by Terry L. Nida

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep…

I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

As the Father knoweth me, even so know I 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 shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

John 10:11,14-16

Undisputed, from what I’ve read or from conversations is who the Shepherd is in this passage. It is the Lord Jesus Christ. It is He Who says so. Also undisputed seems to be who “the sheep” are. It is admitted that they are of the nation of Israel. Jesus says that “the sheep” belong to Him, and again, it is acknowledged that He is referring to the Jews. The Lord, however, then says that there are “other sheep…not of this fold” that He must “bring” and unite with the “sheep,” and that collectively they would make “one fold.” The question is; who are these “other sheep” that Jesus distinguishes from “the sheep?” This is where a point of difference lies. If you were to ask some of Christianity’s scholars over the years here is what they would tell you:

“i.e , not of the Jewish fold, but Gentiles” – C.I. Scofield[1]

“Our Lord declares plainly the approaching conversion of the Gentiles…Christ’s universal Church” – J.C. Ryle[2]

“Jesus envisioned the Gentiles who would respond to the Gospel” – Everett F. Harrison[3]

“Present-day Christianity is here foretold” – A.T. Robertson[4]

“Those who in process of time should believe in Christ, and be brought into obedience to Him from among the Gentiles.” – Matthew Henry[5]

Are these men correct in their interpretation of who these “other sheep” are? Are they Gentiles as the commentators claim? Allow me to first say that none of these men quoted are “rightly divided” brethren, recognizing neither the distinctive ministry of the Apostle Paul, nor that “the church which is his body” did not have its beginning until at least the Apostle Paul’s conversion. That’s important! The tendency of all Christendom today, as demonstrated by the quotations given, would be to make these “other sheep” Gentiles, brought into one fold, and the one fold being the Body of Christ that exists today, comprised of Jewish and Gentile believers. The thinking along those lines is that Jesus was expressing to His disciples the future existence of the Body of Christ along with its composition of Jews and Gentiles as a single unit.

We, though, who have had the privilege of learning proper dispensational Bible truth realize that there is a problem with that popular line of reasoning. The problem is this: God, the Holy Spirit, tells us through the Apostle Paul that the truths relating to the Body of Christ, the total sum of biblically Divine truths referred to by Paul as “the mystery,” were “hid in God” (Eph. 3:9) until they were disclosed to Paul. It doesn’t say that they were hid in Scripture, nor does it say that they were hid in veiled form within the teachings of Christ during His earthly ministry. It says they were “hid in God.”

Therefore, ruling out the “wrongly divided” teaching that Jesus was speaking of the future Body of Christ and its membership, there are still questions that can be asked with validity. Who then are “the other sheep?” Are they Jews? If so, then why would Jesus say that they weren’t of “this fold” and needed to be brought into “one fold?” Is it still possible that they could be Gentiles? If so, what Gentiles could we possibly include here and remain in line with what we already know of “right division,” i.e. that God’s “Prophecy program” with Israel as entirely distinct from His “Mystery program” with the whole world today? Let’s try to answer these questions.

The word “sheep” occurs in the Bible (KJV) 187 times. It is used two different ways, either referring to the literal four-legged animal, or to people in a figurative sense. Without question Jesus is using the term figuratively here, referring to people. It was Israel’s greatest king to date, David, who first considered men as sheep in a figurative sense, first as implied (Psalm 23), then by word (2 Samuel 24:17; 1 Chronicles 21:17). Being a shepherd as a boy and having a passionate heart, it would only be natural that he would make such an analogy. (Note: Nathan makes a reference to sheep in a figurative sense in 2 Samuel 12:1-4, but it is believed that David had already written Psalm 23). After David, nine other men in Scripture have used the term “sheep” figuratively, referring to their fellow man. They are an unknown author of Psalm 95 and 100, Asaph (Psalm 74:1; 78:52;79:13), Isaiah (Isaiah 53:6,7), Jeremiah (Jeremiah 12:3; 23:1; 50:6); Ezekiel (Ezekiel 34:6,11,12); Zechariah (Zechariah 13:7), the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 9:36; 10:6, 16; 12:11,12; 15:24; 18:12,13; 25:32,33; John 10:11-16), the author of the book of Hebrews (Hebrews 13:20) and Peter (1 Peter 2:25). It is important to know this because references to men as “sheep” are only found in the Jewish portion of the Scripture, only referring to Jews, never to Gentiles. In the “Mystery” portion of the Word, the epistles that bear the Apostle Paul’s name, the word “sheep” appears once (Romans 8:36). In that passage Paul does not call us, members of the Body of Christ, “sheep” but simply uses the literal four-legged animal as an example concerning the Christians sufferings in persecution.

