“The doorkeeper opens to this one, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought all his own out, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice. They will by no means follow a stranger but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.”​—John 10:3-5.

Earlier, John the Baptist, like a doorkeeper, identified Jesus as the one whom those symbolic sheep under the Law should follow. And some sheep, in Galilee and right here in Judea, have recognized Jesus’ voice. To where would he ‘lead them out’? And what would result from following him? Some hearing this illustration may wonder, because ‘they do not understand what he is saying to them.’​—John 10:6.

Jesus explains: “Most truly I say to you, I am the door for the sheep. All those who have come in place of me are thieves and plunderers; but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the door; whoever enters through me will be saved, and that one will go in and out and find pasturage.”​—John 10:7-9.

Clearly, Jesus is introducing something new. His listeners know that he is not the door to the Law covenant, which has existed for centuries. So he must be saying that the sheep he ‘leads out’ are to enter another sheepfold. With what result?

Further explaining his role, Jesus says: “I have come that they may have life and have it in abundance. I am the fine shepherd; the fine shepherd surrenders his life in behalf of the sheep.” (John 10:10, 11) Jesus had earlier comforted his disciples by saying: “Have no fear, little flock, for your Father has approved of giving you the Kingdom.” (Luke 12:32) Indeed, those who make up the “little flock” are ones Jesus will lead into a new sheepfold, so that they may “have life and have it in abundance.” What a blessing to be part of that flock!

Jesus does not end the matter there, though. He observes: “I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; those too I must bring in, and they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock, one shepherd.” (John 10:16) These “other sheep” are “not of this fold.” Hence, they must be of yet another fold, different from the “little flock” who will inherit the Kingdom. These two folds, or pens of sheep, have different destinies. Still, the sheep in both folds will benefit from Jesus’ role.

Why do they not believe that Jesus is the Christ? He says: “You do not believe, because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them everlasting life, and they will by no means ever be destroyed, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is something greater than all other things.”