Ephesians 6:17 refers to the Word of God as the sword of the Spirit: “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
If the Word of God is a sword then that this helps us with understanding further two biblical roles of Pastors.
Pastors Be Swordsmen
The most obvious role of pastors and the sword of the Spirit is the responsibility of pastors to protect the flock. The charge of pastors to protect the church with the Word is directly commanded in Titus 1:9=
holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.
Note here the reference to the Word of God as something pastors are supposed to hold fast unto. Note the end of the verse mention the role of pastors “ to refute those who contradict.” In order to do this pastors must be skilled in the use of the word of God to refute error.
The Greek term Ephesians 6:17 use for sword is μάχαιραν which is a form of μάχαιρα. It is clear in other passages that this is understood as something that is functioning as a weapon; for instance in Matthew 26:47 the crowd carried “μαχαιρῶν and clubs.” μαχαιρῶν is a plural form of μάχαιρα and it is paired with clubs which suggest μάχαιρα is a weapon.
Thus there is a sense in which pastors are to be swordsmen.
Pastors can you use the Word of God to refute heresies? Are you able to use the word of God also to exhort people to sound doctrine by means of refuting error? Do you train to be able to defend the faith?
Work hard in your training to be a swordsmen! This is your role.
Pastors Be Chefs
μάχαιρα isn’t only a weapon. According to Strong elsewhere μάχαιρα also refer to a large knife, used for killing animals and cutting up flesh. This is true in the writing of Homer, Pindar, Herodotus.
Pastors use of the sword of the Spirit (the word of God) shouldn’t just only be as a weapon; rather Pastors must also be skilled in using the Word of God to feed God’s people.
The charge of pastors to feed the church with the Word can be gleamed from John 21:17 in the NIV=
The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.
In the context this is Jesus speaking to Peter after Christ’s resurrection. Here Jesus calls Peter who was a leader of the church to feed His Sheep.
There is a sense in which pastors are to be chefs.
Pastors are you skillful in preparing spiritual food for your congregation? How is your study and message preparation? Just like chefs ought to know how to handle knives well when they prepare meat and steak for consumption likewise pastors must also know to handle God’s Word to prepare for a spiritual feast.
Train to be a chef! This is your role.
It isn’t easy to be a chef. It isn’t easy to be a swordsmen. Some people might be an expert chef but that doesn’t make them a swordsmen. The reverse is also true: Some people might be a good swordsmen but that doesn’t make them a good chef. The skill sets are different. Yet in God’s church pastors are to be chefs and swordsmen. Who is able to fulfill this dual-role task? The one whom God calls to be His servant is the one whom God trains in the use of the Word of God. This is not simple natural abilities but a supernatural calling.
If you read this blog long enough you will know I’m a pastor. As a pastor this blog is my outlet to practice being a swordsman and chef. This is why this blog is about apologetics such as refuting skeptics’ claim of alleged Bible contradictions while also the blog has quick devotionals with observation from the Greek.
For those who might be reading this and are not pastors, pray for your pastor to grow in being a skilled swordsman and chef.
Love the swordsman and chef analogy. Blessings from King Jesus.
Most excellent message. When defending the faith try not to cut off their ears like Peter. Don’t confuse defending the faith with defending your ego. You cannot nourish the flock by serving milk shakes or unsavory meat to tough to chew
T.I wow your comment is straight fire! So much truths and memorable witty analogies. I hope you are doing well brother, have a blessed day!
Thank you Pastor Jim. In Prayer. I think we all should be prepared to ‘put on the armor of God’. We all havea neighbor or friend who will ask questions and needs answers. Our families also. Love in our Christ Jesus.:))
Amen we all need to put on the armor of God and also witness and answer evangelistic questions. Big Amen, the Great Commission is for all believers to participate together and we’re in this together with the help of the Holy Spirit Amen?
so needed in todays world
Amen; just prayed for your day today too Beverly.
Thank you . Add my sister to your prayers please.. She is visiting our parents for a few days and has already had arun in with my dad. Nothing unusual but she doesn’t normally have to deal with it.
Blessed read… thanks much! Praying…
Prayers for you Pastor Jim as you continue to feed the sheep the Lord has given you!
Thank you for your prayers that means a lot. I appreciate that very much
Just like chefs ought to know how to handle knives well when they prepare meat and steak for consumption likewise pastors must also know to handle God’s Word to prepare for a spiritual feast.
Good word… I have seen too many go the lazy route by purchasing canned sermons that someone else prepared.
