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The Second Coming of the Good Shepherd

By Bob Condly
6 months ago
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For most of this year, I’ve been teaching a Sunday School class on the book of Revelation. I suppose we’re taking it slow, but this Sunday, we’ll be dealing with what we could say is the high point: the return of Jesus Christ. The apostle John describes this event in Revelation 19:11-16: 

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice He judges and wages war. 12His eyes are like blazing fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but He Himself. 13He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is the Word of God. 14The armies of heaven were following Him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15Coming out of His mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16On His robe and on His thigh He has this name written: King of kings and Lord of lords.

What a picture of judgment! Jesus is riding a white horse, which symbolizes a conquering warrior. His fiery eyes indicate pure vision; no sin will escape His attention. He has armies attending Him, and they’re ready for battle. Christ even has a sword, but this is no ordinary one, because it proceeds from His mouth. This represents His Word, and it’s an image that John mentions elsewhere in Revelation.

  • “In His right hand He held seven stars, and coming out of His mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.” – Revelation 1:16
  • “Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.” – Revelation 2:16
  • “The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.” – Revelation 19:21

But Jesus has more than a sword; He also wields “an iron scepter.” He’s coming back to rule.

In the context of war imagery, Christ’s rulership might seem destructive, and in a sense, it is. The leaders and systems of this world are going to fall before Jesus; their governance is coming to an end.

What the Lord replaces them with is benevolent governance.

We find this idea within the quotation contained in verse 15. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” That sentence derives from Psalm 2:9, which in the NIV looks like this: “You will break them with a rod of iron; You will dash them to pieces like pottery.” The Greek version of the Old Testament softens this verse. Here’s how the New English Translation of the Septuagint renders the verse: “You shall shepherd them with an iron rod; like a potter’s vessel You will shatter them.” According to the NIV, Jesus is going to break and dash the nations. And according to the NETS, He’s going to shepherd and shatter them. Milder, but mixed.

Why does John quote this verse from Psalm 2? What’s he trying to get across to us?

The verb translated “rule” is poimaino, which occurs 11 times in the Green New Testament. It has to do with shepherding. For example, when Jesus told Peter to “take care of My sheep” (John 21:16), this is the verb that was used. The Lord was telling Peter to shepherd the flock, not dominate them.

And in Revelation 7:17,  John declares that “the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘He will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’” Since the phrase, “will be their shepherd,” has the verb poimaino, we should translate it as “will shepherd them.” Again, the verb communicates care, not harsh control. 

But three times in Revelation, John quotes the phrase from Psalm 2:9 about Jesus with an iron scepter. The verses are Revelation 2:27, 12:5, and 19:15. In some way, a particular instrument exemplifies Christ’s rule. What I learned is that the Greek word for “scepter” (rabdos) can mean a staff, rod, or scepter.

Does John contemplate Christ’s future governance as shepherding? Will He guide the nations with His staff, the way a shepherd leads sheep?

I ask these questions because this issue led me to two passages in John’s gospel. The first one describes the Lord serving as a shepherd.

“I am the good shepherd; I know My sheep and My sheep know Me– 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father–and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to My voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” – John 10:14-16

Jesus told the Jews He was going to die for His followers. The cross was no surprise; He knew it was coming. But to save us, it was worth it to Him. And Jesus removed the limitations on who qualified. The flock He sought was larger than those in Judea could imagine. It included the Gentiles. Anyone loyal to Jesus would be welcome.

The second passage in John’s gospel reinforces this point.

“He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.” – John 11:51-52

Unaware he was doing so, the high priest Caiaphas prophesied the death of Christ for God’s people. Not just those in Judea, but anyone anywhere who believed in the gospel. At the time, there were Jews scattered throughout the Roman Empire who would open their hearts to the love of Jesus.

But the gospel wasn’t only for Jews. The Gentiles of the Roman Empire received salvation through the good news of Christ’s death and resurrection. And down through the ages, the numbers continue to expand. His church grows, more souls get right with God, more people dedicate themselves to Jesus Christ.

And God unites us all in His Son.

When Jesus returns to put down the evil governance of this world, He will shepherd His people with His staff. A shepherd uses a staff to guide his sheep but also to protect them. In most cases, a shepherd’s staff was made of wood, but Christ’s is different. It’s made of iron. This tells us His authority is unchallengeable; His staff can’t be broken. God’s kingdom is going to come to us; His will is going to be done. It can’t be stopped; Jesus the good shepherd is going to win!

Christ is coming back!

Translation Surprises, Part 2

By Bob Condly
6 months ago
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“I have not learned wisdom, nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One.” – Proverbs 30:3

We learned last week that the Hebrew adjective translated “of the Holy One” (qadosh) is plural, not singular. Yet most Bible translations and versions stick with a singular rendition. (The verse above is from the NIV and that’s the version I’ll be using in this post unless otherwise noted.)

But would it surprise you to learn that this isn’t the only verse in Proverbs where the translators do this? Here’s the other one:

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” – Proverbs 9:10

Yes, “the Holy One” in this verse, as in 30:3 is plural, not singular! So we have the same issue twice in Proverbs!

Why did the translators do this? Like I mentioned last week, I don’t know of a grammatical rule that mandates this move. And I wrote that the poetic structure of the text doesn’t require changing the number from plural to singular.

But maybe it does, if we combine with a theological motive. Let me explain.

