What does ‘feed my lambs’ mean?
When Jesus asks Peter to “feed my lambs” after he’s been resurrected (John 21:15), he’s not talking about engaging them in a Bible study. Very few people were ever able to read back then, and there were very few copies of Scripture.
When Jesus told Peter (who is a type of medieval Everyman – a stand-in for all of us) “take care of my sheep,” he’s talking about the process of discipling them, of growing them up.
Too often when we think about being fed spiritually, we refer to sitting through a sermon. Periodically I’ll hear someone say, “I haven’t been fed much lately.” This is code for, “The Pastor’s sermons are not connecting with me.” This is a passive picture of feeding. Like a baby is spoon-fed.
We see a more accurate concept of feeding sheep in Jesus’ picture description of a shepherd and sheep in John 10. The shepherd calls them out and the sheep listen to his voice.
We see a third party in John 10 – the watchman who “opens the gate” for Jesus to speak and to call them out. It would seem his main job is to be on the lookout for enemies and teach the sheep to listen to the shepherd’s voice. John 10:4 says, “his sheep follow him because they know his voice.” It is Jesus himself who feeds his sheep.
If as disciplers and pastors we’re not teaching our sheep to recognize Jesus’ voice, they inevitably will go hungry.
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A sheep can be led out to pasture where he can graze in the grass and thereby feed himself. The shepherd needs to find adequate pasture; the sheep will eat.
No so for a lamb. The lamb must be HAND FED MILK FROM A BOTTLE. This requires much more effort on the part of the shepherd, different food, different method, different approach. Milk is predigested grass. The fiber of grass is basically a polymer of sugar. Humans don’t have the capability to digest grass, however the bacteria in the rumnant stomach of sheep do.
Lambs, like humans, however, need milk. They usually get milk from the ewe, the mama sheep.
So, you have to give a young Christian the “milk of the word.” “I am writing to you, little children because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s sake.” 1 John 2:12 Lambs need simple truths, a little at a time.
Libby, I can’t say that anything of the following is taken from any reputable source other than my brain, but that’s not reputable.
As I read and reread the passage, I’m taking away the idea that Jesus is giving Peter a sense of urgency. “Feed my sheep.” Probably not an accurate translation, but it could also be, “Be sure to take care of my precious children. Be sure to. Please be sure to.”
Then why the odd ending? Life ends. There would come a point where what he wanted would not necessarily be what he was giving. Time is precious so get to feeding.
I’m just going to throw this in because it’s meant a lot to me over the years, and it sort of relates. While in Italy we visited these tombs that were decorated with the bones taken from hundreds of monks and clergy. Literally thousands of skulls, femurs, collarbones, etc. adorned several rooms. At the very end was a sign that read, “Where you are, we once were. Where we are, you one day will be.”
How it ends likely won’t be your choosing. How it goes, we have more say in that.
We all need to keep pointing disciples to Jesus, to sit at his feet and to hear what he is speaking. Placing the lambs dependent on the Shepherd, not the hirelings. Let the Lord remind all of us that he is the center and our goal should be to be imitators of Christ’s life, thereby causing others to hunger and desire the life that listens and love Jesus. Thanks for the post Seth, the idea of feeding Jesus to disciples…!
Hi Seth
thanks for email me….hmmm learn something about Feed!!!! I bet many pastores feed themselves too much why can t pastors feed to members the same way pastor already feed!!!! I learned a hard lesson I dont like to see sheep like bone, thin sheep hungry…..make me think like what if Great Shepherd check how much I as former pastor feed his sheep and lambs so I must change my way like teachingmore than preaching!!!!
Your deaf brother in Christ
Perry
I beleive that it means that we are to raise each other up with prayer and teaching on Gods word.
Peter was a leader among believers, yet he must feed the, lambs.
Seth, I’ve been doing some study lately on Peter and was studying the “Feed my Lambs” command today. I ran across your stuff online with these key words. Good post…
Hi Seth,
How would you see “opening the gate” as being played out?
Saz
good question. I guess I’d listen to God on the subject depending on what the specific individual’s situation is. and in general I’d look at how he wants me to help set the captives free so they can hear the master.
