Did Jesus come only for the Jew?

Cenababy: Jesus is the Messiah that the Jews had been anticipating for centuries (see Luke 2:25; 3:15). As such, He was born into a Jewish family and was reared according to Jewish law in a Jewish town (see Luke 2:27; Galatians 4:4). Jesus selected Jewish disciples, spoke in Jewish synagogues and the Jewish temple, and traveled mostly in Jewish areas. His mission, in fulfillment of the Jewish prophets, was to the Jewish people. However, none of this means that Jesus’ ministry was limited exclusively to the Jews.

In Matthew 15, there is an incident that, at first, seems to confirm the idea that Jesus came only for the Jews. Jesus was traveling through Tyre and Sidon, a Gentile region, and “a Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, ‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly’” (Matthew 15:22). This Gentile woman recognized Jesus as the Messiah (“Son of David”), but “Jesus did not answer a word” (verse 23). As the woman kept up her appeals, Jesus finally responded, but His words seemed to hold little hope: “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel” (verse 24). However, the woman did not give up, and Jesus eventually granted her request, based on her “great faith” (verse 28).

The fact that Jesus helped the Canaanite woman, even though His mission was to the Jews, is a significant detail in the Gospel narrative. Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus gave other indications that His power and compassion reached to all people. He healed a Roman centurion’s servant (Luke 7:1–10). He traveled through the Gentile region of the Gerasenes (Mark 5:1). He ministered in a Samaritan city (John 4).

Cenababy: Jesus came to save everybody (1 John 2:2). Jesus Christ is God Himself (John 1:1). Jesus died on the cross as the payment for all our sins, and He rose from death in resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). Jesus said He was the Good Shepherd, and He predicted that His flock would be greatly expanded: “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd” (John 10:16).

It took a while for the early church to recognize that salvation was available to the Gentiles. The Jewish Christians who fled the persecution in Jerusalem went into the Gentile regions of Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, but they were “spreading the word only among Jews” (Acts 11:19). Peter was hesitant to bring the gospel to a Gentile household, but God made it plain that Cornelius was also one of the elect (Acts 10).

“Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too” (Romans 3:29). Jesus was the Jewish Messiah, but He had come to offer salvation to everybody. The Messiah was to be a “light for the Gentiles” (Isaiah 42:6). So call on Jesus, because “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Acts 2:21).

Cenababy: If we read each verse, we should get more information and understand more. Jesus is for all who believe in him and follow him and his teachings!

HydroMan: when Jesus said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel”, He was identifying Himself as a prophet (messenger) and as the long awaited Messiah (anointed one), that is, the One who would come to preach the gospel to the Jews and work miracles among them in proof of His Messiahship. It was only upon their rejection of Him that His apostles were to be sent among the Gentiles – but the ministry of Jesus was confined almost entirely to the Jews (see Romans 15:8).

Cenababy:

Zanjan: "“I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel” "

The sheep of Israel are all those who believe in one God - monotheists, not polytheists. The Gentiles may or may not have been from a pagan religion but those to be taught must already believe in one God.

Muslims also identify with the Children of Israel - that Baha'is do too demonstrates the family connection is spiritual in nature, rather than blood ties.

Christ taught the Jews because they needed it. They must have been very confused - lost?

Zanjan: Hydroman, we read Jesus saying that He came to heal the sick, not the healthy. You seem to be referring to the Parable of the Great Banquet (Luke 14: 15-24)


"When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”

16 Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’

18 “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’

19 “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’

20 “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

21 “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’

22 “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’

23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. 24 I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’”


This may be more about our own expectations of God to choose the most favoured and respected of His servants first (those in the established religion in the land where the Messiah is born). Would be good for Christians to remember that.

chronology: Jesus 'was' only sent to the Jewish people to begin with. But tragically, the Jewish people did not recognise Him as their Massiah. As His preaching developed He became increasingly bewildering in the descriptions He used and parables He told. His classic 'eat My flesh and drink My blood' was among these bewildering announcements. Had the people not rejected His position as Massiah, He would never had said such things.

