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“‘I [Jesus] am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.’ Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings. And many of them said, ‘He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?’ Others said, ‘These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?’” (John 10.14-21).

Regarding this passage, we quote J. W. McGarvey from his classic work, The Fourfold Gospel: “Jesus was speaking to the Jews, who had been frequently spoken of in Scripture as God’s flock. The other sheep were Gentiles. They are spoken of as scattered sheep, and not as flocks, because with them there was no unity. Here, as everywhere, the truth breaks through, revealing Christ as the world’s Redeemer, who would break down the middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile, and cause all true worshipers to have a common relationship to one Master.”

The revelation that God had other sheep not of the Hebrew fold was a huge (and unwelcomed) surprise to many of the Jews. John records that there was a division among them as a result of Jesus’ statement. Some argued, “He has a demon and is mad!” Still others with cooler heads asked, “Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” The facts (the reality that He had opened blind eyes) simply did not fit with their assumption (He has a demon). Besides all of this, this “revelation” should not have been a revelation. This same eventuality had been declared in many ways and by a number of prophets. Going all the way back to Genesis 12, the promises God made to Abraham included the fact that all nations of the earth would be blessed through his (Abraham’s) seed. Isaiah and Micah had spoken of a time yet future when all nations would flow into the mountain of the Lord’s house in Jerusalem (Isaiah 2.1-4; Micah 4.1-3).

An aged Simeon in the temple at the time of Jesus’ childhood said concerning Him, “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.” (Luke 2.29-32). Note that Simeon knew by revelation what the prophets of old had predicted regarding the bringing in of the Gentiles.

In the book of John, Jesus' words about the bringing in of other sheep show just how aware Jesus was of His mission. He knew that all Old Testament prophecies were being fulfilled in Him, including the shedding of His blood so that all men, Jew and Gentile, might have a means to be saved. Peter and the other apostles also knew this lesson though they did not act on it until prompted to do so years after the gospel was first preached on Pentecost following the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Years later, Cornelius became the first Gentile convert. He heard the gospel from the mouth of Peter just as the first Jews converted to Christ had done years earlier.

Other sheep! That is what we Gentiles are. But, we now belong to the one flock and the one Shepherd.

Questions:

1. Why did Jesus' words about other sheep upset some of the Jews?

2. What promises were made to Abraham that included the future salvation of the Gentiles?

3. How had Isaiah foretold the salvation of the Gentiles? How about Joel in Joel 2.32?

4. What benefit do Gentiles receive from the fact that Jesus does have other sheep just as He said in John 10.16?

"Today's Little Lift" from Jim Bullington

Mercy and not Sacrifice (Sept. 29, 2010)