john 10:16

[ihavezippers]

What does this passage mean?

It seems very cryptic and mysterious. Maybe I've watched one too many XFiles, but it seems to suggest of either other "beings" following Christ, or suggest that perhaps Christ is reaching other cultures through other ways aside from Christianity.



I know I'm way off. Let me know what this passage is commonly interpreted to mean nonetheless.

 

[justified]

That's not at all what it suggests. First of all, notice the και αλλα that begins the verse. These connecting words mean you have to take it in context.

 

[daveleau]

In looking at the context of the passage, He is talking to the Jewish in the passage, and Scripture teaches that Christ was here to save both Jew and Greek (Gentile). The Gentiles are the other sheep pen, not another race of intelligent beings.

 

[ihavezippers]

so...what are you saying?
God doesn't love aliens?

Thanks for the help. I just found the passage strange.

 

[WAB]

That's not at all what it suggests. First of all, notice the και αλλα that begins the verse. These connecting words mean you have to take it in context.

Great to be able to agree with you for once!

You are certainly right in stating "...you have to take it in context." And a look at the context in which our Lord was speaking may be found in verse 40 of chap.9.

He was responding to the Pharisees (who incidentally almost always got everything wrong), and by the time we get to 10:16 Jesus is plainly saying that He "has" (present tense interestingly) "...other sheep..." (not goats), and so He was referring to Gentiles in contrast to Jews. Guaranteed not "aliens", in the sense of extra-terrestrials, but indeed aliens from the promises given to Israel.

Ephesians 2:11-13... "Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh-- who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands-- (i.e. Jews) that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

"But now in Christ Jesus you who were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ."

Verse 14,15... "For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace." (NKJV).

There is much to be gained from understanding this passage of God's Word.

Shalom... WAB

 

[foadle]

so...what are you saying?
God doesn't love aliens?

Thanks for the help. I just found the passage strange.

Aliens yes but not in the way you appear to be thinking. Christ was talking to an Isrealite community. At that time anyone outside of that community (ie. a foreigner) was considered an alien. Christs coming allowed all people to see that he was their God. He always had been (Jer 32:27) but Isrealite teaching etc. had many believing they never could be. When he is talking of other sheep outside the fold he is talking of other would be Christians outside the Isrealites. It will be noticed that Paul was sent to the gentiles (non Jews) and Galatians 3:28 once and for all announced the breakdown of the old. All could except Christ and look forward to a future in him.

 

[WAB]

Aliens yes but not in the way you appear to be thinking. Christ was talking to an Isrealite community. At that time anyone outside of that community (ie. a foreigner) was considered an alien. Christs coming allowed all people to see that he was their God. He always had been (Jer 32:27) but Isrealite teaching etc. had many believing they never could be. When he is talking of other sheep outside the fold he is talking of other would be Christians outside the Isrealites. It will be noticed that Paul was sent to the gentiles (non Jews) and Galatians 3:28 once and for all announced the breakdown of the old. All could except Christ and look forward to a future in him.

Yes, Christ was speaking to an Israelite community...
But the word "alien" does not appear in what He said.

The word "alien" does appear in the Scripture from Ephesians that I quoted.. (Eph. 2:11-13), and it has absolutely nothing to do with extra-terrestrials! That was answering the original post.

Of course if one reads a bit further on in the chapter, one can see that "...now in Christ..." both Jew and Gentile have been "...made...one..." and are now "...one new man..." the word "man" being the Greek anthropos.. a human being.

There is no difference between Jew and Gentile once each is "in Christ". And that is why the doctrine of two different churches... one for the Apostles and those who believed in the Lord Jesus' finished work on Calvary's Cross through their preaching, and a different gospel/church for those who came to the same faith through Paul's preaching, is complete hogwash (to put it in generous terms).