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Other Sheep
pp. 76, 77
"So-and-so loaned us a copy of . . . . .'s magazine that contained a study of this
problem, namely that the use of allos and heteros as defined by the Lexicon, made it
impossible to believe that Gentiles could be referred to in John 10: 16 as the `other
sheep', which you have so Scripturally showed to be hung on a flimsy thread, and were it
not for your lesson, many sincere believers could be fooled."
"Probably 99% of believers are not equipped, without your help, to come to the right
answer. It seems to me that the great importance of your findings would make it a very
profitable study in the Berean Expositor. Probably many people who read your magazine
do not hear your tapes and may be on . . . . .'s mailing list."
It has been remarked more than once, that we do not fill the pages of the Berean
Expositor with arguments for self-justification, and we are not stooping to that here. We
have however a responsibility to our readers, and as we are unable to reply to
correspondence that involves much time, we are perforce obliged either to let the matter
go by default, or to use this means of dealing with the problem raised.
Recently a fellow-searcher after truth, with whom we have the friendliest relations,
after exhibiting some occurrences of two Greek words which are translated `other'
namely allos and heteros, and after quoting from the lexicons that allos means `other of
the same kind', and heteros `other of a different kind' made the following observation.
"In the light of this positive evidence and sure knowledge of the inspiration of the
Scriptures, it is inconceivable that the words `the other sheep' (allos probata) in
John 10: 16 can be applied to the Gentiles. Had this been the case heteros would have
undoubtedly been used."
With such confident and emphatic statements before them it is not surprising that
some readers have been concerned as to the truth of this matter.''
In many articles in the past we have urged USAGE in line with the principle of
I Cor. 2: 13, as over against man-made definitions; for the Lexicons are modern; the
writers of Scripture had no need for their help.
Here are some quotations from the inspired Scriptures.
Matt. 13: 5, 7, 8 compared with
Luke 8: 6, 7, 8:
Some (allos) fell . . . . . stony
Some (heteros) . . . . . rock
Some (allos) fell . . . . . thorns
Some (heteros) . . . . . thorns
Some (allos) fell . . . . . good
Some (heteros) . . . . . good
Do you say "This is inconceivable"?