Proverbs 9:10 is an example of what Bible scholars call “synonymous parallelism.” This is a poetic structure in which the second line of a verse repeats one or more elements contained in the first line. In this case, the verse has three similarities:

  • Fear – Knowledge
  • The Lord – The Holy One
  • Wisdom – Understanding

Within this structure, it makes sense to treat the plural Hebrew word qadosh as a singular. It looks like it’s describing God and as the Bible declares, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4).

And what would the alternative to the singular be? For both Proverbs 9:10 and 30:3, we could try these plural options:

  • Holy Ones – God as plural or multiple
  • Holy ones – angels or righteous people (saints)
  • Holy things – anything from spiritual wisdom to moral guidelines to temple items

Many Christians would prefer the first choice because it suggests an undeveloped notion of the Trinity. The second option emphasizes the insight that those who are spiritual enjoy. This group includes the angelic host, who are privy to the mind of God, and sages, whom the book of Proverbs presents as role models. The last one doesn’t seem to fit the subject matter of Proverbs. This book doesn’t have much to say about the law of Moses, feast days, or priestly duties. It has only one reference to offerings (7:14). So it’s unlikely these two verses would comment about matters we find in, say, the book of Leviticus.

This brings us down to two options: Holy Ones or holy ones. To determine which is likelier, let’s see where else in the Old Testament the plural adjective qadosh occurs. 

Two verses in the Psalms refer to the Israelites:

  • “I say of the holy people who are in the land, ‘They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.’” – Psalm 16:3
  • “Fear the LORD, you His holy people, for those who fear Him lack nothing.” – Psalm 34:9

God set apart Israel from the other nations; the Jewish people were to know Him, serve Him, and make Him known to the surrounding countries. Being chosen by God and set apart for His work made Israel holy. It wasn’t that they were a sinless people; the Old Testament has much to say about their failures! But they belonged to the Lord, and that’s why He calls them His holy ones.

There are also a few verses which use the plural form of qadosh to refer to angels. For example, here’s another passage from the Psalms:

“The heavens praise Your wonders, LORD, Your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones. 6For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD? Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings? 7In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; He is more awesome than all who surround Him.” – Psalm 89:5-7

The allusions to the heavens tell us that the psalmist doesn’t have the Israelites in mind; he’s thinking about the angelic host. They’re not human, but they’re holy; created by God and dedicated to His service. Yet even though their domain is the realm above, angels exhibit concern about the affairs of earth, too. We see this played out in the book of Daniel:

“Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to him, ‘How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled–the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, the surrender of the sanctuary and the trampling underfoot of the LORD’s people?’” – Daniel 8:13

While each instance of qadosh in this verse is singular, Daniel is reporting on two angels speaking with each other, so this verse reinforces a plural understanding of angels as holy ones.

And notice that angels aren’t omniscient; they don’t know everything. They’re wise, but they’re not all-knowing. Some have information that others don’t, and they have to communicate with each other to clarify and carry out the will of God.

There’s one more verse that points to the angels as holy ones.

“You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with Him.” – Zechariah 14:5

Here, the prophet Zechariah is announcing the circumstances of the Day of the Lord. When God steps down from heaven to earth to rescue His people, He will not do so alone; His angels will attend with Him.

We Christians see this as the return of Jesus Christ to our world. In His own words, “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne” (Matthew 25:31). The Day of the Lord involves an angelic entourage that brings to full realization the kingdom of God.

Now, there are four other verses in the Old Testament that have the plural form of qadosh, but it’s not clear whether these intend angels or human beings.

  • “Indeed, He loves the people; all Your holy ones are in Your hand, and they followed in Your steps; everyone takes of Your words.” – Deuteronomy 33:3
  • “Call if you will, but who will answer you? To which of the holy ones will you turn?” – Job 5:1
  • “He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy those who are mighty, the holy people.” – Daniel 8:24
  • “Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, Israel with deceit. And Judah is unruly against God, even against the faithful Holy One.” – Hosea 11:12

The manuscripts containing Deuteronomy 33:3 vary somewhat, so translators aren’t quite sure of the original wording. The holy ones are either the Israelites or the angels. It’s a tough call to decide.

Job 5:1 might be referring to angelic aid for people, like Job, who are in trouble. It may also refer to wise people who are in a position to help the distressed. Again, it can go either way.

The last phrase of Daniel 8:24, “the holy people,” is actually “the people of the holy ones.” The people are the Jews, but the holy ones could be either angelic overseers or righteous leaders who serve the nation. The grammar permits either interpretation.

And let’s end this analysis on a strange note! Hosea 11:12 seems to identify God as “the faithful Holy One.” That’s a great description of Him, don’t you think? But it’s odd because “Holy One” is plural, not singular. This is what we’ve encountered in Proverbs! But another quirk is that the participle, “who is faithful,” is singular, not plural! Go figure! We could translate the phrase like this: “the holy ones [or Holy Ones] who is faithful.” That’s not good English, but it’s what the Hebrew Bible gives us.

It certainly looks like Hosea is talking about the one true God in this verse. He castigates Judah for being unruly against God, and, using synonymous parallelism, repeats his reference to the Lord. The Jews are rebelling against the God who is faithful to them. It’s a sad situation, which is why the Lord sent Hosea to warn them to repent and return.

So when we take a step back, it seems like we have biblical freedom to interpret the plural of qadosh in Proverbs 9:10 and 30:3 to refer to God, angels, or righteous Jews. Which one did Solomon and Agur have in mind when they crafted these sayings? We’ll try to settle that in the next post!

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