ, “because the antithesis of the hireling was there first brought forward and greater emphasis was secured by that position”. Meyer. Klotz, p. 378, says that δὲ is placed after more words than one “ubi quae praeposita particulae verba sunt aut aptius inter se conjuncta sunt aut ita comparata, ut summum pondus in ea sententia obtineant”. He flees ὅτι μισθωτός ἐστι, his nature is betrayed by his conduct. He does not care for the sheep but for himself. He took the position of guardian of the sheep for his own sake, not for theirs; and the presence of the wolf brings out that it is himself, not the sheep, he cares for.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

13. The hireling fleeth] These words are of still more doubtful authority. Omitting both the doubtful portions the sentence will run (The hireling) leaveth the sheep and fleeth; and the wolf snatcheth them and scattereth (them); because he is an hireling and careth not, &c.

Bengel's Gnomen

John 10:13. Δέ, but) This has the force of explaining the word fleeth, repeated from the preceding verse.—ὅτι μισθωτός, because he is an hireling) Ploce [A word placed twice, so that once the word itself, once an attribute of it, should be understood]. His concern is for the pay, not for the flock.—καὶ οὐ μέλει, and careth not for) Connect with fleeth [i.e. οὐ μέλει does not follow ὅτι]. The antithesis to this is to be observed, John 10:14-1 5. The words in antithesis respectively are:

The hireling is a hireling careth not for fleeth

I the Good Shepherd know lay down My life. [266][267][268] Memph[269] and Theb[270] Versions, Lucifer, omit ΠΡΌΒΑΤΑ of last verse, and in this verse Ὁ ΔῈ ΜΙΣΘΩΤῸς ΦΕΎΓΕΙ. But [271][272][273][274] Vulg. have the words.]

[266] the Vatican MS., 1209: in Vat. Iibr., Rome: fourth cent.: O. and N. Test. def.

[267] Bezæ, or Cantabrig.: Univ. libr., Cambridge: fifth cent.: publ. by Kipling, 1793: Gospels, Acts, and some Epp. def.

[268] Laurentianus or Amiatinus. These three I do not specially quote, except very occasionally, where they mutually differ, but simply quote ‘Vulg.’ in general, as correctly given by Lachmann from these MSS. in his Greek Test.

[269] emph. the Memphitic, or Coptic Version from Egypt: third cent.: publ. by Wilkins at Oxford, 1716.

[270] heb. the Thebaic, or Sahidic do.: publ. by Woide and Ford, from MS. Alex, at Oxford, 1799.

[271] the Alexandrine MS.: in Brit. Museum: fifth century: publ. by Woide, 1786–1819: O. and N. Test. defective.

[272] Vercellensis of the old ‘Itala,’ or Latin Version before Jerome’s, probably made in Africa, in the second century: the Gospels.

[273] Veronensis, do.

[274] Colbertinus, do.

14. Τὰ ἐμά) My [what is Mine], sheep.—καὶ, καί, and, and) Always the beginning of every good thing originates with God and Christ. As the Good Shepherd, He both knows and is known.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 13. - (The hireling fleeth) because he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep. He only cares for himself. He is no match for the wolf of temptation, or disease, or death, lie wants to reap the personal advantage of his temporary office, and, if his own interests are imperiled, he can leave them to any other hireling, or to the wolf. Melancholy picture this of much deserted duty. John 10:13

Vincent's Word Studies

The hireling fleeth

The best texts omit. Read, as Rev., supplying he fleeth.

Careth not (οὐ μέλει αὐτῷ)

Literally, the sheep are not a care to him. See on 1 Peter 5:7. The contrast is suggestive.