Who are the 'other sheep?'

by White Dove 22 Replies latest jw friends

  • greendawn
    greendawn

    When Jesus was talking of the other sheep he was seeking to tell his disciples (and prepare them about) something that was going to be witnessed by them and would be difficult to accept, the gentiles coming into the Christian church which in the early days was thought of by the apostles as being Judaism plus Jesus as the Messiah. Gentiles entering it was something very revolutionary, almost subversive, to them.

  • garybuss
    garybuss


    "Compared with the anointed remnant of spiritual Israelites, all those of that 'great crowd' would, figuratively speaking, be Gentiles."
    Man's Salvation Out Of World Distress At Hand, WTB&TS 1975 p. 201 - 202

  • Qcmbr
    Qcmbr

    AG - I lost you with this statement:

    "indeed, “the law written on [any] tablet” is fallible, save that written by God’s spirit on stone."

  • Narkissos
    Narkissos

    I have other sheep that do not belong to (lit. are not from) this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice.So there will be one flock, one shepherd.-- John 10:16.

    Jesus was about to die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the dispersed children of God. -- 11:51f.

    Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.
    "Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say--'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him." Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. --
    12:20ff.

    So then, remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, called "the uncircumcision" by those who are called "the circumcision"--a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands-- remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. -- Ephesians 2:11ff.

  • Leolaia
    Leolaia

    See also John 4:21-23 on the Samaritans joining the Jews to worship the Father in spirit and truth, and 7:24 where the question is raised: "Will he go where our people live scattered among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?".

  • AGuest
    AGuest

    May you have peace!

    The Law was initially written on stone tablets, and then copied (and copied and copied and copied) onto other tangible media... in delible ink. The prophesy, however, was that the Law would ultimately be written, not on tablets of stone (or other tangible media) but on HEARTS... fleshly tablets (which is not quite accurate, either).

    I should have said “the law written on [any] tablet, save that written by God’s spirit on stone or men's hearts, is fallible." My sincerest apology for the confusion.

    Your servant and a slave of Christ,

    SJ

  • Warlock
    Warlock

    The "other sheep" are the sheep that are in the pen next to yours.

    Warlock

  • Death to the Pixies
    Death to the Pixies

    Here is a debate between an Evangelical apologist (Rob Bowman) and a JW apologist (it is not me though) ,(http://www.touchstoneforum.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.pl?az=show_thread&om=425&forum=DCForumID6&omm=0&viewmode=threaded

  • RubaDub
    RubaDub

    The other sheep ......

    They are ones not of this fold.

    Hope this helps.

    Rub a Dub

  • Narkissos
    Narkissos

    DttP's post reminded me of our previous discussion: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/10/105820/1.ashx

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