Great Lesson, Seth. It is quite revealing that even though Jesus asked Peter the same question three times, “Feed my lambs.” was his first repsonse, followed by “Feed my sheep.”
Jesus did this on purpose. He intended to differentiate “Lambs” from “Sheep”. Lambs, as we know, are the children. Jesus placed their feeding at the top of the list by commanding us to feed them first.
Food for Orphans is being obedient and doing just that.
Great website. Thank you for sharing.
Gary VanDyke
CEO & Founder
Food for Orphans
http://www.FoodforOrphans.org
I would like to know the difference between a lamb and a sheep. why did jeswus used both terms , and not sheep alone?.will somebody please answer me?
I am hungry!
I came to discover that the two words means different thing in that context the lamb stands for those who gave their life to Christ for Peter to feed them, While the sheep are those who are already His disciples.
I am still not entirely satisfied with the answers…. I mean if Jesus said it three times… some say its because Peter denied Him three times but quite frankly its more significant to me that he said it repeatedly that is striking and then at the very end he goes into saying something seemingly so unrelated when he sais:
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.†Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!â€
I mean that just seems like it comes out of nowhere and unrelated… from feed my sheep to being led against where you want to go…
And I ponder on what exactly does He mean by ‘feed my sheep’… feed them what? Feed them spiritually and physically and make sure no on is hungry in either aspect or what exactly? What does it mean… I haven’t felt satisfied with any answers yet… It doesn’t say disciple my sheep it uses the word feed… so that can also mean food…
It had utter importance because he repeated it and said to do that if Peter truly loved Him…. so how does one go about feeding sheep…. sheep are obviously those who are already in the fold… He doesn’t say go find the lost sheep and feed them.. He isn’t stressing anything but to feed His sheep… Feed His lambs … Feed those in the fold… nothing about reaching the unreached in this passage… and then once again, he sais feed my sheep and jumps right into being led where you don’t want to go… what does it all mean as a whole???
“Feed my sheep.” I believe Peter was being called out and commissioned by Jesus. Jesus knew that His time here on earth was temporary and one of His purposes while here was to raise up people to continue His ministry…to spread the gospel and to meet people’s needs. He spent time with His disciples and trained them so that they could do likewise after He was gone.
When I look at the life Jesus lived, he “fed” people by meeting their physical and spiritual needs. He gave food, drink, healing, forgiveness, His life. And I believe one of His intentions in saying these things to Peter was to point out the sacrifice in feeding His sheep. Peter was devoted to Jesus but he struggled with his self will and giving it up fully to Christ.
Jesus was telling Peter that in accepting the challenge to feed His sheep, he was going to have to lay down his rights. He used to dress himself and go wherever he wished, but now he was going to be doing the will of his Father…and sometimes he wasn’t going to want to go where he was being led.
This is the same lesson for many of us. We love Christ but struggle so much with our own will and what we want. Jesus is saying that if we love Him, we will do as He did. We’ll look after people’s physical and spiritual needs, knowing that there is a cost associated with doing so. The feeding of His sheep is a pouring out of ourselves and always requires sacrifice.
who is to eat the pasture. pastor or the sheep?
Good answers, thanks for your insights Weston and Matt!
Jesus commissioned His disciples to go into all the world and make disciples of all men. He folows this up by instructing Simon Peter to feed His lambs.
It appears that Jesus wanted them to know that new discip[les (converts) were vulnerable and easily lead astray (like lambs) and needed to be cared for i.e. fed and tended to if they were to survive this christian journey.
Jesus wanted him to understand that even the “mature” christian must be ministered to if they were to remain faithful; hence He said, “feed my sheep”.
The night Jesus was born The Shepherds were the first to be told by God through His angels….when Jesus began His Ministry He first called Fishermen to be His Disciples. An Evangelising Church must have these two lots of people in the Church to make the Evangelising work. Those who bring lost souls into the Church [Fishermen] and those who nuture the new souls to grow in the knowledge of Christ [Shepherds].