It is my conviction then that these “other sheep” that Jesus had yet to “bring” were Jews, just as “the sheep” of verses 11, 14 and 15. The question is raised if that be true: Why would Jesus say that the “other sheep” were not of “this fold” (giving most the impression that they are Gentiles) and thus needed to be brought into “one fold?” I believe that George Williams, who was one of our mid-Acts Grace brethren, was on to the right answer when he said concerning the “other sheep”; ”These are usually assumed to be the Gentiles; but Ezekiel 37:15-28 suggests that they may be the Ten Tribes.”[6]

Brother Williams suggests tha the “other sheep” are the dispersed Jews of the Ten Tribes that were evicted from the Northern Kingdom of Israel back in 721 B.C. Ezekiel 37:15-28 shows them being reunited again to the Southern Kingdom of Judah. This, we know, will happen in the future Millennial Kingdom. I would add to Brother William’s explanation that the “other sheep” should not be limited only to the Ten Tribes. I believe the “other sheep” would be any Jew from all 13 tribes (including Levi) who became a believer in Jesus their Messiah after He made this statement, who became a part of the “little flock” that will inherit the Kingdom. This applies to those Jews who became believers in the rest of Jesus’ earthly ministry and those that became believers in His post-earthly ministry to Israel before the nation was set aside to fully bring in the dispensation of the grace of God today. It will also be the case with any Jew who becomes a believer in the future once God resumes His program with the nation of Israel (the Tribulation). Though it certainly may be true that Jesus specifically had in mind the rejoining of the Northern and Southern kingdoms of Israel in the future Millennium, it is also just as true that all those just mentioned will comprise the “one fold” (a united Israel) under the “one Shepherd” (Jesus their Messiah) at that time.

Further evidence that Jesus is referring to Jews and not Gentiles is the reference to Himself as “shepherd.” The Greek word (poimen) (Ephesians 4:11) is used only once by the Apostle Paul in his epistles and is translated “pastor.” The word “shepherd” is used frequently to refer to God as a “Shepherd over Israel (Genesis 49:24; Psalm 23:1; 80:1), and specifically the Lord Jesus Christ as Israel’s Shepherd (Zechariah 13:7); Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 2:25; 5:4). A shepherd and his sheep is, in Scripture, primarily a Jewish relationship.

The use of the word “other” when Jesus refers to the “other sheep” reinforces the argument that He was not referring to Gentiles when he made this statement. There are two main Greek words that were used by the writers of Scripture and translated in the KJV as “other.” These two words account for more than half of all Greek words translated as “other” in the New Testament. These words are “allos” and “heteros.” The first word, “allos” literally means “other of the same kind.” The second word, “heteros”, literally means “other of a different kind.” We sometimes use our English word “other” in both of these ways as well. If I say that my friend, out of some silly superstition, always puts on his left shoe first before putting on the other I have used “other” in the sense of “other of the same kind” of shoe. If I say that I went to the shoe store with the intention of buying a pair of dress shoes to wear to my office, but a pair of running shoes catches my eye and I can afford only one pair, I know I should buy the dress shoes rather than the other, then I have used “other” in the sense of “other of a different kind” of shoe. While the only way to know which way the word “other” is being used in English is by the context. In Greek it is easier to determine the meaning since there are two different words.

Below are some example of “allos,” ‘other of the same kind,’ where the meaning is apparent.

Matthew 5:39 …but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other (“allos”, other of the same kind of cheek) also.

Matthew 12:13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other (“allos”, other of the same kind of hand).

Matthew 25:17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two (“allos”, other of the same kind of talents).

