28. To Feed, Shepherd

Both βόσκω and ποιμαίνω are translated ‘feed.' The former word (except in John 21:15-1715So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. 16He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 17He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. (John 21:15‑17)) is used for the feeding of swine. Matt. 8:30, 3330And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. (Matthew 8:30)
33And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils. (Matthew 8:33); Mark 5:11, 1411Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. (Mark 5:11)
14And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done. (Mark 5:14); Luke 8:32, 3432And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them. (Luke 8:32)
34When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country. (Luke 8:34); and 15:15.
ποιμαίνω refers to the feeding of cattle, as in Luke 17:77But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? (Luke 17:7), but is used figuratively, as of feeding the flock or church of God. Acts 20:2828Take 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. (Acts 20:28) Pet. 5:2. It is four times translated ‘rule' as applied to the people of Israel and to the nations in a future day. Matt. 2:66And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. (Matthew 2:6); Rev. 2:27; 12:5; 19:1527And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. (Revelation 2:27)
5And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. (Revelation 12:5)
15And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (Revelation 19:15). It is from the root ποιμήν ‘a shepherd,' and may be translated ‘to shepherd,' as implying care or oversight as well as feeding.
In John 21:15-1715So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. 16He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 17He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. (John 21:15‑17), both βόσκω and ποιμαίνω occur, though the force of this is lost in the A. V. In these verses we should read "Feed my lambs;" "Shepherd my sheep;" "Feed my sheep." It has sometimes been asked (since ‘to shepherd' implies more than ‘to feed') why the Lord went back in the last case to βόσκω. Perhaps it may refer to the tendency of professed shepherds to be occupied with the flock without really leading the sheep to the true pasture provided for them in Christ, and consequent failure to feed them.