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John 10:16

"And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice: and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd."

Problem:

The Mormon interpretation of this passage is as follows:

"It should be noted that Jesus did not minister unto the Gentiles although he did send his Apostles unto them after his crucifixion. This leaves us with the question unanswered, so far as the Bible is concerned: Who were the other sheep he promised to visit? For this information we must look to the restoration of the gospel and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.

After Jesus had been crucified and had ascended unto his Father, he visited his 'other sheep' in America, known as the Nephites, and there chose twelve disciples and organized his Church, as he had done among the Jews, an account of which is given in some detail in Third Nephi of the Book of Mormon . . . " ¹

Solution:

1. Richards' suggestion that the identification of the "other sheep" is contained in the Book of Mormon ² is worthless once it is demonstrated that the Book of Mormon is not an inspired revelation from God. This is done in the introduction to Mormon section of this site.
   
2. The Mormon argument assumes that "they shall hear my voice" means Jesus would personally visit the "other sheep". But Jesus does not say he would personally visit the other sheep. Those who heard the gospel preached by the Lord's ambassadors heard his voice. Jesus said, "He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me." (Luke 10:16). Paul said, "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." (2 Cor. 5:20).
   
3. The "other sheep" are the Gentiles. Jesus in his earthly ministry was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (Matt. 15:24). It was prophesied, however, "He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles" (Isa. 42:1), and that he would be given as "light to the Gentiles". (Isa. 42:6 R.S.V. cf. Matt. 12:18-21). The Gentiles heard the voice of the Shepherd through the labours of the Apostle Paul, a vessel specially chosen for this work. (Acts 9:15; 1 Tim. 2:7 cf. Acts 18:6). By about A.D. 63, (the time of Paul's letter to the Colossian brethren), Paul wrote that the gospel "was preached to every creature under heaven . . . " (Col. 1:23). No mention is made of "other sheep" yet to hear the gospel on the American continent.
   
4. Gentile sheep like Cornelius heard the voice of the shepherd and followed in the one fold. The same cannot be said for the Nephites. Sheep worship God in spirit and in Truth. (John 4:23,24). The following references taken from 2 Nephi in the Book of Mormon prove the falsity of the Mormon claim that the alleged descendants of Joseph were sheep in America: The proof rests on the fact that the Nephite "sheep" never knew the "voice of the Shepherd." (John 10:16,27). The alleged covenant contains doctrines which are subversive of the Truth taught by Jesus Christ. The following quotations are also an indictment of the Mormon claim that Jesus ever appeared to these "sheep". ³
   1. They misunderstood the nature of God and His relationship to his Son: "For it behooveth the great Creator that he suffereth himself to become subject unto man in the flesh, and die for all men . . . " (2 Nephi 9:5). The Shepherd said, "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." (John 17:3). ⁴  Why were the "Joseph Sheep" in ignorance if Jacob (the alleged prophet who wrote this quotation) received his information by divine revelation?
   2. They misunderstood the nature of angels, and the devil: "For behold, if the flesh should rise no more, our spirits must become subject to that angel who fell from before the presence of the Eternal God, and became the devil, to rise no more." (2 Nephi 9:8). An angel who fell and became the devil is never mentioned by the good Shepherd in the New Testament. ⁵
   3. They believed in the pagan idea of the immortality of the soul and eternal hell-fire torment for the wicked: "And they shall go away into everlasting fire; prepared for them; and their torment is as a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flames ascendeth up for ever and ever, and has no end." (2 Nephi 9:16).⁶ The Shepherd said that the wicked "have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death." (Rev. 21:8).
   4. They were confused over the time of the judgment: "And it shall come to pass that when all men shall have passed from this first death unto life, insomuch as they have become immortal, they must appear before the judgment-seat of the Holy one of Israel; and then cometh the judgment, and then must they be judged according to the holy judgment of God." (2 Nephi 9:15). The Shepherd taught that immortality would only be given after judgment. (Matt. 25:31-46).

   Nephite "prophets", if they ever existed, were wolves in sheep's clothing - false prophets speaking lies. Upon such, the indictment of inspired Scripture rests. (Jer. 16:19; Gal. 1:8,9).

Footnotes:

1. LeGrand Richards, A Marvelous Work and A Wonder, (Salt Lake City, Utah; Deseret Book Co., 1958), p 60. Richards refers specifically to 3 Nephi 15:11-24 in his identification of the "other sheep." Return
   
2. All references to the Book of Mormon are taken from the Book of Mormon: An Account Written By The Hand of Mormon Upon Plates taken from the Plates of Nephi, translated by Joseph Smith, Jun., (Salt Lake City, Utah: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1950). Return
   
3. Jacob, the brother of Nephi, (2 Nephi 6:1), claims to be "called of God" and "ordained after the manner of his holy order." (2 Nephi 6:2). The quotations referred to are part of his alleged revelations from God. Jacob states his claim as follows: "And now, my beloved brethren, I have read these things that ye might know concerning the covenants of the Lord that he has covenanted with all the house of Israel - that he has spoken unto the Jews, by the mouth of his holy prophets, even from the beginning down, from generation to generation, until the time comes that they shall be restored to the true church and fold of God." (2 Nephi 9:1,2). Return
   
4. Scripture makes a clear distinction between Jesus whose literal origin began in the days of Herod when he was born (Lk. 1:31-35; cf. Matt. 2:1) and Yahweh, his Father who is eternal. (1 Tim. 1:17 cf. 1 Tim. 2:5; 1 Cor. 8:6). Return
   
5. The origin of sin in Scripture is the heart of man. (Matt. 15:19; James 1:13-15). The word "devil" is used of humans. (Jn. 6:70; Titus 2:3 - "false accusers" is translated from the same Greek word, "diabolos" cf. 1 Tim. 3:11). Return
   
6. See also Jacob 6:9,10. Return