So I've been thinking fish, fish, fish. And part of me thought that I would look up this week's lectionary text and see something about "fishers of men" or maybe a Jonah reference.
Instead, its all about sheep.
Its John 10:11-18. Jesus is explaining to his listeners how he is the shepherd and we are his sheep, and that he would lay down his life for his sheep. But then he drops in a jewel of an ambiguous line in verse 16:
I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold
Just what is that all about?
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It's only ambiguous if you cut out the rest of the verse, as many are apt to do ....don't forget that those not of this fold will come and listen to Christ's voice.
I don't know - its still sounds strange to me also. It all comes down to how you define "fold" and figuring out what Jesus was talking about, doesn't it?
And, by the way, didn't Jesus represent a broadening of the perception of who was "in" and who was "out"?
And don't we, as Reformed Christians see the possiblity of God working in ways and in communities that we don't understand or appreciate?
You're avoiding the real issue - all who come to Jesus listen to His voice.
Stushie, I am having trouble understanding how peaceful co-existence is not a "real" issue. People continue to fight each other and kill in the name of religion. Current tensions between Christians and Muslims have a direct affect on global relations. Wouldn't we be well served by exploring those of our own scriptures that seem to smooth over our worries about differences in religious beliefs? I just disagree that peaceful co-existence should be seen as as a minor side issue.
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