To Feed My Lambs is an instruction given by Jesus to the Church to grow the children in the Lord Jesus. These children will grow up and some will fall away from the narrow road so the “”Taking care of My Sheep part” will also be the work of the Shepherds in the Church to bring the Lambs that have grown up in the Church to be nutured back to the narrow road…
The Feed My sheep Jesus said..are for those who have yet to know Christ and are lost in their sins….these older ones also needs feeding and nuturing in the Church…adults who surrender their lives to The Lord….it is all about finding the lost souls and Feeding them to grow in the knowledge of Jesus The Messiah The Son of The Living God….
Good insights, George. Thanks.
I to have had this subject nagging at me I have a thought, here it goes.
Jesus said in Matt 15:24 “But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
and in Matt 10:5 ‘These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
Ok with that said we know Jesus was fulfilling the promise to Israel which we know rejected him, so after they rejected him and he was risen was Jesus telling Peter not only to preach to Israel but also Gentiles? Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Sheep = Israel, Lambs= Gentiles (young new converts)
I imagine Peter would have many times in his ministry thought back to what Jesus had taught and spoken to them, the bible as we know it had not yet been written down, so Jesus would want to clarify his earlier statements about not going to Gentiles.
And later Peter had the sheet in Acts 10 with the unclean food and the Lord told him take eat, as in referring to Gentiles being made clean as well.
Acts 10:15 “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” 16 This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.”
It was also three times. I’m not saying this is what it meant but this is something that popped into my mind when i was thinking about what Jesus said to the woman and his Apostles about him coming for the sheep of Israel.
Let me know what you think God Bless
Anna May,
I have a guess as to why Jesus said that. I view it from a missions perspective. The easiest people group to communicate with is the group of people whose culture you know. When you go into another culture, there are many assumptions that no longer hold true. Communicating becomes more complicated. My sense is that God was rolling out the gospel progressively starting with those who had the most context and could most easily understand it.
Later, when Paul and others took the gospel to other parts of the world, they had enough understanding of language and culture to communicate effectively.
Christ told Peter to feed His Lambs, feed His Sheep, and feed His Sheep. First a little about Me.
I do not have a sheep skin, but I do study and ask the Lord for revelations about the more difficult scriptures. I have never been exposed to Catholicism, but have been accused of leaning toward the Catholic belief that Peter was the first Pope. I do not agree that Peter was the first Pope. I, for most of my life adhered to the Baptist doctrine, and still do, but also I have experienced the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. I like several of you that have posted here was not satisfied with the generic answer we have headed all our life. Here is the answer the Lord gave to me. 1. The lambs are the immediate Apostles (Church Planters) 2. The sheep are the Jews 3. The Sheep are the Gentiles . God had His Lamb (Christ)to take away the sin of the world. Christ had His lambs to establish the Church. (they were also sacrificed). If anyone is interested I will be more than happy to share more in depth on this subject, I have considerable more information on this subject. Home phone 740 446-9618
i do not know … 🙁
for all … thank you >>>
thannnnnnnnks
Could it be that Jesus was giving 3 different commands to Peter. Firstly he was concerned of the generations to follow peter just like in deut 6 that infact it was the feeding of lambs (children) the word of God? A lamb is a baby sheep. Jesus could have been concerned that they will be negleted and looked down upon (Matt18) and needed peter to make sure that they will hear the word and be fed the word so that the generations that follow will carry the gospel. then it was to feed the sheep (adult) Feedng the word and then taking care of them
3 commands 3 different needs that needed to be met
Lamb John the Baptist said about Christ, behold the LAMB of God that takes away sin. God the Father had his LAMB, Christ, for sin. Christ has His LAMBS for the establishing of the Church. As Christ was martyred for sin, the Apostles were all martyred for the Church. Peter was commissioned as the leader of Church, and the Apostles.
The second command for Peter was to feed My Sheep. JEWS
The third command for Peter was to feed My Sheep. Gentiles.
Presently I am in the process or writing a book on this subject, thank you for your comments and reply. Daryl.
