|
Brent L. Top, Bruce A. Van Orden, Lord of the Gospels: The 1990 Sperry Symposium on the New Testament, 129-146. Chapter Ten "Behold, the Lamb of God": The Savior's Use of Animals as Symbols Byron R. Merrill, Brigham Young University When was the last time you sat quietly and observed the world around you? Often we become so involved with the stressful pace of modern society that we fail to step back long enough to observe, ponder, and marvel at the grandeur of nature that surrounds us. A sense of wonder about the creations of God pervades the scriptures. Earnest searching and thoughtful contemplation of the scriptures have the therapeutic effect of a soothing balm, bestowing peace and eternal perspective in the midst of a chaotic world. Even in the Church, we sometimes become so involved in meeting schedules and perpetuating programs that we do not pay enough attention to the grand spectacle of creation around us, the very handiwork of God in the panorama of nature. But he who knows all and watches over all does not neglect such things. Did not the Lord tell us to consider the fowls of the air and the lilies of the field that we might be filled with gratitude and reverence and better appreciate the breadth and depth of his providential care? To more fully understand the Savior's teachings and thereby increase our love for him, we must often look beyond the literal objects about which he spoke to the deeper symbolic meanings and spiritual messages that they convey. Members of the animal kingdom are among the symbols most widely used by Jesus Christ and his prophets to teach spiritual lessons. They teach eternal truths by employing references or allegories in which animals are used symbolically to convey deeper meanings. Understanding the messages intended from the animal imagery requires more than mere superficial reading of the scriptures. True understanding demands prayerful searching—examining which animals are chosen, how they are used, and the underlying cultural significance of that choice. These questions must be asked to answer the larger question, "What would the Lord have us understand by the use of such a symbol?" We can know the scriptures better by understanding the role of animals in general, their place as symbols in particular, and the specific symbolic use of certain animals by the Savior and his prophets. That the Lord would deem it appropriate to employ animals symbolically so often, as well as the way in which he uses them, should convey to us a sense of reverence and appreciation for animal life in general. That attitude should in turn encourage our considerate treatment and concern for them. As President Joseph F. Smith said, "The unnecessary destruction of life begets a spirit of destruction which grows within the soul. . . . It hardens the heart of man. . . . The unnecessary destruction of life is a distinct spiritual loss to the human family. Men cannot worship the Creator and look with careless indifference upon his creations." 1 As President George Q. Cannon stated: "God, our Father, has made the beasts, the birds and the fish, and he has placed them on the earth for man's use. He has made us lords over them, and he is a coward and a tyrant who would abuse or inflict pain upon them." 2 The Place of Animals In all scriptural accounts of the Creation, animals stand next to man in the order of their appearance on earth. Man was then given dominion over them (Moses 2:28, 5:1; Genesis 1:26), and President Kimball indicated that animals were created "for man's respectful use." 3 St. Francis of Assisi taught that all creation was brought into being "to praise the Creator; every species in existence praises God in its own special way." 4 Joseph Fielding Smith said that Latter-day Saints "do not take the view that animals have no reason, and cannot think. We have divine knowledge that each possesses a spirit in the likeness of its body, and that each was created spiritually before it was naturally." 5 He explained that while there is some measure of intelligence in members of the animal kingdom, the limited bounds beyond which they cannot pass are set by divine decree. These limits are not set on man, who is the offspring of God and has received commandments to become perfect like his Father. President Smith concluded that God "placed each [animal] in its sphere, gave it commandments commensurate with its position. They have been commanded to multiply, not to pray." 6 Latter-day scripture states that animal-kind will have part in the resurrection (D&C 29:24-25). Brigham Young indicated that animals abide the law of their Creator, unlike men and women who are the only creations of God that are disobedient. 