[Acts 20:28 KJV] 28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
There are those who say we, the church, the body of Christ are called sheep. They can use this verse to say that Paul is calling the body of Christ a flock of sheep. This may not be the case.
[Psalms 78:52 KJV] 52 But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
[1Kings 22:17 KJV] 17 And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.
[Jeremiah 50:17 KJV] 17 Israel [is] a scattered sheep; the lions have driven [him] away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones.
[Matthew 10:6 KJV] 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
The Bible makes it clear that only Israel is called sheep.
[Psalms 77:20 KJV] 20 Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
[Psalms 78:52 KJV] 52 But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
[Psalms 80:1 KJV] 1 [[To the chief Musician upon Shoshannimeduth, A Psalm of Asaph.]] Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest [between] the cherubims, shine forth.
[Luke 12:32 KJV] 32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Only Israel is referred to as being a flock.
[Galatians 2:7-9 KJV] 7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as [the gospel] of the circumcision [was] unto Peter; 8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) 9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we [should go] unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
During Paul's ministry the believing remnant of Israel church was still in existence and in operation.
[Romans 16:7 KJV] 7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.
Paul had fellow helpers from the remnant church of Israel.
So when we examine Acts 20:28 (the opening verse) we can determine that Paul was speaking of two groups.
When he said "Take heed therefore unto yourselves", he was addressing the body of Christ church. When he said "and to all the flock" he was referring to the remnant of Israel church.
There are those who say we, the church, the body of Christ are called sheep. They can use this verse to say that Paul is calling the body of Christ a flock of sheep. This may not be the case.
[Psalms 78:52 KJV] 52 But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
[1Kings 22:17 KJV] 17 And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.
[Jeremiah 50:17 KJV] 17 Israel [is] a scattered sheep; the lions have driven [him] away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones.
[Matthew 10:6 KJV] 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
The Bible makes it clear that only Israel is called sheep.
[Psalms 77:20 KJV] 20 Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
[Psalms 78:52 KJV] 52 But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
[Psalms 80:1 KJV] 1 [[To the chief Musician upon Shoshannimeduth, A Psalm of Asaph.]] Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest [between] the cherubims, shine forth.
[Luke 12:32 KJV] 32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Only Israel is referred to as being a flock.
[Galatians 2:7-9 KJV] 7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as [the gospel] of the circumcision [was] unto Peter; 8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) 9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we [should go] unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
During Paul's ministry the believing remnant of Israel church was still in existence and in operation.
[Romans 16:7 KJV] 7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.
Paul had fellow helpers from the remnant church of Israel.
So when we examine Acts 20:28 (the opening verse) we can determine that Paul was speaking of two groups.
When he said "Take heed therefore unto yourselves", he was addressing the body of Christ church. When he said "and to all the flock" he was referring to the remnant of Israel church.
