"I AM the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives HIS life for the sheep. Not so the hired hand, or any other person who is not the shepherd, and to whom the sheep do not belong. They abandon the sheep as soon as they see the wolf coming; then the wolf snatches and scatters the sheep. This is because the hired hand works for pay and cares nothing for the sheep.
I AM the good shepherd. I know MY own and MY own know ME, as the FATHER knows ME and I know the FATHER. Because of this, I give MY life for MY sheep.
I have other sheep which are not of this fold. These I have to lead as well, and they shall listen to MY voice. Then there will be one flock, since there is one shepherd.
The FATHER loves ME, because I lay down MY life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from ME, but I lay it down freely. It is MINE to lay down and to take up again: this mission I received from MY FATHER." - John 10:11-18
(Scripture foretold the day in which GOD would come to gather together the dispersed sheep of HIS people, so that they would live in their land. JESUS is the Shepherd and HE has come to accomplish what was announced, but HE will not do it in the expected way. The Jews thought that the Shepherd would revive their former prosperity: they would again be a privileged nation among other nations.
JESUS says clearly that HIS people are not to be thought of as identical to the Jewish nation. Those who believe, and only they, are HIS. HE will take from among the Jews those who are HIS; likewise, HE will take sheep which are not of this fold as well, that is, from among the nations other than the Jewish nation. Therefore, HE will lead them all and will guide this flock--which is not a nation with land boundaries--to where HE knows. The only flock [not the only "fold", as people say], that is, the only Church, moves freely through history, not confined to any one nation or era of civilization.)
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