Consider this…
(Feed My Lambs)
Peter, I came for the lost sheep of Israel. I sent you out and told you to go to these lost sheep. My work is complete. But now, new lambs will be born. And as the Holy Spirit came into Mary and I was born into this world, I will send the Holy Spirit after me and the Holy Spirit will come into you. A new mother does not hesitate to let her child drink freely of her new milk, that she did not produce of her own will or making, but that which was given her. So you must give freely of the milk that comes from the Holy Spirit, because it is not given you to fill you up, but it is given so that little ones can be fed. And it will not dry up, so long as there are young lambs being fed.
So it is with God’s love when the Holy Spirit comes into this world new lambs will be fed.
(Tend My Sheep)
And for a time, while I’m away, as my lambs are fed the word by the holy spirit, they will become sheep. Care for each other. Tend my sheep while I am away.
It is with God’s love when the Holy Spirit comes into this world that my sheep will be cared for and united.
(Feed My Sheep)
But, my sheep will find no food for them here. So when it is time, Peter, don’t be afraid to follow me. You will follow me out of this world and into green pastures. As one of the flock follows the others, so they will follow you. So, though you will be lead to die for love, as I did, it is in this that my flock will be fed. Because you are only among the first that I call. The rest of my sheep will follow each other where you lead. And so, all my sheep will eat in green pastures.
So, if you love me, choose me of your own will and follow me to death. Because it is through your example that my sheep will be fed.
……….
It wasn’t until I came to this page that I received my answer. The purpose of UNITY is ever more apparent 🙂 thank you all for your encouraging discussion & questioning!
Yes, that is what I was thinking. I think it Is 3 different meanings. Peter got his feelings hurt but I think Jesus was just saying, ” If you love me feed my sheep” If you love me then do MY will and feed my lambs and sheep. So, I agree with Daryl that ” feed my sheep was said twice one meaning (Jewish people) and other meaning Gentiles. Then I agree with everyone that said Lambs were the babies and sheep are God’s people, that are needing to be brought into the fold ( Those who are predestined) and those who are already in the fold.
Thank you Kelly and Niki and Daryl , everyone for your insight on this passage. 🙂
God keeps bringing this passage to me. I think He wants me to be a witness for Him. I can help to plant the seed but God does the rest. I can pass out the plan of salvation etc.. and Bibles etc.. and invite people to church. You can get free literature to hand out, or you can sponsor so someone else can hand them out at http://www.ptl.org/
Pocket Testament League.
God bless you all.
For those of you who are going to feed Father God’s sheep here is a place you can get some tracts, and I think they are free if you check you would like to sponsor, or you can sponsor.
God bless you all.
http://www.fellowshiptractleague.org/order.html
You can get free literature to hand out, or you can sponsor so someone else can hand them out at http://www.ptl.org/
For those of you who are going to feed Father God’s sheep here is a place you can get some tracts, and I think they are free if you check you would like to sponsor, or you can sponsor.
God bless you all.
http://www.fellowshiptractleague.org/order.html
You can get free literature to hand out, or you can sponsor so someone else can hand them out at http://www.ptl.org/
Peter represents a teacher nd the sheep represents his students or his members. And Feed My Sheep means, God is telling the teachers or the leaders to feed His people with the Word of God bcause the Word of God is the bread of life. He is tell them to teach His people the way of righteouness.
Jesus was ascending to heaven, Jesus is the Good Shepherd, but He established a visible church, the one church that he would guide (through the Holy Spirit), He said it would endure through the ages until His return. So Jesus (shepherd and king for all eternity) asked Simon who he named Cephas/Petros/Peter to serve as shepherd (like a prime minister to a king) to His church. Feed/tend my sheep/lambs is a shepherds job right? And Jesus promised that the church He built will endure (hell will not prevail) for all time, but He also knows that Peter will not remain on earth until His return (Peter was martyred), Peter needed to have successors to continue his appointed task until his Masters return. So, the remaining apostles and their disciples, with the Guidance of the Holy Spirit, have chosen these men we now call as popes to feed/tend the sheep/lambs collectively known as the church.
We don’t really know when Jesus will return, we do know He will. We also know that He built one church, one that will endure forever. He promised that the Holy Spirit would guide it forever. And this church needs a visible shepherd to tend/feed the lambs/sheep until Jesus returns.
