John 10:16 - “And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; those also I must bring, and they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock, one shepherd.
Setting: Jesus was talking to a blind man he had recently cured and the Pharisees were listening in. It sounds like he had a larger audience that likely included his apostles. So, who is "this fold" he was referring to and who are the "other sheep"? According to WTS doctrine, the heavenly calling (covenant) had not been instituted yet. We don't hear about that until the last supper. So why would he be talking about an upper-class vs. lower-class of Christians just yet? And why would he be talking about it such a setting? Since Jesus was sent first to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Mathew 15:21-28), and since they were his audience at the time he said these things, wouldn't it make sense that they were the "fold" being referenced? Wouldn't it make sense that the "other sheep" are just non-Jews?I have other sheep which are not of this fold
by Wayward Son 28 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Nebeska Nada
It totally makes sense, Son!
TITO
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TimothyT
Spot on!
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transhuman68
I started looking up references in the Gospels to sheep: and counting them, but I fell asleep. Sorry.
This “quote” from Jesus is actually a paraphrasing of Ezekiel 34.
The Gospel of John was written somewhere near the end of the 1st century, probably in Ephesus, in Roman Asia (modern-day Turkey); so the “other sheep” would indeed be the Gentiles- the locals, as well as Jews living in the diaspora.
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Wayward Son
But this is so simple!
I am was a good Jehovah's Witness. That means I aren't higherly educated. I ain't got no skills. But I was reading in John last night and came across this story and suddenly the "great crowd" explanation didn't fit in with the context of the "other sheep" comment.
If a mere highschool graduate like me can see this, how could the spirit directed sons of God not catch it ?
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TimothyT
When i came out of the organisation i started to read the bible just as it is. The gospels in particular are SO easy to read and to understand. I even picked up the book of Revelation a month ago, read it and got the jist of it. The reason why many JWs cannot see the simplicty of it all is because they are surrounded by and spoonfed the perspectives, slants, and opinions of several men in New York. The Good News is simple! Men complicate it!
:)
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Amelia Ashton
When i came out of the organisation i started to read the bible just as it is.
I hadn't come out, I moved countries so had no WT literature just a bible.
I started to read it properly rather than just the WT cherry picked pre-determined key scriptures to back up their doctrines but I too saw the 2 flocks as being Jews and Gentiles.
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Fernando
Wayward Son!
Simple and true only if God grants us faith (wide opening of our spiritual eyes).
It seems there are also legal impediments to God granting such faith to those that are not open-minded and not openhearted - especially those that prefer spiritual intimacy with the "god of religion" (Satan the Devil who transforms himself into an angel of light and is the sponsor of all Watchtower aberration and abuse).
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Qcmbr
Maybe not since he was only sent to the House of Israel. What about the Israelites who were not Jews?
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transhuman68
Maybe not since he was only sent to the House of Israel. What about the Israelites who were not Jews?
LOL, you could be right, too. Matthew & John were each written by different sects of Christianity- Matthew being pro-Jewish; and John being virtually Gnostic- so the application of meaning is probably different too.