John 10:16 Does this verse refer to the "other sheep" who will live forever on a paradise earth?

Question

" I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd"

JWs say there are two flocks of God's people. " The little flock" in one fold will rule with Christ in heaven, and the "other sheep" in the other fold will live on the Paradise earth" ( The greatest man who ever lived, 1991, section 80 )

Mormons believe the " other sheep " mentioned in this verse are displaced with Israelites who migrated to America.
( Smith, 1975, 3:214 )

Answer 1

"Other sheep" is a reference by Jesus of the flock yet to come of His people that are not from His Jewish roots. These "others" are those outside the economy of Israel that will be evangelized: first to the Samaritans, and then everyone else, even as far as remotest part of the earth, according to Acts 2:39. The book of Acts describes this account of the good news of Jesus Christ being preached, starting with the flock in Jerusalem, with the goal of reaching the flock consisting of all the tribes and nations in the world, as Jesus said in the gospel accounts.

And Paradise was a place in Hades, before the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, but ever since then is Heaven, where He is. There will be no Paradise on earth, as we know it today. Rather, there will be a new heaven and a new earth, according to Isaiah the prophet.

Answer 2

Jesus Christ here in John 10 have all His audience Jewish nationality. The Jews knows that they are the original chosen people of God as promised through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But they don't believe Jesus Christ. They just marvel at His sayings. We know for a fact that since 2000 years ago the jews are totlaly dispersed. There are more Jews living in America than in their promised land Canaan. Most Christians are Gentiles with God's promises in the epistles of Paul far surpasses that of the israelites. The evidence is so strong historically that all Bible-centered Christian dominated nations in the world are fully blessed until now as we can see in America for more than 400 years, UK as the Queen of the seas, a world power before, France, Germany wherer Martin Luther came etc. This is the other flocks Jesus is refering.

Answer 3

The bible helps us to see there are two different groups with two different destinations.

In the preceeding verses of John 10:16 Jesus spoke of being a shepherd with sheep. In verse 16 he does say "I have other sheep hat are not of this sheep pen". This indicates that there are two different groups of sheep.

To his 11 (Judas Iscariot had left the room) faithful apostles Jesus said "you men have stayed with me through many struggles. My Father has given me a kingdom. I also give you authority to rule with me." (Luke 22:28-30)

In Revelation 5:10 we also read "You made this people to be a kingdom...and they will rule over the earth."

(Some translations uses the term 'on' instead of 'over'. But since God's kingdom is in heaven (2 Tim 4:18) where Jesus, its King is (Acts 2:33) and the earth is below it, the term 'over' would be more appropriate)

And Paul told Timothy "If we acept suffering, then we will also rule with him" (2 Tim 2:12)

So, who, then, would they be ruling over ?

Ecclesiastes 1:4 says that "...the earth continues forever" and Isaiah 45:18 says "...he created it to be lived on."

By whom ?

Psalms 37:9,29 gives the answer.

So, yes, one group of sheep (humble, obeying followers of Christ) in heaven will be ruling over another group of sheep on earth.

I apologize for mis-spellings :o)

Answer 4

When Jesus said that his other sheep "are not of this fold," we may take that to mean that there is another fold of sheep. A fold is a particular sub-grouping of a flock of sheep.

True enough, Jesus was speaking to his Jewish disciples. So we might assume that he was referring to the Jews as composing one fold of sheep and non-Jewish believers as the other fold.

But, the problem with that view is that Jesus said that the Jews themselves were "skinned and thrown about like sheep without a shepherd." But, even if we insist that the Jews were the one fold, why would Jesus refer to Gentiles as being in another fold?

In Ephesians, Paul said that the world was alienated from God and the state of Israel. So it does not seem appropriate to refer to non-Christians as being in any sort of fold-like grouping of God's people. Once they became believers, then, they came into the fold of sheep that listen to the shepherd's voice.

But, even taking into account the divisive issue of circumcision, Jewish and non-Jewish Christians still comprised one congregation of believers.

Actually, Jesus' teaching on that topic was not unique. Jesus was no doubt thoroughly familiar with the prophecy in the 34th chapter of Ezekiel, which uses similar language and imagery.

For instance, verses 22-24 read: "And I will save my sheep, and they will no longer become something for plunder; and I will judge between a sheep and a sheep. And I will raise up over them one shepherd, and he must feed them, even my servant David. He himself will feed them, and he himself will become their shepherd. And I myself, Jehovah, will become their God, and my servant David a chieftain in the midst of them. I myself, Jehovah, have spoken."

Ezekiel's prophecy has to do with Jehovah's judgments during the finale. "David" is none other than Jesus Christ. In what sense, though, does Jehovah "judge between a sheep and a sheep"?

We should not suppose that one sheep receives an adverse judgment and the other a favorable judgment. The reason is because Jehovah says in that very verse that he will save his sheep. Both sheep represent those who receive salvation. So, again, why does it say that Jehovah judges between his sheep?

According to Paul, those in the new covenant are declared righteous by God. That means that, ultimately, Jehovah considers them to be absolutely perfect. That is pretty amazing when we consider that the anointed are actually sinful.

But, based upon the power of Christ's sin-atoning sacrifice and his mediation work as their high priest, Jehovah attributes to them Christ's own righteousness. It is not quite the same with those who survive the tribulation. They are not declared righteous in the same sense. The reason being that Christians of the great crowd are not granted immortal life, as are the anointed. Those who survive the end of the world will gradually be uplifted to a state of perfection, and thereafter be declared righteous at the end of the thousand years.

So, in that sense anointed and non-anointed Christians are judged differently. True, they both follow the same guiding principles, but Jehovah simply uses a different standard of judgment to reconcile to himself anointed sheep and non-anointed sheep.

In view of the fact that Ezekiel's prophecy identifies two types of sheep under one shepherd, and that is speaking to a period far-beyond the 1st Century, it stands to reason that Jesus was likewise referring to the two folds of anointed and non-anointed sheep.

Answer 5

He was speaking to the Jews about the gentiles or people of other nationalities that would also be saved.
People from all nations and tongues will be the one flock and Jesus is the shepherd.

Answer 6

Feed my lambs, feed my sheep, feed my sheep, Peter's days were already numbered, Do you not believe Jesus ?
Jesus said those who deny me before men, I will deny before my Father. Not everyone who says lord, lord, have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons, heal the sick, made the blind see, and raised the dead, and Jesus would say to them depart from me you that work inequities.

Peter denied Jesus 3 times, Peter was more interested in who would be greater in the eyes of men. of the 12.

The sheep were the Jews and the gentiles, the lambs were the elect.

Answer 7

To me personally, I think this is where other religions such as Muslims, Buddha's, Hindu's and others, art spoke about. There will be some, from every religion, the real true righteous ones, will be in Heaven. But the ones that hurt, destroy, worship other gods, and do all sorts of filth and destruction in the name of god, will be in hell.

Answer 8

Jesus said He came for the Jews and the Gentiles, all who would believe in Him in each group, that would belive that Jesus, who is God, died for our sins on the cross and rose again. The other sheep are the Gentiles.

The JWs and the Mormons are both unsaved cults. Avoid them.

Answer 9

I was gonna say something funny, but then I'm in my serious mood... so I would say the other sheep are the gentiles (non-jews).

Answer 10

He is Jewish, speaking to Jewish followers, and I thought He was speaking of the Gentiles.................they had never even heard of the law or salvation - and if they did they thought it was a Jewish faith.

There will be a new Earth someday...........