7 Some refer to wicked acts as resulting from our "animal nature," but sins are really human failings, the result of evil choices, and not bestial at all. Why Animals as Symbols? Because of the close relationship between animals and man throughout history, animals have been used in all cultures to reflect the nature of humanity, symbolizing societal and individual characteristics. The traits of individual animals are very simple to observe and recognize, whereas human behavior is more intricate and difficult to describe. Animals are familiar creatures, which mutely encourage projection of people's emotions and attitudes onto them. Animals can be used to convey deep dimensions of human feelings and ideas. For instance, in blessings pronounced on seven of the twelve sons of Jacob as recorded in Genesis 49 and Deuteronomy 33, the Lord uses animals symbolically to indicate the assignments given those heads of tribes. The Lord makes use of readily observable animal traits to help us grasp the meaning of his words. A single symbol may be used simultaneously to express and interrelate many different levels of background and comprehension. The Hebraic cultural tradition permeating scripture affects how a symbol is used and how it is to be understood. In an increasingly urban, industrialized world, many people have only the briefest exposure to animals. Thus, quite frequently our understanding of the Savior's beautiful scriptural imagery is lacking. Failure to understand the symbolic meanings may lead us to lack the desire either to embrace or eschew those traits mirrored in the animal symbols the Master has employed to teach us his will. Let us then examine the use of certain specific animals. Serpent The very first animal used as a symbol in the Bible is the serpent. Since the Fall of Adam, the serpent has symbolized treachery and subtlety and all that is evil. Hence, Christ said, when expounding the goodness of our Father in Heaven, "Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" (Matthew 7:9-11). The serpent is an unusual animal. In Hebrew lore, it is one of the only animals that does injury without any gain for itself and therefore epitomizes slander. 8 As a serpent grows stronger with age, so does Satan seem to grow stronger with time, society deteriorating under the sway of his power. It appears that with each successive year he becomes more and more adroit in his evil ploy to "destroy the world" (Moses 4:6). Similarly, his perception of our weaknesses is so keen, like the serpent, that he can "lie in wait to deceive" (Ephesians 4:14). Certainly the most striking similarity between the serpent, or viper, and Lucifer is its destructive poison. Venom injected into the prey builds in the lymph vessels and then slowly courses through the tissues, destroying cells and rupturing capillaries as it goes until it causes death by massive internal hemorrhage. 9 The venom does not necessarily cause intense pain. The victim may even feel better for some time, while the work of destruction progresses internally. If the snakebite is left untreated, internal disintegration continues until the muscles are paralyzed and functioning becomes impossible. In like manner Satan's venom breaks down our spiritual systems. Victims of this more deadly spiritual venom may actually enjoy the initial spiritual decay. Eventually, unless the victim seeks help, the spiritual disintegration culminates in spiritual dysfunction, paralysis, and death. The Savior used this symbol to make a stinging rebuke: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! . . . Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?" (Matthew 23:29, 33). Camel The camel is used as a symbol on only two occasions in the New Testament. Other references to the camel are literal, but even these references help us understand the Lord's use of the camel as a symbol. Since Abrahamic times, the camel has been a symbol of wealth. The scriptural narrative describing Abram's wealth says that "he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels" (Genesis 12:16). The camel is the livelihood of the merchant and the nomad, for it is the basic transportation for these desert wanderers who carry all they have with them. A man with more camels can carry more merchandise. During our Savior's sojourn on earth, the trade routes were well established, and Jerusalem was a hub of commerce from Egypt to India. The Lord's use of the camel as a symbol is most instructive: "And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God" (Matthew 19:24). Jesus could have been even more hyperbolic and used an elephant rather than a camel. But the camel represents the merchant, the trains of merchandise, and the love of lucre, and thus the camel makes a more fitting symbol for the Lord's warning: "a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 19:23). It is so hard, in fact, that the Lord says it is easier for the camel to pass through the eye of a needle. "With men this is impossible; but if they will forsake all things for my sake, with God whatsoever things I speak are possible" (JST Matthew 19:26). In order for man to do that which is ordinarily impossible, he must no longer trust in man's ways (in this case, the ways of the camel and the caravan), but trust in God instead. The Savior used camels to illustrate a similar contrast between the large and truly significant and the minute and petty. He warned the Pharisees—accustomed to literally straining gnats out of their beverages—against figuratively straining gnats and swallowing camels (Matthew 23:24). Dog The Lord always uses the dog as a derogatory symbol. To us a dog is a pet or a mascot, although few would consider "dog" to be a term of endearment. To the Hebrew mind in Jesus' day, a dog had a negative connotation. The Jews in Jesus' time probably viewed the dog more like we view its cousins, the wolf and jackal, sleeping much in the day and roaming in packs to howl and scavenge at night. 