While discussing the Bible with a friend from a Mormon background, the topic of the "other sheep" of John 10 came up. The Mormons use this scripture to contend that Jesus visited "Christians" on the continent of North America. I'm not sure what it means, and do not know how to refute this belief within the context of the scripture. What "other sheep" could Jesus be referring to? Since he was directly addressing a Jewish audience in John 10, was he referring to the Gentiles or other uncircumscised peoples that would be reached through Paul? -- Randy Dillon (Athens, Georgia)
Yes indeed, the "other sheep" are the Gentiles. The mystery of the gospel was that the Gentiles would ultimately be blessed along with the Jews (from Genesis 12:3 on; see also Ephesians 3:10). The Mormons came up with their peculiar view in the 19th century, as they struggled to distinguish themselves from other groups. At the time they also taught that the moon and sun were inhabited! Some zany beliefs have been retracted or expunged from their literature; others have remained.
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