The 'sheep' Jesus tells Peter to feed are the nation of Israel, not Gentile believers.
Les Feldick identifies the sheep in John 21 as Israel. He points to the Book of Acts, where Peter addresses Jews rather than Gentiles, and to Galatians 2, where Peter is entrusted with the gospel of the circumcision while Paul is sent to the Gentiles. Peter's ministry, apart from one visit to Cornelius, was confined to the Jews.
John 21:15-17 — This is the direct passage where Jesus tells Peter to feed His lambs and sheep.
Matthew 10:5-6 — It identifies the 'lost sheep' as the house of Israel and commands the twelve not to go to the Gentiles.
Galatians 2:7-9 — It records that Peter was entrusted with the gospel of the circumcision and Paul with the gospel of the uncircumcision.
In John 21:15-17, after His resurrection, Jesus asks Peter three times, 'Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?' and answers each time with a command to 'Feed my lambs' or 'Feed my sheep.' In Matthew 10:5-6, Jesus sends the twelve out with a specific restriction: 'Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.' In Galatians 2:7-9, Paul describes how the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed to him and the gospel of the circumcision to Peter, and the leaders gave the right hand of fellowship for Paul and Barnabas to go to the heathen while they went to the circumcision. In Acts 2:39, Peter speaks of the promise being 'unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off.'
Les teaches that in John 21, when Jesus tells Peter to 'feed the sheep,' the sheep are Israel. He points out that when Acts opens, Peter is addressing Jews, not Gentiles, and that Peter never had a ministry to Gentiles except the single visit to Cornelius's house. Les connects this to Matthew 10:5-6, where Jesus commands the twelve to 'go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.' He sees this as consistent with Galatians 2:7-9, where Peter is entrusted with the gospel of the circumcision and Paul with the gospel of the uncircumcision. Les also teaches that 'all that are afar off' in Acts 2:39 refers to Jews dispersed throughout the empire, not Gentiles.
In Matthew 10:5-6, Jesus commanded the twelve, 'Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.' Les explains that Jesus was not being bigoted; He had a heart for the Gentiles, but it was not yet time. God was still dealing with His covenant people Israel, so the kingdom message was to go only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Les points out that when you get into the Book of Acts, Peter is addressing the Jews, not the Gentiles. He says Peter never had a ministry to Gentiles except the one time at the house of Cornelius. Even in Acts 2, Peter is still dealing with the nation of Israel, and 'all that are afar off' refers to Jews scattered from one end of the empire to the other.
In Galatians 2, Paul recounts that the leaders in Jerusalem saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed to him, while the gospel of the circumcision was committed to Peter. James, Cephas, and John gave Paul and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship to go to the heathen, while they would go to the circumcision. Les uses this to show that Peter's 'feed my sheep' instruction fits his commission to Israel.
Peter's Commission to the Circumcision
Les explains that Galatians 2 shows the division of labor: the gospel of the circumcision (Israel) was committed to Peter, while the gospel of the uncircumcision (Gentiles) was committed to Paul.
Feed the Sheep Means Israel
Les uses John 21 to show that Peter was to feed the sheep, and then shows that in Acts Peter is addressing Jews, not Gentiles, and never had a Gentile ministry except Cornelius.
Lost Sheep of the House of Israel
Les connects the 'lost sheep of the house of Israel' in Matthew 10 to the covenant promises to Abraham, showing that God was dealing only with Israel at that point.
Heart for Gentiles but Not Yet
Les explains that Jesus was not bigoted; He had a heart for the Gentiles, but God's timing had not yet come, so the twelve were sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.
Covenant Ground
Les stresses that Jesus confined the twelve to the Jews because they were standing on covenant ground.
Command to the Twelve
Les highlights the command in Matthew 10:5 and asks why Jesus narrowed the mission to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Plain Language of Matthew 10
Les says the plain language of Matthew 10:5-6 is that the twelve were to go only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and he connects it to Jesus' words to the Canaanite woman.
Peter Still Dealing with Israel
Les teaches that even in Acts 2 Peter is still dealing with the nation of Israel, and 'those afar off' refers to Jews scattered throughout the empire.
John 21:15-17: So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
This is the direct passage where Jesus tells Peter to feed His lambs and sheep.
Matthew 10:5-6: These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
This shows the 'sheep' are the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Galatians 2:7-9: But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
This separates Peter's commission to the circumcision from Paul's commission to the Gentiles.
Acts 2:39: For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Les teaches that 'all that are afar off' refers to dispersed Jews, not Gentiles.
Les teaches that Jesus was commissioning Peter to minister to the nation of Israel. He shows that in Acts, Peter addresses Jews, not Gentiles, and that Peter's ministry never went beyond Israel except for the one visit to Cornelius.
They are Israel, God's covenant people. In Matthew 10:5-6, Jesus commands the twelve to go only to them, and Les explains this was because God was dealing with Israel in the promises made to Abraham.
Les says Peter never had a ministry to Gentiles except the one time at the house of Cornelius. After that, he confined his ministry to the Jews, as Jesus had instructed him to feed the sheep.
Watch the Teaching: Why Jesus Told Peter "Feed My Sheep" — John 21 Explained