10 Perhaps the dog's scavenging habits added to its negative image. In any case, the Lord and his servants employ the dog as a symbol of that which is vile. "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs," the Lord commanded his disciples (Matthew 7:6). When the Syrophoenician woman besought the Lord to cast the devil out of her daughter, he responded, "Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs" (Mark 7:27). Here the Greek word used for dog is kunarion, meaning "puppy," which is the diminutive form of the word normally used for dog, kuon. The softened word may suggest a certain affection and care on Jesus' part, but the distinction between the children of the covenant and those who are not of Israel remains. Perhaps the woman was acknowledging that she was a sinner and expressing her desire for help and willingness to change when she said, "Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs" (Mark 7:28). In John's apocalyptic vision, he saw outside the celestial city "dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie" (Revelation 22:15). Once again the children of God are within, and the dogs, those who reject the covenant, are without. Horse and Ass Although there are many references to horses in the Bible, very few are in the New Testament. Except for a passing reference to horsemen in Acts 23 (vv. 23, 32) and an analogy James makes between bridling one's passions and putting a bit in a horse's mouth (James 3:2-3), the book of Revelation is the only book in the New Testament that refers to horses. In Hebraic tradition the horse is the animal of war. It was the armored tank of the ancient world and thus the very symbol of warfare (see Job 39:19-25; 2 Samuel 8:4). Even with its warlike image, the horse was not seen as an intrinsically evil animal. Job gives one of the most beautiful poetic portrayals in scripture of a horse in battle. Divine intervention by horses and chariots of fire occurs in the experiences of both Elijah (2 Kings 2:11) and Elisha (2 Kings 6:17). The apostle John wrote of the Savior's second coming, "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war" (Revelation 19:11). The color white symbolizes purity, holiness, and triumph, 11 but even in this positive portrayal, the horse is always associated with power and might. How different from the majestic appearance of the Lord astride a white horse as he comes to usher in his millennial reign is that of his entry into Jerusalem "sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass" (Matthew 21:5). The ass is mentioned more than 130 times in the Bible. The Hebrew language—not noted for its extensive vocabulary—has a number of words to designate asses, depending on color, age, sex, and so on. 12 The domestic ass appears throughout scripture as a symbol of humble servitude and peace. The entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on an animal of peace and meekness posed no threat to the Romans, who would have expected any claimant to power to have arrived on a horse, the symbol of war and power. But Jesus' mount proclaimed kingship to the Jews, in part because of two particular Old Testament prophecies. The first is a portion of Jacob's blessing upon Judah: "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine" (Genesis 49:10-11). In John 15:1, the Savior declared: "I am the true vine." The references to sceptre and Shiloh and the choice vine being bound to an ass's colt all come together as the Savior made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem astride an ass's colt, days before his being crowned with thorns as "The King of the Jews." That supernal moment, as he entered the city in glory, also fulfilled in perfect detail the prophecy of Zechariah: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass" (Zechariah 9:9). The ass symbolizes some of the characteristics of the true King: humility, submissiveness, and peace. Dove Joseph Smith said: "The sign of the dove was instituted before the creation of the world, a witness for the Holy Ghost, and the devil cannot come in the sign of a dove. The Holy Ghost is a personage, and is in the form of a personage. It does not confine itself to the form of the dove, but in sign of the dove. The Holy Ghost cannot be transformed into a dove; but the sign of a dove was given to John to signify the truth of the deed, as the dove is an emblem or token of truth and innocence." 13 The dove was the emblem chosen from the beginning to represent truth, innocence, and the Spirit itself. The second facsimile in the Book of Abraham confirms this by showing "the sign of the Holy Ghost unto Abraham, in the form of a dove" (Abraham, Facsimile 2, Figure 7). The most well-known instance of the sign of the dove is at the baptism of our Lord. By it John knew for a certainty that he had baptized the Son of God (John 1:32-33). By this same sign it was manifest unto Noah that the Lord had made peace with the earth (Genesis 8:8-12). The dove was given as a sign in connection with the two most important baptisms of history, the Lord's and the earth's. It is the symbol of peace, purity, truth, and the power of the Holy Ghost, all of which can come in their full measure only after the sacred baptismal ordinance. The Hebrew word for dove is yonah, which means moaning sound, presumably from the cooing which doves and pigeons make. In Mosaic ritual, the dove was used as the poor man's sacrifice. Possibly, the dove simultaneously represents the Spirit, purity, and also the moaning or remorse of conscience for our sins? The dove