Sorry it took so long to get back to you I guess it slipped thru to spam in my inbox,
Good point and very well could be I guess it could go either way as in Jew or Gentile or the learned and unlearned.
When I read about being grafted into the vine refering to Gentiles and my thought is how Gentiles who at one point was called “dogs” could be grafted in joint heirs and become “lambs” it’s just something that seems to keep coming back to my spirit, but your point was a very good one and could be right I guess only The Lord knows
Very interesting but your point where you said Jesus was the lamb and we know He is but Jesus said ” feed my lambs” would He be referring to Himself why would Jesus need Peter to feed Him?
I agree wit the possibly of 1. & 2. But don’t understand about how Jesus was referring to Homself there, thanks for input
When jesus told peter to feed his sheep, what did he ask him to use in feeding the sheep?
The food was the introduction of the Holy Ghost to the world. Jews first then the Gentiles. If you follow Peter and where he went you will find this statement to be true. More if you need it.
Daryl
I do not agree with you Daryl because Jesus said it three times.He did not say “Feed My Sheep” only just about two times. I am not really that much interesting answer for me. Just learned it in Religion Class
I don’t exactly know that answer but I will look it up and let you know
Did you know? That Jesus was actually nailed to a tree
What Religion Class are you getting your information from?
If you desire a complete explanation I will be very happy to accommodate you providing we will keep it civil. Daryl
I once was perplexed as to the difference between the two but with study and teaching I now have a better understanding. Sheep and lamb refer to followers of Christ and depending on your level or degree of spiritual maturity you are one or the other. Age is not necessarily the deciding factor because many young peope are far more spiritually intellectual than many of us older ones. Jesus saying “feed my sheep” twice suggests it is far more challenging to (paraphrasing) teach older people new things than it is to teach younger ones. Another well believed notion as to why Jesus repeated it three times was to replicate Peter’s three-time denial of knowing Jesus. I hope this is of benefit to you.
I think the whole point is not the sheep business, but the restoration of Peter.
Remember this is directly after the resurrection. The last real personal encounter Jesus and Peter had was the predicted denial of Christ before the rooster crowed.
Jesus ask a broken man if he “loved me” using the Greek word agapao (the highest of experienced from the father; love).
Peter, wounded by his recent failure of “I’ll never forsake you,” cautiously replied “I love you” using the Greek word philio a lesser word meaning affection. Peter has been humbled.
The feed my sheep is what we get messed up. The ” feed my sheep” was the welcome back.
Jesus ask again (agapao). Peter answered again (philio). Welcome back. Peter is still confused.
Watch this … Jesus then asks Peter do you love me (phileis the ‘tense’ same as philio) Peter replies grieved, (I believe, due to his most recent failure) “you know everything”.
He then invited Peter to go back to his calling. The sheep business.
The restoration completed.
Can you back up your opinion with scripture or is this another fable that you have heard some where?
Jesus is saying feed my sheep He is saying feed them spirtiually with the Word of God!
In the Book of Matthew Chapter 16:19 Peter was given the keys of the Kingdom. These keys were the introduction of the Holy Ghost to the Jews ( the first set o sheep mentioned in John 21:16 ) The second set of sheep mentioned in John 21:17 are the Gentiles. The lambs that Christ was referring to in John 21:15 are the Disciples of Christ.
Sheep is the species name, lamb is refered to a young sheep. A sheep can cut it’s incisors anywhere between the age of 12-18 months so technically speaking a 12 month old could be called a 2th – and so can something that is approaching two years old.
As far as I’m concerned they are hoggets at a year old, 2th’s at two years old, 4th’s at three years old, 6th’s at four years old and “aged” or “full mouth” after that.
Very good insights brother Perry. Some sheep are skinny.
I am trying to find it but I once read a commentary on these passages from a rabbi.The questions Jesus was asking about feeding the sheep were common at the time . Mot something new. Sorry, thats all I remember.
