AND I HAVE OTHER SHEEP…A SHORT STUDY OF JOHN 10:16
In one of the most wonderful chapters in the Bible, from the Gospel of John, Jesus explains to those in the crowd that He is the Good Shepherd. We could spend a great amount of time studying this marvelous chapter but let us look at one aspect of it from verse 16. What did Jesus mean when He said, “And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.”
When one studies the Scriptures, a person has at least two choices: first is exegesis, which means what does the verse, passage, chapter, book, etc, teach. Or what is the content of the Bible portion you are studying. The person studying seeks to find out what the portion is teaching without reading into it.
On the other end of the spectrum is what is called eisegesis. This is more subjective and the person reading or studying the Scripture goes by what they think it teaches. You might hear something like this: “This is what I think/feel it says/teaches.” A wise man has told me multiple times this searching question: What does that Book teach? Of course he is referring to what the Bible teaches.
So what is Jesus teaching in this verse or passage? In an earlier article we looked at context being king when one studies the Bible. What is going on in this passage and how does it affect what is being singled out for study? The one question that begs to be asked here is “Who are the ‘other sheep’ Jesus is referring to?”
The story begins earlier in the Gospel of John in chapter nine. Chapter ten is the continuation of the story and as Jesus speaks to a different group of people. In chapter nine Jesus heals a man “blind from birth.” As Jesus and His disciples were passing by the man they asked Him a question: “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus’ answer is classic; “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him…” After Jesus had finished what needed to say, He spit on the ground, made a paste, applied it to the eyes of the blind man, and sent him to the pool of Siloam to wash his eyes and he saw. It was truly a miracle, but the story was just getting started.
When he returned from washing off the muddy paste the people of that area saw him and could not believe their eyes. How was this man seeing? Is that he who was born blind and if so, how does he now see? He had really caused a stir. After the crowd was convinced that it was indeed he who was born blind the Pharisee’s got wind of it and began to question him over and over again about his newly found sight.
Sometime following the grilling from the religious elite, Jesus found him again and let the man know who healed him and who he should believe in. In the same area eavesdropping on this conversation, was the Pharisees. They heard Jesus say about Himself that He was the Son of Man and they jumped all over the statements made by Jesus about judgment and blindness.
And so chapter nine ends and ten begins with Jesus teaching the Pharisees (and us) who He really is. Jesus tells the Pharisees, and those listening then and now, that He is the Good Shepherd. Verse seven is the key verse as Jesus clarifies what He is saying; “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.”
Again, as one studies that context one can come to the clear conclusion that Jesus is saying that He is the only way to the Father. Look at verse nine: “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” According to this Jesus is saying He is the only way for salvation and eternal life. And as Jesus continues to teach them He states that He will accomplish this through His death and that directive He received from the Father and that He has the desire and authority to do as His Father directs.
Then we come to verse 16 and Jesus speaking about more sheep. What does Jesus mean here? Again, context, and when we remember who He is speaking with, the Jews, He is looking at the fulfillment of Genesis 12:1-3 and the Abrahamic Covenant. This simply states that God through Abraham will fulfill His ultimate purposes through this man and that all nations would be blessed through him. All nations refer to both Israel and all other nations or Jews and Gentiles.
Jesus is speaking of the Gentiles in this passage to the Pharisees. Not only do the Jews have the privilege of eternal life with God the Father, but so do the Gentiles who would believe in Him through Jesus. This had been God’s plan all along and it is reiterated throughout the prophets also.
Paul the apostle brings this also to light in Ephesians 2:11-22 where he refers to Jesus breaking down the dividing wall of hostility that existed between them. Jesus did this by His death on the cross that now they can become one people; the people of God and that they can be lead by One Shepherd, namely Jesus Christ.
What a wonderful plan God had from eternity past to begin the Jewish nation through the person Abraham and then fulfill His promise through this man when Jesus came, died and rose again. No longer in Christ are there the “us” and “them” but only “us” because of the precious blood of Christ.
Thanks to our Guest Contributor:
Pastor Ray Peters
Harvest Alliance Church