has no means of defense except swift flight. If its young are attacked, rather than being furious and revengeful like other animals, it will flutter anxiously about, grieving and moaning. In like manner the Spirit of the Lord, if offended, will not retaliate but will simply retire (D&C 121:36-37). Rather than being furious, it will grieve for the victim. Hen During Jesus' last days on the earth, he taught at the temple. After pronouncing woes on the scribes and Pharisees and before departing with his disciples to the Mount of Olives, the Lord uttered the famous words, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate" (Matthew 23:37-38). The Lord made this same comparison to the Nephites and Lamanites in 3 Nephi 10 and on three occasions to the Latter-day Saints in the Doctrine and Covenants (see D&C 10:65; 29:2; 43:24). During the period of darkness that covered the new world after the Savior's crucifixion, the Lord spoke to all those who had survived, identifying himself and calling the people to repentance. Silence followed for the space of many hours and then his voice came again: "O ye people of these great cities . . . how oft have I gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and have nourished you. And again, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, . . . and ye would not. O ye house of Israel whom I have spared, how oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if ye will repent and return unto me with full purpose of heart" (3 Nephi 10:4-6). Understanding why a hen gathers her chicks and how she does so deepens our appreciation of the Lord's symbolism. A mother hen nurtures, cares for, and shows continual concern for her young brood, whereas a male fowl, or cock, is disinterested and uninvolved after breeding. The hen communicates with her young using a variety of sounds. She gathers the chicks for feeding and watering by a low clucking sound known as a brooding call. This exemplifies the teaching, nurturing aspect of the Savior's care (see 3 Nephi 10:4). The hen also "serves as a sentry, a defense force . . . her sentry duties are nearly continuous. She is forever alert." 14 When danger approaches she gives an alarm call in a different frequency from her brooding sounds. 15 The chicks then run to their mother. With her chicks gathered under her wings, she will fluff her feathers to look as large and impressive as possible in hopes of frightening an intruder. If danger persists or draws too close, she may attack. Many a farmer has experienced sufficient beaks or claws to learn the defensive power of a protective mother hen. Hence, the symbol of the Lord's protecting care over his own. The mother hen uses an assembly call to gather her chicks when they are spread out in a large area. On tests done with a wild hen, the hen would call, and even though her chicks had strayed over about forty acres, by the following day they would all be together again with their mother. The assembly call, when recognized, draws the errant young from great distances. 16 Therein lies perhaps the most significant element of the analogy of the hen and her chicks. "For verily the voice of the Lord is unto all men, and there is none to escape; and there is no eye that shall not see, neither ear that shall not hear, neither heart that shall not be penetrated" (D&C 1:2). The voice of the Lord is unto all, but those who are too self-assured or too preoccupied with the things of the world to respond to his voice and gather when called are as vulnerable as young chicks alone before a predator. As Jacob warned, "Wo unto the deaf that will not hear; for they shall perish" (2 Nephi 9:31). The Lord does not condemn those who cannot hear, only those who willingly refuse to hear. In Doctrine and Covenants 29, the Lord sets forth some of the signs of destruction that will accompany his coming "to take vengeance upon the wicked" (v. 17). It begins with these words of comfort to those that follow him: "Listen to the voice of Jesus Christ . . . Who will gather his people even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, even as many as will hearken to my voice and humble themselves before me, and call upon me in mighty prayer" (vv. 1-2). In the dark days ahead when the righteous will be gathered to Christ as they have been instructed, the Lord will symbolically raise the wings of his power to cover and protect his own. Then, in the fearful majesty of his might, he will destroy those who threaten his brood. Wolf Whereas the wolf is frequently mentioned literally in the Old Testament, all references in the New Testament are symbolic. Each New Testament reference represents apostate members or false teachers who come to destroy. Individually, wolves are wary and sneak up on their prey to take it unaware. In packs, however, wolves are more dangerous, attacking from all sides. Wolves, like certain other carnivores, sometimes kill well beyond what they need for food, as if they had an insatiable desire not to let anything innocent remain living. 