Early Christian Writers on the OTHER SHEEP in John 10:16
John 10:1-21 is an extended metaphor, where Jesus describes himself as the door and THE GOOD SHEPHERD. But who are THE OTHER SHEEP of John 10:16?
John 10:1-21 is an extended metaphor, where Jesus describes himself as the door and especially THE GOOD SHEPHERD. In John 10:16, he speaks of having other sheep: “I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock and one shepherd.” In the modern era, who are OTHER SHEEP is a whole thing.
Some postulate the other sheep are extraterrestrial alien beings living on other planets. The Jehovah’s Witnesses say the other sheep are the “great crowd”, those who will live on the earth in the Kingdom. Iglesia Ni Cristo says the other sheep are Filipinos. Many adherents to Hebrew Israelism claim the other sheep are Northern Kingdom Israelites who are scattered outside of Israel, especially in the Western Hemisphere.
Likewise (they held this belief prior to Hebrew Israelism was around), the Latter Day Saints believe this refers to descendants of the Lost Tribes of Israel who would have been living in ancient America at the time. For example, here is LDS Apostle James E. Talmage writing in 1915.
Below is a standard LDS meme on the subject of John 10:16 and lost “Lamanites”.
What did Jesus mean, though, when he said “I have other sheep, which are not of this fold”? Historically, Christians have understood the “other sheep” of John 10:16 as a reference to the Gentile Mission, resulting in Gentiles coming into the Church. Similarily, when Jesus said “and they will become one flock with one Shepherd”, this speaks of the church with believers from Jewish and Gentile “folds” (or “sheep pens” in one body with Christ as Head (cf. Eph. 2:11–22; 3:6).
In this post, I want to share three quotes with you from early Christian writers Theodore, Cyril, and Augustine. They are all very impactful I do believe. First, let’s briefly take a look at some of the verse leading up to John 10:16.
THE CONTEXT OF JOHN 10:16
The context of John 10:16 is chapters 9 & 10, during the Feast of Dedication (cf. 10:22). In John 10:7, Jesus says, “I am the door of the sheep”. This, of course, one of John’s seven “I am” statements. The door metaphor highlights the scandal of of the gospel, for Jesus is the only true way in to the fold for shepherds & sheep (Jn 10:8, 10; 14:6; Eph 2:18). I would also say it brings out that faith in Christ only way to be right w/ God (Acts 4:12; 1 Tim. 2:5).
In John 10:8, Jesus says that “All who came before Me are thieves and robbers”. The background here is Jer. 23, Ezek. 34, and Isa. 56:9–12. Jesus relates the OT passages about false shepherds to the modern day leaders of Israel and even is an implicit criticism aimed towards those with messianic pretensions.
In John 10:10, Jesus says “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly”. The phrase is unfortunately quoted often by Prosperity Preachers as a promise of material things. But the Context indicates it’s aqll about knowing Jesus personally/spiritual blessings, not material prosperity! John 10:10 is not about having much in this life, but knowing and possessing true life. Note that whereas the Synoptics record Jesus’ emphasis on Kingdom of God, the gospel of tends to John records Jesus’ emphasis on eternal life (not exclusively, for John speaks of the Kingdom in John 3, for example).
In both John 10:11 and 14, Jesus says “I am the good shepherd”. This language invokes an OT title for Messiah (Ezek. 34:23; Zech. 11; 1 Pet. 5:4) and for YHWH (Ps. 28:9; 77:20; 78:52; 94:7; 100:3; Jer. 23:1; 31:10; Ezek. 34:11–16). Basically, “shepherd” is a common OT title both for God and the Messiah (Ps. 23; Ps. 80:1; Isa. 40:10–11; 1 Pet. 5:1–4). Jesus is making some massive claims here.
In John 10:15, Jesus says, in the KJV, “As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father”. This strong claim of close intimacy with God is essentially a claim to the divine. In the words of one older commentator here, “What claim to absolute equality with the Father could exceed this?”
Now we come to the first part of John 10:16: “I have other sheep, which are not of this fold”. This is an allusion to Isa. 56:6–8, no doubt. And even though Jesus confirmed that salvation is ‘from the Jews’ (4:22), he also brought the truth to the Samaritans. This simply means that the Gospel must first be announced to the Jew butt then it opens up to enlist Gentiles as well (Rom. 1:16). We observe at the end of the account that the Samaritans say, “we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world”.
