John 10:16

other sheep I have Not the Jews in heathen lands, but Gentiles, for even among them He had sheep. The Jews had asked in derision, -Will He go and teach the Gentiles?" (John 7:35). He declares here that among the despised heathen He has sheep. He was going to lay down His life, -not for that nation only" (John 11:52), but that He might -draw allmen unto Him" (John 12:32). Of that most heathen of heathen cities, Corinth, He declared to S. Paul in a vision, -I have much people in this city" (Acts 18:10).

not of this fold Emphasis on -fold," not on -this;" the Gentiles were in no fold at all, but -scattered abroad" (John 11:52).

them also I must bring Better, them also I must lead. No need for them to be removed; Christ can lead them in their own lands. -Neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem" (John 4:21) is the appointed place. Note the -must;" it is the Messiah's bounden duty, decreed for Him by the Father: comp. John 3:14; John 9:4; John 12:34; John 20:9.

there shall be one fold, and one shepherd Rather, they shallbecome oneflock, one shepherd. The distinction between -be" and -become" is worth preserving (see on John 9:27; John 9:39), and that between -flock" and -fold" still more so. -There shall become one fold" would imply that at present there are more than one: but nothing is said of any other fold. In both these instances our translators have rejected their better predecessors: Tyndale and Coverdale have -flock," not -fold;" the Geneva Version has -be made," not -be." One point in the Greek cannot be preserved in English. The words for -flock" and -shepherd" are cognate and very similar, poimnêand poimen:-one herd, one herdsman" would be the nearest approach we could make, and to change -flock" for -herd" would be more loss than gain. The change from -flock" to -fold" has been all loss, leading to calamitous misunderstanding.

"The universalism of John 10:16, which is so often quoted against the Gospel, seems rather to be exactly of the kind of which we have abundant evidence in the Synoptists: e.g. in Matthew 8:11; Matthew 13:24-30; Matthew 28:19; Luke 13:29. A certain precedence is assigned to Israel, but the inclusion of the Gentiles is distinctly contemplated." And if S. Matthew could appreciate this side of his Master's teaching, how much more S. John, who had lived to see the success of missions to the heathen and the destruction of Jerusalem. "On the other hand, the nature of S. John's universalism must not be mistaken. It implies a privileged position on the part of the Jews." S. pp. 172, 173. Moreover, even O.T. prophets seem to have had a presentiment that other nations would share in the blessings of the Messiah. Micah 4:2; Isaiah 52:15.