who are the "other sheep"?

hamsterbait

Everybody in Christian History understood this as the Gentiles.

According to pauls letters, they were grafted in.

Only after the Witlesses started to multiply after WW 1, Rutherford(Franz) came up with this new cover story.

HB

zarco

If you note John 9:40, you will see that Jesus is addressing the Pharisees. In this context he states "I have other sheep" - obviously he is talking about Gentiles to a Jewish audience.

It is frustrating to see the Witnesses distorting such a simple scripture.

Best.

Zarco

If he would have been addressing his disciples then one might be able to stretch.......... to the Witness teaching. But he is clearly addressing the Pharisees. Sometimes I am angry at myself for believing the Witnesses sometimes I am angry at them.

RULES & REGULATIONS

I found this explanation from a N.I.V BIBLE COMMENTARY:

John 10:16

OTHER SHEEP = It is commonly understood that Jesus was referring to the future Gentile believers as His "other sheep." He was telling His Jewish disciples that His flock would include believers from all nationalities. But Jehovah's Witnesses attach a different meaning to this text. They contrast the "other sheep" here with the "little flock" mentioned in Luke 12:32. JWs say the "little flock" are the 144,000 spirit-anointed believers who make up the body of Christ and who will go to heaven, while the "other sheep" include all other believers who receive everlasting life here on earth. JWs teach that the opportunity to become part of the "little flock" ended back in the year 1935, so more than 99 percent of JWs today consider themselves in the "other sheep" class. To refute the doctrine that Christians are divided into heavenly and earthly classes, see Revelation 7:4 (about the "little flock" of the 144,000), and Revelation 7:9 (about the "great crowd" of "other sheep"). In addition, JWs teach that all pre-Christian believers are in the "other sheep" class, thus Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the prophets, and so on, do not go to heaven. The best response is to read Hebrews 11:1-40 with a special emphasis on Hebrews 11:13, 16 showing they desired a "heavenly" country and a "city." Hebrews 12:22 indicates this is the heavenly Jerusalem. Paul contrasts the enemies of Christ as those who have their "minds on earthly things" while the Christian has his "citizenship in heaven" (Philippians 3:19, 20). Also see related JW texts in Psalm 37:9, 11; Psalm 37:29; Psalm 115:16; Luke 23:43; and Revelation 7:9.

jwfacts

There is a section at http://www.jwfacts.com/index_files/greatcrowd.htm discussing this question.

The other sheep were the non-Jews.

John 10:16 says "And I have other sheep, which are not ofthis fold; those also I must bring, and they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock, one shepherd."

Paul explains that Jesus baptism let the Gentiles become of this fold; that is, other sheep join the flock.

1 Corinthians 12:13 "For truly by one spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink one spirit."

Ephesians 2:11-18 "But now in union with Christ Jesus YOU who were once far off have come to be near by the blood of the Christ. For he is our peace, he who made the two parties one and destroyed the wall in between that fenced them off. By means of his flesh he abolished the enmity, the Law of commandments consisting in decrees, that he might create the two peoples in union with himself into one new man and make peace; and that he might fully reconcile both peoples in one body to God through the torture stake, because he had killed off the enmity by means of himself. And he came and declared the good news of peace to YOU, the ones far off, and peace to those near, because through him we, both peoples, have the approach to the Father by one spirit.

who are the "other sheep"?

cameo-d

hamsterbait

zarco

zarco

RULES & REGULATIONS

jwfacts

oompa

Awakened at Gilead

cameo-d

parakeet

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