For me a pastor serving canned sermon is like a chef serving instant ramen…just doesn’t seem right, right?
This is cool, Slim! I think you’ve nailed it, chefs and swordmen.
A bit funny, I’m often a server in real life and I like nothing more than to work with a good chef! That’s just as true in my work life as it is in my church life.
Wish there were more people like you IB22! I tell my church guys all the time we need each other and church is us being a team for the Lord rather than church being a Pastor’s dog and pony show…Servers are important, amen?
Thank you, JIm. Praying for other pastors to read this post. Blessings as you continue to train through His Word to protect and feed your flock. 🙂
Thank you so much Frances for your prayers this means a lot. I just saw your email and emailed you back, God bless the remainder of your day today Frances.
This is good for non-pastors to read just to remind us of how we need to pray for and encourage our pastors in their ministry.
Amen I agree. Also at different times every Christian should be feeding others and defending the faith too. Are things back to normal pace for you now that the holidays is over? And thank you for your prayers concerning the pastoral counseling situations I had the last few days, that meant a lot and I see God working as a result of it
Very glad to read God is working in the counseling situation! Thanks for asking about our home situation. My wife is getting progressively better each day and more able to do things on her own. We were doing a lot of entertaining over the holidays with family and friends coming over quite often. It was good therapy for my wife but meant I was super busy. Glad the pace has slowed down.
Bro. Jim this is a great edifying post for the Church of God.
I beseech thee only in the Name of the Lord to hold *HIS WORD* stedfast as shown in the King James Version Holy Bible (KJV): https://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Bible/inspired.htm
The PURITY, INSPIRATION & PRESERVATION of the WORD OF THE LORD cannot be “disregarded” as “unimportant” my brother.
For only ONE BIBLE has God’s Inspired & Preserved Word in the English Language which is truly the KING JAMES VERSION HOLY BIBLE (KJV)!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXf7MXXCfCs&feature=youtu.be
Please pray this over to the Lord Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit to come to know the “truth” of this matter.
Only KJV is SCRIPTURE.
All these other “(false) bible versions” floating around is spiritual LEAVEN OF SATAN.
Please consider this Bro. Jim and others. Thank you. Amen.
~ Sincerely,
Bro. Jed
Great allegories!
Thanks! Also congrats on being a grandpa again for the 5th time!
Thanks Jim! 🙂
You’re absolutely right about praying for our Pastors but the church has elders that should also train and defend and serve God’s Word. You shouldn’t be the only chef in the kitchen or the only soldier on the field of battle. The church is a team, the Pastor is the leader but there should be others to assist. We error when there is lack of knowledge and all of the church has a responsibility to address this deficiency. I am frequently dismayed at the milk that is served as meat, it’s like we’re trying to accommodating those on a diet because of the wide spectrum of deficiencies within the body of the church. I’m not talking about you Jim, it’s just so sad to see how the sheep aren’t being fed in so many sheep pens. Sorry for spouting off, we need many more like you. Grace and blessings brother.
SLIMJIM thanks for asking and thanks for the kind word of encouragement. Yes I am doing as well as 65 year old should expect. I assume from your comments and activities you are doing as well too. Praying for you.
I try to send my fire with grace and truth and a loving smile
Oh and to Jed Mask, I just read a study on the New Invalid Version. There are around 40 verse and or passages that are either missing or incomplete compared to the KJV.
Scriptural scholars are good at dating old manuscripts. Yet I think they make one error. They assume that the tiny few older ones are automatically more accurate than newer ones. They assume great integrity upon the scribes of Alexandria., but is it warranted? ( keep in mind that Origen a Platonist trained self mutilator was at one time the Bishop of Alexandria.).They also assume a lack of integrity or stupidity on the scribes of the majority text. It also is premise without proof.
It is my understanding that huge portions of the NT are quoted in the collection of the writings of the earliest church Fathers.
If by timeline it is proven that any of their quotes are the same as the majority texts then the whole ancient more reliable assumption is in deep trouble to say the least.
I am not yet ready to commit to be fully on the KJV only bandwagon. Yet, if the older more reliable crowd is wrong in their assumption then they have sinned greatly by TAKING AWAY God breathed scripture, a most serious offense.
Another reason for my concern about majority text vs the minority text is that it gives ammo to those who say that the bible cannot be trusted, that it is not inspired that men keep changing it. Irrespective of motive and intent, to far far to many of the sheep, it looks like they are repeating,” hath God said “, dressed in scholarly rhetoric.
Pastors as chefs…love it. Sharing this post this evening at my place.
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