17 Christ warned against the dangers of the wolves among the flock: "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves" (Matthew 7:15). A Church member or any false teacher may appear innocent but when hiding a private agenda and seeking for power or personal gain, he is as a wolf among lambs. The Savior and the apostles foresaw and foretold this danger. "Go your ways," said the Lord to the seventy, "Behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves" (Luke 10:3). Paul made similar reference to the Church as it would be without the apostles: "For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock" (Acts 20:29). Foreshadowing the void left after his own and the apostles' death, the Lord declared: "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 scattereth the sheep" (John 10:12). Once the true shepherds were gone, those who were merely hirelings fled, for they cared not for the sheep. Even some who had been sheep, or at least had worn sheep's clothing, became ravenous wolves. 18 Yet after the night of universal and individual apostasy, there is a future day of hope. When that millennial day comes, the returned Savior "with righteousness shall . . . judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth. . . . The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid" (Isaiah 11:4, 6). This imagery could have both literal and symbolic fulfillment in the millennial day. The enmity between beasts will cease, and many of the people who scattered the sheep, now repentant, will become as lambs, resting and rejoicing with their former prey. Goat Symbolic references to goats in the Bible are fairly infrequent except as sacrifices, obviously symbolic in itself. The use of goats as symbols largely concerns their relationship with sheep. Young goats or kids are so much like lambs that in many instances they could be used interchangeably with a lamb for sacrifice (see Exodus 12:5; Leviticus 1:10). With maturity, however, the hair of goats is not as useful and hence is less valuable than wool from sheep. A male goat, or buck, is typically more impetuous and wild than a ram; and a goat's native, insatiable curiosity, is very different from the general docility and tractability of sheep. When we consider goats, we are reminded of scriptures like "looking beyond the mark" (Jacob 4:14) and "ever learning but never coming to a knowledge of the truth" (2 Timothy 3:7). In biblical days, goats and sheep were frequently herded together. Because they often have similar shape and color, they are difficult to distinguish from a distance. But they are easily identified upon close inspection, and proper division provides no problem for the owner. Goats and sheep herded together continue to follow their specific bell-laden leader, recognizing the sound of the specific bell they have been trained to follow. People, though living together and appearing similar, also follow their chosen leader and symbolically reveal their true character as sheep and goats. Hence the Savior's famous parable that compares all mankind to a large mixed flock: "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left" (Matthew 25:31-33). Sheep Sheep carry more detailed and deeper symbolic meaning than any other animals in the Bible. In the early books of the Old Testament, there are many literal references to sheep enumerating wealth or sacrifice. They were the source of meat, milk, leather, and wool, the staples of life. From the book of Psalms onward, most references are figurative, and of the seventy times sheep are mentioned in the New Testament, only five are wholly literal. An interesting verse in the apocryphal book of 4 Ezra reads, "You, Lord, out of all the woods of trees chose for yourself the vine, out of all flowers—the lily, out of all birds—the dove, out of all quadrupeds—the sheep." 19 The nature of sheep makes them the most apt of symbols. They are generally docile, quiet, and patient. Some people see them as stupid creatures, but that is less a reflection of sheep's innate intelligence than their very timid, peaceful nature and their ready willingness to be followers. A peculiarity of sheep is that they are easily led when trained. Perhaps that trait is one of the foremost reasons they stand as a type of those who follow the Savior, whose disciples follow by choice, not by force. Sheep demonstrate great affection for one another. They are extremely gregarious, feeding with their heads close together, and crying or bleating when separated. Ewes, while preferring not to be caught or handled by people, will often stand still before, during, and shortly after giving birth as though sensing their need for help. The quiet nuzzling of a ewe to her lambs expresses great tenderness. Rams can be large and powerful, but because of a strong sense of bonding usually remain with the flock. In general, rams are not as aggressive as other adult male animals. Sheep are virtually defenseless against predators. They may struggle initially, but once firmly caught they become completely submissive. This submissiveness and helplessness necessitates almost constant care by a shepherd. Without a shepherd, they are easily scattered and destroyed. These characteristics of sheep make them a powerful symbol of human frailty, humility, patience, and long-suffering. They willingly follow a shepherd wherever he leads, be it to food and drink, to shearing, or to slaughter. They thus exemplify faith and trust. Their close bonding or flocking instinct speaks of care for one another. Newborn lambs are much weaker and more dependent than calves or foals. As they grow, lambs are active, the epitome of innocence. They acknowledge their need for help and are willing followers. In all these attributes, they mirror the natural characteristics