The sheep were faith filled Israelites who were… “waiting for the Consolation of Israel” (Ezek 37:11-12; Mk 15:43; Lk 2:25-26, 38; 23:51; 24:21; 19:11; Acts 1:6) i.e., such as Jesus designates to be “true Israelites” (Jn 1:47). The thieves and robbers were the religious hierarchy of the day, i.e., the lawyers… aka, scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites who had in fact themselves not entered the kingdom, aka the reign of God, and yet were actively hindering those pursuing such (Mt 23:13; Lk 11:52).
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