jesus and the lost sheep of Israel

[glow]

Hi,
Why does Jesus say in Matt.15:24 . I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Yet,
He died on the cross for all mankind and he also gave us the command to tell this to all nations?

Glow

[Suzana]

Hi Glow,

I think here Jesus was referring to his personal specific ministry while in his earthly body, that the immediate task or mission was to focus on the Jewish nation, as their promised Messiah. The apostles were later, after the resurrection, commissioned to go into the whole world.


Ezekiel 34:5 "They were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and they became food for every beast of the field and were scattered. 6 "My flock wandered through all the mountains and on every high hill; My flock was scattered over all the surface of the earth, and there was no one to search or seek [for them."’"\i0 (NASB)

Ezekiel 34:16 "I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken and strengthen the sick; but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with judgement. (NASB)

Matthew 9:36 Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. (NASB)

Matthew 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: "Do not go in [the] way of [the] Gentiles, and do not enter [any] city of the Samaritans; 6 but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (NASB)

Romans 15:8,9 For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises [given] to the fathers, and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy; as it is written, "THEREFORE I WILL GIVE PRAISE TO YOU AMONG THE GENTILES, AND I WILL SING TO YOUR NAME." (NASB)

Acts 13:46 Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, "It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. (NASB)

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (NASB)

[glow]

THANKYOU!

Wow, that was really nice of you to include so many scriptures..Makes alot of simple sense.I think because I was focusing so much on how he came for all of us, it kinda threw me reading that the other day .Makes sense that His mission was to fulfill prophecy and show he was the messiah they were waiting for, so His focus would be there.

I love the way Gods word is so simple and complex at the same time.

[steve7150]

Hi,
Why does Jesus say in Matt.15:24 . I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Yet,



Also i think to fulfill Jeremiah 31.31 which said a new covenant would come to the House of Judah first.