of children, those traits which we are commmanded to recover. The Good Shepherd A sheep is the ideal symbol for mankind—sociable, caring, helpless, easily led, prone to get lost and be unable to find the way back. The Lord uses the shepherd as an ideal symbol for his role as our leader and protector. Indeed, we could argue that sheep are used as symbols precisely because of their relationship to the shepherd. Hence, we have an incomplete understanding of how sheep are used as symbols unless we also understand the symbol of the shepherd. Psalms 95:7 reads, "For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand." The famous Psalm 23 states, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul" (vv. 1-3). Not only does the psalmist employ this beautiful analogy, but the Lord applies it to himself: "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine" (John 10:14). He compares coming into his kingdom to entering a sheepfold: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep" (John 10:1-2). He then indicates that his followers know him: "To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers" (John 10:3-5). In the old world, shepherds are known to their sheep. Several flocks will often mingle at watering troughs at certain times of the day. When the sheep are filled, the shepherds leave in different directions, calling their respective flocks. The sheep follow, each his own shepherd. Thus, the Savior scolded the unbelieving Jews: "Ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me" (John 10:26-27). Referring to his followers elsewhere, Jesus said, "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" (John 10:16; see also 3 Nephi 15:16-24; 16:1). The risen Lord said to some of those other sheep: "Ye have both heard my voice, and seen me; and ye are my sheep" (3 Nephi 15:24), referring to two methods of recognition common to both sheep and people. This order, first hearing and then seeing, fits the known behavior of sheep and is also the order of receiving a spiritual witness in mankind as well. One first hears the voice of the Lord through his servants and his Spirit and then, knowing him, is ultimately able to see him. Among the professions, no better example of care and nurturing exists than the shepherd. According to Jewish tradition, Moses and David were chosen as leaders of Israel because God had noted their gentle and understanding treatment of their flocks. 20 A shepherd lives a life of solitude. The Lord, also, knew loneliness. There is pathos in these words: "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head" (Matthew 8:20). Jesus gives the parable of the lost sheep in response to criticism by the Pharisees and scribes that the Savior ate with "sinners" (Luke 15:2). In conclusion he says, "Likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance" (Luke 15:7). But where does one find ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance? Joseph Smith commented on this parable and self-righteousness in these words: "The hundred sheep represent one hundred Sadducees and Pharisees, as though Jesus had said, 'If you Sadducees and Pharisees are in the sheepfold, I have no mission for you; I am sent to look up sheep that are lost; and when I have found them, I will back them up and make joy in heaven.' This represents hunting after a few individuals, or one poor publican, which the Pharisees and Sadducees despised . . . I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety-and-nine just persons that are so righteous; they will be damned anyhow; you cannot save them." 21 We all truly are lost sheep. Each of us should feel, in the words of Harry Rowe Shelley: The King of
love my Shepherd is, After the resurrection, Christ asked Peter, "Lovest thou me more than these?" Whether Jesus meant to ask if Peter loved Him more than the other apostles loved Him, or whether Peter loved Jesus more than he loved the other apostles, or whether Peter loved Jesus more than he loved the fish (meaning his occupation and mortal desires) is a matter of debate. The Savior's injunction nonetheless is the same: "Feed my lambs, feed my sheep. Care for those who hear my voice, who are mine" (see John 21:15-17). The Lord's words of comfort to us today are as reassuring as those he spoke to the early Saints: "Fear not, little flock" (D&C 6:34; Luke 12:32). Among the most comprehensive chapters of scripture utilizing the meanings of sheep and shepherd is Ezekiel 34, where the inspired prophet castigates the hypocritical, self-indulgent leaders of Israel. While these verses can be read in the historical context of the Babylonian captivity, they also stand as a dire warning to leaders in the Lord's Church today who might exercise priesthood authority unrighteously: "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? . . . But with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd . . . Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more" (Ezekiel 34:2, 4-5, 10). For us to avoid the same punishment Ezekiel pronounced against the ecclesiastical leaders of his day, we who are leaders in the Lord's kingdom should learn from a clue given in one of our modern hymns. Our prayer should be: Make us thy
