By: Robert Serreyn
Question? In both Matthew 10:6 and 15:24 it mentions “The Lost sheep of Israel”, can you explain?
Matthew 10:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Matthew 15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Answer:
In Matthew 10:6 the Lord Jesus instructed his Twelve Disciples to GO NOT into ANY gentile city.
Matthew 10:5 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.
In Matthew 15:22 a Gentile (Canaan) woman found out that Jesus was in the area and sought him to remove a demon that was possessing her daughter.
And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
NOTE: There is ONLY ONE devil and that is Satan (Lucifer) BUT there are MANY demons.
Revelation 12:4 And his (Satan / Lucifer) tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
NOTE: The word STARS in V4 refer to the angels that Satan convinced to follow him in rebellion against God
In V24 Jesus response to her was basically NO and he stated why for.
But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
In V25 the woman pressed on with her plea.
Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
In V26 Jesus said that it was NOT GOOD (meet) (Gr. Kalos) to take the children’s (Nation of Israel) bread (Jesus – John 6:35, 48,51) and to cast (Gr. BALLO = Throw or Give) it to dogs (Gentiles).
NOTE: The Jews considered any person that was not Jewish as a GOYIM meaning a dog
(noun, plural goy·im [goi-im] /ˈgɔɪ ɪm/, goys.) – Usually Disparaging. a term used by a Jew to refer to someone who is not Jewish.
in V27 the woman understood and agreed what the Lord Jesus had said to her.
And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.
In V28 Jesus Praised Her for her belief (In Him as her Lord (Messiah / Saviour – V25 & 27) – O woman, great is thy faith) and removed the demon from her daughter.
Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
This WAS NOT done in order to hide or keep the Gospel from the Gentile (non Jew) as some have suggested.
BUT if the Nation of Israel would have recieved Christ as their Messiah (saviour) the Lord WOULD HAVE used them to reach the world with the Gospel along with all of its blessings and the Millienal Kingdom would have been setup and established at that time.
John 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
It was the Lord Jesus desire TO USE the Nation of Israel TO PROCLAIM the Gospel and the Word of God to the world and to all the Gentile nations, BUT FIRST he needed to go to his own and be recieved as THEIR REDEEMER (Messiah / Saviour).
In Conclusion:
This is why through out the Book of Matthew you read the phrase “The Kingdom of God” or the “Kingdom of Heaven” BECAUSE the King (Jesus Christ) was here.
John 1:14 And the Word (Jesus Christ) was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
The MOST IMPORTANT thing to know IS Jesus Christ as savior, just simply believe that Jesus Christ went to the cross and DIED and shed his blood, was BURIED and three days later RESURRECTED from the dead to pay for your sins.
The moment that you do YOU HAVE (at that second and forever) Everlasting Life which WILL NEVER be taken away no matter what.
-Christ DIED for you – Romans 5:8
-Christ PAID your sins in full – 2 Corinthians 5:21,1 Peter 2:24
-BELIEVE (Trust In Completely) in Christ ALONE as the complete payment of sin for salvation – John 3:16, Acts 16:31, Ephesians 2:8,9
“For the wages(payment) of sin is death (eternal torment in hell); but the GIFT(salvation) of God is eternal life THROUGH Jesus Christ our Lord”. Romans 6:23
IT IS THAT SIMPLE – THE GOSPEL TRUTH