Anna, Christ was the Lamb that God —sent— to the world for sin. (Christ was the Innocent sacrifice for our sins) Peter is now assuming (or being placed into) the leadership roll over of the Apostles. Jesus instructs Peter to feed His Lambs (the Apostles) See John 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath —sent— me, even so —send—- I you. As Christ was given to the world for salvation the Apostle’s where everyone —martyred— for the establishing of the Church. The —sheep— in the following verse John 21:16 are the Jews. In verse John 21:17 the sheep are the Gentiles. see John 10:16 And other —sheep— I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
Peter was heartbroken and ashamed of his failure to stand with Jesus—he wept bitterly (Luke 22:62). Even after receiving the good news that Jesus had been raised from the dead, Peter seems to have felt His days as a disciple were over. He and some other disciples returned to Galilee to take up fishing (John 21:1-3). Jesus pursued them there and had a powerful reunion with Peter and the others. On the shore of the Sea of Galilee, after a breakfast He provided, Jesus re-commissioned Peter in His service.
Peter had denied Jesus three times, Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him three times. When Peter answered three times that he did, Jesus gave him a lifelong task: “Feed My lambs. . . . Tend My sheep. . . . Feed My sheep” (John 21:15-17). This was an affirmation of the previous statement that Jesus would build His Church. It was also a reminder to Peter that God is a God of grace—and multiple chances even when we fail.
Jesus was not referring to Himself. Jesus was commissioning Peter to feed the Lambs. Jesus was the lamb of God to take away the sin of the World. Jesus said in John Chapter 20:21″as the Father has sent me even so send I you ” The Apostles are the Lamb’s that Jesus sent to establish the Church and all the Apostles were martyred for the Church. In verse 16 the sheep are the Jews and in verse 17 the sheep are the Gentiles. I hope this clears things up.
feed my lamb is referred to children or those just beginning and is being, or should be feed milk first.
Sheep is more mature, they are now eating meat. You cannot teach the two on the same level.
Jesus want all his people to be feed.
Matt, I received your message… awesome and thank you
!
Reading and digesting what’s being said in the comments, as of now.
Reading and digesting what’s being said in the comments, as of now.
After reading all the comments, I came to conclusion of what Daryl said that the Apostles (Church planters)were the first mentioned by Jesus to ‘Feed my Lambs’ but my thinking is that the Apostles are to emulate His (Jesus) characters as Peter would do, so as to create an effects for those who will believe in Him, hence ‘Feed my lambs’
Secondly ‘ Tend my sheep’ and thirdly ‘Feed my sheep’ could mean feeding with the Word of life and Caring for them.
Lambs in verse 15 = The Disciples
Sheep in verse 16 = Jews
Sheep in verse 17 = Gentiles.
Supporting scriptures for verse 15 Lambs.
1. John 20:21 —– as the Father has sent me so send I you.
2. John 1:29 —-be hold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. Jesus was crucified for our sin. The apostles were all martyred for the establishing of the Church.
Supporting scripture for verse 16 Sheep=Jews
1. Romans 1:16 —-To the Jew first then to the Greek.
Supporting scripture for verse 17 Sheep=Gentiles.
1. John 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
Peter wasn’t exactly being given what we understand as the Great Commission was he. His priority would be the Jews and then the lost sheep of the House of Israel which the other apostles were attending to.
The gentiles (the rest of the world) were given the apostle Paul to lead them to Christ.
So, Feed my Jewish brethren.
Feed the lost sheep of the House of Israel
Feed the gentiles. (Paul spent several years being trained by the apostles before going to the gentiles).
All of us Christians need to be fed from the original apostles (their teachings are in the Bible) and then we go out and feed others.
Feed my lambs
Means to attend the young ones with care as they’re still innocent.
Said Jesus “My sheep know my Voice & unto Peter said he “Feed my sheep ” which food specifically are the Two Commandments (in which hang the law & the Prophets, incidentally.the STANDARD by which man is to be Judged ) reveals “His Masters Voice ”
To this the Bronze image of St.Peter in Peters Basilica has the two pointed up fingers of his raised right hand facing in the direction of his left hand in a sling, holding the two keys of heaven, reveals the two commandments that hang in the keys of heaven. The universal Doctrine of the Church. The Christian Truth.
