The Greek noun aule refers to a courtyard, palace, or sheepfold — an enclosed open-air space. It appears at key moments in the Gospel narratives: Peter denied Jesus in the aule of the high priest (John 18:15-16), and Jesus described Himself as the gate of the aule for the sheep (John 10:1).
The aule is a liminal space in the Gospel narratives — neither fully inside nor outside. Peter stood in the courtyard of those who condemned Jesus, warming himself at a fire — in between commitment and desertion. Jesus as the gate of the sheepfold declares that access to the Father's protection comes only through Him. The sheep know His voice and follow. Every other entry is theft and violence. The courtyard scenes of the Passion contrast sharply with the sheepfold image: Peter in the wrong courtyard, denying the Shepherd who was dying for the sheep.