'A shepherd of the flock' is someone who exercises the good of charity, as must be obvious to everyone, as the expression is commonly used for this meaning in the Word of the Old and New Testament. One who leads and teaches is called 'a shepherd,' and the people who are led and taught are called the flock. One who does not lead to the good of charity and does not teach the good of charity is not a true shepherd, and one who is not led to good and does not learn what is good is not of the flock.

(Notae: Arcana Coelestia 343)