Saturday, June 11, 2022

Examples of the Traditional "Gentile" interpretation of the "other Sheep" of John 10:16

  

The narrative in Jn 12:20–23 depicts ‘Greeks’ (ἕλληνές) approaching one of Jesus’ disciples with a request to hold an audience with Jesus. This in turn becomes a signal for Jesus that the time for his glorification has dawned. There is little doubt that the story is theologically loaded. It rehearses the statement about ‘other sheep’ that must be brought into the fold most likely anticipating the inclusion of Gentiles into the church (Jn 10:16). Also, it is possibly written in light of Isa. 52:15 (LXX). In the Johannine literary tapestry, vv. 20–22 represents an ironic fulfilment of the complaint of the Pharisees that ‘the world has gone after him’ (Jn 12:19). An underlying symbolism of the Greek world seeking out Jesus certainly works at the theological level, but reducing the story to a figurative retelling of the Greek discovery of Jesus flounders since Jesus does not answer the request nor entice the Greek enquirers. Whatever memory lays behind the passage, in its current form it represents a Johannine elaboration of Jesus’ passion predictions defined here in terms of his approaching ‘hour’ and understood in light of the coming Gentile mission when Jesus’ glory would be manifested before all the world. (Michael F. Bird, Jesus and the Origins of the Gentile Mission [Library of New Testament Studies 311; London; New York: T&T Clark, 2006], 111–112)

 

The question is: What did Jesus mean by this statement? It certainly is a stretch in logic to suppose with the Mormons that Jesus was here referring to North America and Indian ancestors on the western side of the Atlantic Ocean. Such an idea has to be read into the text and not interpreted from the text. The context must instead refer to a situation in the time of Jesus and the early church. Robinson argues for two groups of Jews, those in Israel and those of the diaspora outside of Israel. Martyn goes in the opposite direction, arguing that the verse represents the Christian diaspora of the late first century. The latter view makes the meaning irrelevant to the time of Jesus. The former view makes a little more sense, if one would accept Robinson’s thesis that John’s Gospel was aimed at the people (the lost sheep) of Israel and not the Gentiles, as in Jesus’ initial task outlined at Matt 10:5–6; 15:24. The alternative possibility is that the first group refers to the Jews who followed Jesus and who already were being viewed as part of the fold. They could thus be identified with the flock of Jesus. The other group would then logically seem to refer to the Gentiles who would come thereafter into the flock. (Note the strategic coming of the Greeks at 12:20, which seems to serve as a sign to Jesus of the changing time and the coming of his hour. Robinson, however, thinks the Greeks there were Greek-speaking Jews, not an impossible idea.) (Gerald L. Borchert, John 1-11 [The New American Commentary 25A; Nashville: Broadman and Holman Publishers, 1996], 335; note that he refers to the LDS reading as “a stretch in logic” and “Such an idea has to be read into the text and not interpreted from the text” [ibid.]).

 

“Robinson” here refers to the work of J. A. T. Robinson.

 

Footnote to the above:

 

See J. A. T. Robinson, Twelve More New Testament Studies (London: SCM Press, 1984), 114–15, and Twelve New Testament Studies (Naperville, Ill.: Alec R. Allenson, 1962), 120–21. The latter was earlier published as part of “The Destination and Purpose of St. John’s Gospel,” in NTS 6 (1960): 117–31.

 

Further Reading:


The "other sheep" of John 10:16: A Critique of the "Gentile" Interpretation


Brury Eko Saputra on Samaritans being the "other sheep" in John 10:16

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