Other sheep?

[bookish]

This passage confuses me. It’s John 10:14-16 (Douay-Rheims).

“I am the good shepherd: and I know mine, and mine know me. As the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father: and I lay down my life for my sheep. And other sheep I have that are not of this fold: them also I must bring. And they shall hear my voice: And there shall be one fold and one shepherd.”

Who are the other sheep? Are they non-Catholics? Non-Christians? It’s so vague. I wish Jesus was more specific sometimes.

Is there an official position from the Church on who Jesus is referring to? Any guesses?

 

[LilyM]

This passage confuses me. It’s John 10:14-16 (Douay-Rheims).

“I am the good shepherd: and I know mine, and mine know me. As the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father: and I lay down my life for my sheep. And other sheep I have that are not of this fold: them also I must bring. And they shall hear my voice: And there shall be one fold and one shepherd.”

Who are the other sheep? Are they non-Catholics? Non-Christians? It’s so vague. I wish Jesus was more specific sometimes.

Is there an official position from the Church on who Jesus is referring to? Any guesses?

The other sheep refer to Gentiles as opposed to Jews - after all, it’s not like non-Christians are genuinely hearing His voice or acknowledging Him as their shepherd, really and non-Catholics (at least some of 'em) aren’t too much better - they certainly aren’t one fold.

Remember the context. Jesus was preaching to Jews - and ever so gently preparing them for the fact that Gentiles had an important role in His plan too. The verse ties in well with the story of the Samaritan (non-Jewish) woman whose faith He tests by claiming He was only sent to the ‘lost sheep of the house of Israel’ (Matt 15:24) - notice it uses the same imagery as the verse from John.

 

[NotWorthy]

My first thought is that Jesus is referring to the Gentiles. But I’ll check with the Navarre Commentary.

 

[NotWorthy]

From the Navarre:

Now, however, foreseeing the fruits of His redemp-
tive death (verse 15), He reveals that these will be applied to “other sheep, that
are not of this fold”, that is, Israel, and, after the Resurrection, He does send the
Apostles to all nations (cf. Matthew 28:19), to preach the Gospel to all creation
(cf. Matthew 16:15), beginning in Jerusalem and extending to all Judea, Samaria
and the ends of the earth (cf. Acts 1:8). This fulfills the ancient promises about
the rule of the Messiah covering the whole world (cf. Psalm 2:7; Isaiah 2:2-6;
66:17-19). The universal scope of salvation caused St. Paul to exclaim: “Re-
member that at one time you…were…separated from Christ, alienated 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 in the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:11-13; cf.

Galatians 3:27-28; Romans 3:22).

 

[bookish]

Thank you, guys. Very much. =)

 

[Static]

This passage confuses me. It’s John 10:14-16 (Douay-Rheims).

“I am the good shepherd: and I know mine, and mine know me. As the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father: and I lay down my life for my sheep. And other sheep I have that are not of this fold: them also I must bring. And they shall hear my voice: And there shall be one fold and one shepherd.”

Who are the other sheep?

Why, they are the Mormons of course ! Not exactly, but that is how they interpret this verse.

It is like what has been said already…the Gentiles.

If we stay in the Douay-Rheims we see in Mal 1:11 - For from the rising of the sun even to the going down, my name is great among the Gentiles, and in every place there is sacrifice, and there is offered to my name a clean oblation: for my name is great among the Gentiles, saith the Lord of hosts.

Who offers sacrifice 24/7 ?

May God Bless, Static ( 1 Tim 1:15 )

 

[DaveBj]

That Jesus was referring to the Gentiles was what I always thought, too, altho there is something in the back of my mind that wishes He was referring to people on other planets

DaveBj