true undershepherds; In Ezekiel 34, the Lord also promised to gather his flock again: "For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country" (Ezekiel 34:11-13). The powerful analogy closes with this beautiful promise: "And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing . . . Thus shall they know that I the Lord their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord God. And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord God" (Ezekiel 34:25-26, 30-31). In concert with this promise of gathering and protection, the Savior describes his ultimate act of love: "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. . . . As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. . . . Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again" (John 10:11, 15, 17). The Lamb of God In this supreme act of sacrifice, he who is the one and only Good Shepherd, fulfilling his unique role as the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh, joins the throngs of his spirit brothers and sisters in a tabernacle of clay and symbolically becomes one of the sheep. But because he is the only one of the whole flock who is spotless and without blemish (see 1 Peter 1:18-20), he willingly offers himself as "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). Indeed, the timeless sacrifice is made by and through the offering of the "Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Revelation 13:8; see also Moses 7:47). The imagery of purity, innocence, and submissiveness is all contained in one phrase, "the Lamb of God." He is both Shepherd and Lamb, the majestic leader and the humble sacrifice. It is symbolic as well as literal that shepherds in the fields near Bethlehem were the first to be invited to witness the birth of the Lamb who would become the Good Shepherd. From the days of Moses the passover lamb, unblemished and without broken bones, foreshadowed the "great and last sacrifice" (Alma 34:14). The symbol of the deliverance of Israel from slavery becomes the symbol of the deliverance of mankind from sin and death. Isaiah beautifully foretold the vicarious sacrifice of the Savior: "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken" (Isaiah 53:5-8). We can feel the Lord's suffering in the shadows in Gethsemane in this verse from Elizabeth Clephane's poem about the parable of the lost sheep: But none of
the ransomed ever knew The makeup of our current Bible reveals an interesting pattern. The first specific animal named in Genesis is the serpent. This symbol of evil whose subtlety and lies would result in death and sin entering into the world appears in the Garden of Eden. The next animal named is the sheep. In Genesis 4 we read, "Abel was a keeper of sheep" (Genesis 4:2). The symbol of darkness and death is immediately followed by the animal that symbolizes the Lord of light and life. A juxtaposition of the same symbols occurs at the end of the book of Revelation. The last use of the word serpent is this: "And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years" (Revelation 20:2). In the three following chapters, which finish the book, the word Lamb is employed exactly seven times (Revelation 21:9-27; 22:1-3). The triumph of the Lamb over the serpent is complete. The first use of the singular word lamb in the Bible occurred in the deeply symbolic setting of the journey of Abraham and his son Isaac to Mount Moriah. Isaac, beholding fire and wood for a sacrifice, innocently asked, "Where is the lamb?" On a symbolic level, that is the question of eternity. Abraham responded, "My son, God will provide himself a lamb" (Genesis 22:8). The fulfillment of that answer is the focal point of all scripture. Truly, the Almighty would provide a lamb, the Lamb of God. Conclusion We can develop a spirit of reverence and gratitude through contemplating the Savior's use of such elemental symbols as the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air. To prayerfully search and ponder the Lord's words is to marvel at their depth, breadth, and beautiful imagery, to deepen our appreciation for the symbols he chose and, more especially, to increase our love for him as the ultimate source of life, light, and truth. Isaiah wrote: "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1:18). Lambs' wool is a symbol of whiteness and purity. The innocent lamb is slaughtered so that through his scarlet blood the sins of the sheep may be washed as clean as wool. Each time we hear the words "the Lamb" we may remember not only who he is but what he did. That simple phrase may evoke within us sorrow for his suffering and especially godly sorrow for our personal sins, which he bore. Through complete acceptance of and obedience to Him, each of us may be numbered with those seen by John the Revelator who "came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (Revelation 7:14). Footnotes 1. "Humane Day," in Juvenile Instructor, ed. Joseph F. Smith, Apr. 1918, pp. 182-83. 2. "Editorial Thoughts," in Juvenile Instructor, ed. George Q. Cannon, 13 May 1871, p. 76. 4. The Encyclopedia of Religion, 16 vols., ed. Mircea Eliade (New York: Macmillan, 1987), 4:326. 9. Arthur Carl Stimson, The Snake's Advocate (Houston, Tex.: Eakin Press, 1982), p. 20. 10. Roy Pinney, The Animals in the Bible (Philadelphia: Chilton Books, 1968), pp. 118-19. 11. Joseph Fielding McConkie, Gospel Symbolism (Salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft, 1985), pp. 256-57. 12. Pinney, Animals in the Bible, p. 94. 16. Robinson, Fool Hen, pp. 100-101. 21. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 277-78.
© 2004 Deseret Book.
|