Bible Dictionaries
Flock

Holman Bible Dictionary

Sheep and goats under the care of a shepherd (Genesis 30:31-32 ). God's people are sometimes described as sheep without a shepherd (Numbers 27:17; Ezekiel 34:5 ,Ezekiel 34:5,34:8; Matthew 9:36; Mark 6:34 ), that is, in need of leaders who would rule them justly and nurture them spiritually. God's people can be described as a flock shepherded by God (Psalm 100:3; Jeremiah 23:3; Ezekiel 34:31 ) or by Christ, the “great Shepherd of the sheep” (Hebrews 13:20; compare John 10:11; 1 Peter 5:4 ).

The unity of all Christians is pictured by the image of one flock composed of many folds (John 10:16 ). Flocks can refer to individual congregations under the care of a pastor (1 Peter 5:2-3 ).

Judgment is sometimes pictured as the sorting of a flock. In Ezekiel 34:1 the fat, strong sheep (the oppressive leaders of Israel) are separated from the weak sheep that they victimized ( Ezekiel 34:16-17 ,Ezekiel 34:16-17,34:20-21 ). In Matthew 25:32-46 sheep are separated from goats on the basis of concrete acts of love shown to the needy.