At John 10:16 Jesus said, “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."
The Scriptures identify these 'other sheep' - beyond all reasonable doubt.
Jesus had previously given his disciples the order, “Do not go off into the road of the nations, (Gentiles) and do not enter into a Samaritan city; but, instead, go continually to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (Matt. 10:5,6)
“I was not sent forth to any but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matt. 15:24)
On both of these occasions, Jesus identifies the only group of people to whom he was to preach - the Jews!
This fulfilled Daniel's prophecy (Daniel 9:25-27) about the old covenant being kept operative for the Jews for 42 months after Jesus' death.
Only after that time period had elapsed would the Gentiles be called in.
Paul said, "For I am not ashamed of the good news; it is, in fact, God’s power for salvation to everyone having faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." (Gentiles) (Rom. 1:16)
He repeated this truth - "for the Jew first and also for the Greek." (Rom. 2:10)
The Insight Book very concisely summarises the identity of the 'other sheep': "Jesus’ sacrificial death on the torture stake also provided the basis for canceling the Mosaic Law, which divided the Jews from the non-Jews. Therefore, upon becoming Christians, both peoples could be at peace with God and with one another. The apostle Paul wrote: “[Jesus] 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". (it-2 p. 592 Peace)
Therefore,
Jesus' 'other sheep'
(non-Jews)
would unite with the Jews as
one flock, under
one shepherd. (John
10:16)
By stating that they would become "one flock, one shepherd," Jesus showed there would be no distinctions or classes amongst his sheep. He said, "All you are brothers". (Matt. 23:8)
The true context of Jesus' words at John 10:16 become abundantly clear by reading from John 9:40.
Jesus was speaking with the Jews and Pharisees who were following him around.
He was not having a personal chat with his alleged “little flock" of apostles/disciples.
From that verse onwards, Jesus is speaking of all those who could become his sheep, starting with 'this fold', (the Jews) the people to whom he was addressing.
The
apostle Paul's words to the Ephesian congregation expands on the
details of Jesus' “one flock”:
(Ephesians 4:4, 5) One body (Christians) there is, and one spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
There wouldn't be two hopes (heaven & earth) and there wouldn't be two different baptisms.
At their water baptism, all Christians would figuratively “die” to their former sinful ways and spirit, and henceforth, be impelled by God's Holy spirit. (Romans 6:2,4,6,7,8,10, & 11)
(John
3:5)
Jesus answered: “Most truly I say to you, unless anyone is born
from water and spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.