Now we come the the second part of John 10:16 “and they will become
one flock with one Shepherd”. This speaks of the church of Christ, both Jew and Gentile alike, together as one, underneath one shepherd. Believers from two different “sheep pens” are now in one body with Christ as Head. The theological aspects of this unity are discussed in Eph. 2:11–3:13 and 4:1–6. Indeed, other NT books also speak of the unity of all who exercise faith in Christ (1 Cor. 12; 2 Cor. 5:14–21; Gal. 3:28; Eph. 2:11–22; 4:3–6). John 10:16 illustrates a grand vision of unity in the words one flock and one shepherd.
But now, with all these new and “competing” understandings, how do we know this is right? Well, I have done an extensive commentary on this, where I tie together many related passages from John’s writings. We can rest assured in this understanding. However, it’s powerful to realize how other followers of Christ, living their lives in the Lord centuries before us, had the same understanding. The first example is Theodore of Antioch, also called Theodore of Mopsuestia (350-486), from his now two-volume commentary on John:
Theodore of Mopsuestia (350-428 AD)
He says, [10:16] I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
This sentence alludes to those among the Gentiles who would come to faith because many among the pagans as well as many among the Jews were destined to gather together into a single church and to acknowledge one shepherd and one lord who is the Christ. And this actually happened.[1]
Next up is the rather well-known North African church father Augustine. One note before continuing on, we as Protestants hold to sola scriptura. Even though scripture alone is our ultimate authority, I believe that scripture itself guides us to be humble and learn from others. Scripture values both the fellowship and collective wisdom of our fellow believers. So checking out what those before us have said can be helpful!
Augustine (354-430 AD)
He was talking, you see, to the first sheepfold of the race of Israel according to the flesh. But there were others, of the race of the same Israel according to faith, and they were still outside, they were of the Gentiles, predestined but not yet gathered in. He knew those whom he had predestined. He knew those whom he had come to redeem by shedding his blood. He was able to see them, while they could not yet see him. He knew them, though they did not yet believe in him. “I have,” he said, “other sheep that are not of this fold,” because they are not of the race of Israel according to the flesh. But all the same, they will not be outside this sheepfold, because “I must bring them along too, so that there may be one flock and one shepherd.” Sermon 138.5.13[1]
Lastly, and a bit longer, is Cyril of Alexandria. Like Augustine, he hails from North Africa, specifically Egypt.
Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD)
He hints that he will combine the flock of the Gentiles with those of Israel who are more favorably disposed toward him, and he will rule not only the flock of Israel, but he will then extend the light of his glory to the whole earth, and he will call people everywhere to the knowledge of God. He will not allow himself to be known only in Judea, as in former times, but he will set before every nation under heaven the knowledge that leads to the enjoyment of a true acquaintance with God.
One may very easily learn that Christ was appointed as the guide of the Gentiles to godliness. The divinely inspired Scripture is full of testimonies to that effect, so perhaps it would not be unreasonable to pass over this and leave it to the more diligent students to search it out. Nevertheless, in what follows I will mention two or three statements in the prophets about this. [NOTE: at this point, Cyril exegetes the following passages Isa 55:4, Ps 47:1, 7-8, Ps 49:1-3].
… Now this statement leads us back to what we said at the beginning. It explicitly foretells that the multitude of the Gentiles will be gathered together into one flock with the converted of Israel.
… in the prophets there are frequent, abundant statements that the Christ would catch the Gentiles in his net to bring them to the knowledge of God. That is why he set the matter before them as a clear sign that he was one who was clearly announced ahead of time. He explicitly asserted that he would also call the sheep that are not of the fold of the Jews so that, as we just said, they might believe that he is really the one about whom the chorus of holy men prophesied.[1]
CONCLUSION
Even though it’s surprising to some, both then and now, a multiethnic, mutli-national global body has always been the goal of God for his people (cf. Gen. 3:15, 12:3; Exod. 19:5–6). The way he “got there” was via Abraham and his descendants, specifically the Messiah.
[1] Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on John, ed. Joel C. Elowsky, Thomas C. Oden, and Gerald L. Bray, trans. David R. Maxwell, vol. 2, Ancient Christian Texts (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic: An Imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2013–2015), 68–69.
13 WSA 34:387–88; see also Sermon 88.10 (WSA 33:425).
[1] Joel C. Elowsky, ed., John 1–10, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2006), 351.
[1] Theodore of Mopsuestia, Commentary on the Gospel of John, ed. Joel C. Elowsky, Thomas C. Oden, and Gerald L. Bray, trans. Marco Conti, Ancient Christian Texts (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic: An Imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2010), 94.