I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.” vs. 16
John 12:16-18
We can’t be sure what is intended by this reference to sheep of another fold. Like other obscure verses in scripture though, people have had a field day making various speculations. Some say it refers to the original inhabitants of North America, an idea popular to members of the LDS, and a few even believe it forecasts a mission to extraterrestrials. But most interpreters simply see these words as an affirmation of the outreach to Gentiles that took place shortly following the resurrection. At first it seems there had been little enthusiasm for moving beyond the boundaries of Judaism among Jesus’ disciples, but that definitely changed with Paul. This pattern of expansion within the Body of Christ has been present ever since. And whenever the church has become focused on establishing boundaries between insiders and outsiders, the Spirit has moved to break down barriers and to open the way to even greater inclusivity. That hasn’t also been comfortable in our congregations–it’s much easier to relate to people who are like ourselves–but there’s no way we can even imagine that isn’t the will of Jesus. There really is only one flock and it contains sheep of every conceivable shape, color, and temperament–and there’s maybe even room for aliens!
Thought for the Day: Why isn’t my congregation more diverse?
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