John 10:16

“By the way,” Jesus adds, “I have sheep who are not even in this sheepfold; I am determined to find them and bring them with me. They will hear my voice, and they will recognize it. They will follow. Then there will be only one flock and only one shepherd.”  John 10:16 EFP 

It is amazing how inclusive Jesus describes the exclusive claims he makes about himself, his mission, and his direct connection with God. I cannot overlook Jesus is still speaking to Jewish leaders—the chosen! They are having trouble digesting his concept of the Good Shepherd and sheep that hear his voice and follow him. Beyond that, these sheep Jesus speaks of know him just as he knows his father—the Father of all.

I am certain they are not warming up to his statements. His declarations fly in the face of all that is sacred to them as the children of Israel—the faithful ones. But now Jesus ratchets it up to another level altogether. He strongly implies that there are sheep (people, seekers, believers) that are not in the sheepfold (community of faith, community of believers, the people of God). Not all those who are identified as the ones who hear and recognize the voice of the Good Shepherd are in the fold of Jesus’ sheep. This statement is likely understood by the religious leaders as meaning Jesus’ ministry is not meant exclusively for the Jews alone, and they would have, in fact, been right to think so—and dare I say they would not have been happy.

But to top it off Jesus closes his statement with the words “one flock and one shepherd”. This is ludicrous! Only the Jews are the Chosen ones—according to the Jews. They have the truth. They worship on the correct day. They are the depository of the promises of God. They subscribe to the fact that the time would come when there would only be one group that would be designated the children of God, but certainly it would not be under the auspices of Jesus! Nor would it include Gentiles! The waters are heating up.

I am thankful for these words of Jesus. I cannot forget that I am a member of the sheep from another fold. I am part of the graft that was attached after the fact to the tree of Israel. What seems bad news to them is Good News to me.