The Greek preposition "ek" is sometimes used to indicate something is "out from" or arises from or comes from something.
The question asked on another thread was "are those who comprise the group 'of My sheep' the same as the group "My sheep?"
In John 10:26 Jesus say to unbelievers, "you are not of (ek) My sheep.
One view claimed the idea was the same as if Jesus had said, "you are not My sheep." Since His sheep are saved and have eternal life, obviously the unbelievers were not "My sheep." But what group were they not a part of? Who are those "of My sheep?
Since, obviously, you are not "out of," or "out from" My sheep is the wrong interpretation, as they had never been saved and therefore could not have originated from the My sheep group!
So what characteristic does some lost people have, that makes them "of My sheep" while still lost and headed for destruction?
Who are the people that comprise "the fields white for harvest? John 4:34-36 Some people claim the fields are never white for harvest as each and every lost person is unable to seek God or believe in Christ. But that is contrary to Christ's very words.
So let us set that assertion aside, and consider the facts presented in scripture. Lets assume for the moment John 10:26 had been translated this way, "you are not of the group from which My sheep come." (Or more succinctly, you are not from My sheep's origin group.)
In order to be "of My sheep" the person must be a member of "soil group 2 or 3 or 4" as described in Matthew 13. They cannot be part of soil group 1, because those have hardened hearts are indeed not able to hear the gospel.
What characteristic do those three remaining groups have? The were open to God's word, they listened and understood, at least to some extent, and chose to believe, at least in part. Thus they were unlike those of John 10:26, who had already closed their minds to things outside their previously held beliefs.
If this openness to the gospel is what makes some of the lost "of My sheep" then closed mindedness seems a method of hardening hearts to either salvation or growth toward Christian maturity.
May God bless
The question asked on another thread was "are those who comprise the group 'of My sheep' the same as the group "My sheep?"
In John 10:26 Jesus say to unbelievers, "you are not of (ek) My sheep.
One view claimed the idea was the same as if Jesus had said, "you are not My sheep." Since His sheep are saved and have eternal life, obviously the unbelievers were not "My sheep." But what group were they not a part of? Who are those "of My sheep?
Since, obviously, you are not "out of," or "out from" My sheep is the wrong interpretation, as they had never been saved and therefore could not have originated from the My sheep group!
So what characteristic does some lost people have, that makes them "of My sheep" while still lost and headed for destruction?
Who are the people that comprise "the fields white for harvest? John 4:34-36 Some people claim the fields are never white for harvest as each and every lost person is unable to seek God or believe in Christ. But that is contrary to Christ's very words.
So let us set that assertion aside, and consider the facts presented in scripture. Lets assume for the moment John 10:26 had been translated this way, "you are not of the group from which My sheep come." (Or more succinctly, you are not from My sheep's origin group.)
In order to be "of My sheep" the person must be a member of "soil group 2 or 3 or 4" as described in Matthew 13. They cannot be part of soil group 1, because those have hardened hearts are indeed not able to hear the gospel.
What characteristic do those three remaining groups have? The were open to God's word, they listened and understood, at least to some extent, and chose to believe, at least in part. Thus they were unlike those of John 10:26, who had already closed their minds to things outside their previously held beliefs.
If this openness to the gospel is what makes some of the lost "of My sheep" then closed mindedness seems a method of hardening hearts to either salvation or growth toward Christian maturity.
May God bless