Conclusion : The Law & the Prophets that hang in the Two Commandments which in.turn hang in the keys of heaven
Amen.
As I chuckle, please remember Gods ways are not our ways. So, MY TESTIMONY AS SOMEONE who had to follow my newly married husband DOWN into the pits of hell, when we got married I was 46. A single woman who raised a son on her own, had a great job. The man I married, when we met had no job….(HIGHLY INTELLIGENT), he was totally beaten down by raising two children himself. He was at his end. All the words I. The Bible EVERYTIME I say something is a reminder of the same words I have to say to my husband. Like, please do this, you shouldn’t do that, why did you leave this here. He lived life his own way also, we were both single for 15 years. I had thing in PERFECT ORDER, UNTIL…… oh my heavens I love this man, BUT BLESS HIS HEART…..he never had any “home training”. He cou,d “only do what he say his father do”. As in he NEVER had anybody to show him right from wrong. I also had to teach my husband “how to love a child that was not his own, without loosing my own son in the process”. IN WHICH, I DID loose him for a little while but FINALLY my husband got on the right track before it was TOO late and he lost us both. I literally had to “teach” my husband how to “share finances”, time and talents with someone “other then himself and his own children”. I also have been teaching him that TIME sacrificed to “others” vs for himself brings better reward than being all about yourself. AKA the 7 year tribulation. LOL. WE ARE SOON TO BE DONE WITH THAT THANK GOD BECAUSE THATS WHO IT TOOK TO KEEP US FROM TEARING EACH OTHER APART AND HE WAS ONCE CATHOLIC). Lol. PRAISE THE LORD NOW MY SON FINALLY HAS SIBLINGS THAT HE ALWAYS WANTED BUT I WAS NEVER ABLE TO GIVE HIM BECAUSE I never was able to stay in a relationship long enough. God literally saved me, to “bring their family” under the umbrella of Gods commandments, mercy, and grace. It goes to show “TRUE LOVE CASTS OUT ALL FEAR”. My husband was scared to share anything with anybody else other than his children and himself because he had helped build a dynasty for his older brothers, and when it was time to sell the business (they conveniently cut him out of the complete deal) and he got to watch for wow, 7 years, seeing his brothers live high off the hog on the money (HIS KNOWLEDGE ) had earned them. SADLY, in the past 6 almost 7 years since we got married, GOD TURNED THE TABLES, and now they are BACK….
Loki g for handouts. It robbed his entire life from him and especially his manhood and esteem. He was a diamond in the rough. Patience love and time can save the lost of souls.
Thank you for the understanding made clear of the lam and the sheep
Matt; I too, love your response. It truly ministered to me. I have been studying (digging into) this scripture text for almost 4 months. It has so much meat in it. To simply read it, one does himself an injustice! Thank you for the added insight (as my study continues).
Lambs are the Apostles and The Sheep are the Jews and Gentiles in that order
After reading comments; I think this has truly been great (awesome) discussion. Which is what Christians do. Though it once (almost) tilted over into offense “Can you back up your opinion with scripture or is this another fable that you have heard some where?” It is great to seek scripture clarification (without offending and continue to be civil). Thank you everyone for your comments and insight. It has strengthened my desire to continue to be passionate about God’s holy word, listen, and hear the revelation of others as I mesh and weed out that which does not apply. Thank you for being godly!
Matt, as I read your comment it brought tears to my eyes. I have never heard it explained so simply and soooo beautifully. I thank God for the conviction tat it brought to my heart and the Spirit that I felt sweep thru’ my soul. Thank you and may God continue to enrich and Enlighten you by the Holy Spirit. LOVE YOU MY BROTHER in Christ Jesus.
our Lord wanted peter to watch over the sheep for the sake of wolves, the shepherd always keep watching and guard ,the hiring shepherd run away when feel treat of the enemy, but our Lord died for us, Jesus, want assurance from peter to feed, tend, watch and lead the Lambs and sheep’s as commanded him to be we must prioritise the need of the sheep’s and Lambs.
it is our task to obey our masters command. pastor Asiedu