There are many more but this is an adequate sampling from the book of Matthew to illustrate the use of “allos.”

Likewise, the following examples of “heteros,” other of a different kind, in which the meaning is apparent.

Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other (“heteros”, other of a different kind of master); or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Galatians 1:19 But other (“heteros,” other of a different kind of apostle. Paul was a different kind of apostle than the “other.” He was the apostle to the Gentiles, they were the apostles to Israel) of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.

Ephesians 3:5 Which in other (“heteros,” other of a different kind of age) ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

Again there are many more example but these have been chosen because they need no further explanation.

In the passage under consideration in John the “other sheep” in 10:16 is from the Greek word “allos,” other sheep of the same kind, that are yet to be brought into one fold. What would “other sheep of the same kind” be? Jews of course, the “same kind” as “the sheep” that were already in the fold. Why weren’t those Jews yet in “this fold”? Because they had not yet heard or believed, or both, the message concerning Jesus as their Messiah so that they could be brought into the “fold,” becoming part of the “little flock” (Luke 12:32) that will one day inherit the Kingdom Christ will set up on Earth.

The argument for the “sheep” to be Jews and not Gentiles is further strengthened in that Jesus refers to them as part of “one fold.” Since there is no reference here to the joining of Jew and Gentile into one existing “Body of Christ,” one realizes that in the prophetic program of Israel there has never been a joining of Jews and Gentiles into one indistinguishable “fold.” Scripture never indicates that it will ever be different, Israel and the Gentile nations will always be distinct.

It can likewise be shown that there is no logical way in which the “other sheep” could be Gentiles based on the role which the Gentile nations play in God’s prophetic program.

Needless to say, the “other sheep” could not be any Gentiles saved in the dispensation of the Grace of God that was delivered to the Apostle Paul and placed as members of the Body of Christ. That distinction gives them an entirely different inheritance than Israel. They therefore, will never be joining Israel in “one fold.”

It does not seem that they could be Gentiles that live in the future Millennium of 1000 years with the Lord Jesus Christ reigning over the Earth from Jerusalem. Gentiles will be judged and enter the Kingdom as Gentiles (Matthew 25:31-46). They may travel with the Jew to Jerusalem to worship the King (Zechariah 8:23), but there is no indication that during the Millennium the Gentiles will “become Jews” (Esther 8:17), meaning proselytes to the Jewish religion. Why would they need to be? In the past, Gentiles had to actually come into covenant relationship with the God of Israel to receive “saving faith” (as opposed to merely temporal blessings), meaning they had to be circumcised and obey the Law of Moses, all in faith, worshipping Jehovah as a devout, saved Jew. Religiously, if not nationally, they became Jews (Esther 8:17; Genesis 17:12-14; Exodus 12:48; Leviticus 17:8,9; 17:10-15; Joshua 8:33,35; Deuteronomy 31:11,12). During the Millennial Kingdom, however, the God who hath “determined…the bounds (of all the nations) habitation” (Acts 17:26) will be serving up to the Gentile world the blessings that He has for them (Genesis 12:3; Isaiah 2:2-4) and the blessings will be just as “right” for the Gentile world as the blessings for the Jews are “right” for them!

Therefore, if Jesus were referring to Gentiles rather than Jews that would narrow it down to those Gentiles who became proselytes to the Jewish faith for the remainder of Jesus earthly ministry after he made this statement, seemingly only about a year. Since the Lord’s earthly ministry was strictly to the Jews (Matthew 15:24; Romans 15:8) and since the following is a true statement regarding approximately 1500 years before Christ: “it is difficult to determine from the Old Testament itself how many foreigners were converted to Yahweh, although the number was probably never large.”[7] Since the Gentiles of the Acts period cannot be included (the experience of Cornelius, Acts 10, shows that the Gentiles no longer had to become proselytes to have a relationship with God) and since the Gentiles of the future seven years Tribulation time can’t be included (their experience would be the same as that of Cornelius) does it seem likely that Jesus would have made such a reference at all? It would seem much more probable that He was referring to His own Jewish people He had yet to bring in the “one fold.” “And so all Israel shall be saved…” (Romans 11:26).