Later, Jesus made it clear He was now welcoming all people of any Race or class or sex. Salvation became a Universal Gift.

It is worth remembering the first people to honour and worship Jesus were Iraqis. The three Mystics from Iraq bowed before Christ and gave Him gifts and praise. When Herod heard of the birth of Jesus his response was to send assassins to kill every male child in the Bethlehem in the hope of killing Jesus.

TheDoctor394: The whole message of the Bible is that of redemption - man's fall from grace through sin, and God's redemptive work. He chose the Jews as the people through whom He would do that work, with the Israelites paving the way in the Old Testament, and through them came Jesus Christ, with the ultimate plan for all to be saved through Him - He came "first for the Jews, then for the Gentiles".

Zanjan: "He chose the Jews as the people through whom He would do that work"

FYI, God chose several different peoples in the East - depends on what time frame you're looking at - Prehistoric or Written history? For written history, He chose them from India and Persia first; after that, He chose the Children of Israel, then the Jews and so on. None were any less important than the others.

The reason God sent His Divine Messengers to those specific places is that they were the worst, most corrupt places on earth with people so messed up, nobody else could help. They'd strayed from their relationship with God so their situation was the most urgent. God has never left men alone when they needed Him.

When Jesus arrived, that's the state the Jews, alone, were in. The rest of humanity outside of the Mediterranean region was still doing ok on the religion they had. Yet, there was never a Revelator who said 'no, you can't join', to someone who believed in Him, including Gentiles.

The Jews of Jesus's time had become very exclusive, fearing pagan influences would destroy them as it had done several times in the past. Jesus made it clear that people of other religions wasn't their problem - the problem was that their OWN clergy had lied to them and led the people away from God.

patrickhannon419: Here is the gospel you need to believe to be saved.

1Corinthians 15:3  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 
4  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 

Some day Christ will come to this earth, He will not come to bring peace as some teach.

2Thessalonians 1:8  In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 
9  Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 

Zanjan: Spam

patrickhannon419: The Jews or the religion of the Jews at that time of Christ crucified the Lord Jesus Christ.
So because of Israel's unbelief, salvation has come to the Gentiles through the apostle Paul.
That is why I posted the above gospel given to Paul the apostle unto the Gentiles
Gal 1:11  But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. 
Gal 1:12  For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Zanjan: The pagan Romans tortured and crucified Jesus because the Jews weren't permitted.
Everybody knows Paul was not the Saviour. Perhaps, if you were a Christian, you'd know more about that religion.

Captain Nemo1: Cena,you still in livingston,or houston?.how are animals..im working full time now,would like to know how you are,send me a message and let me know please,take care

Captain Nemo1: Lol,zanjan,the Jews are the children of israel,they are one and the same,..jews,hebrews,israelites,all the same..granted Abraham was from ur of the chalees,jacob,s name was changed to israel.my lol was not intended in a malicious way.

Captain Nemo1: Oops typo,chaldees

Zanjan: Captain, the "Children of Israel" is a spiritual rank. You ought to study history more.

Israel, formerly named Jacob, was the grandson of Abraham. The religion of Abraham was Hebrew.
The name "Israel" means "one who fought (contended with) God". Jacob wrestled with the Angel; he received the new name because God won; consequently, he bowed to the Will of God. Thus, all those who make that same transition are among his spiritual children.

It has nothing to do with which religion you are, your bloodline, race or ethnicity.

The first followers of Moses weren't Jews. A portion were descendants of Abraham but many were from different backgrounds and tribes. While the followers of Moses traveled with their families during the exodus, that first generation never saw the promised land. Only the second generation was worthy - THOSE earned the rank of the Children of Israel, later to become known as the Israelites. They were one nation for 200 years before splitting up.

The word "Jew" means "from Judah". Since God smacked down the Northern Kingdom of Israel and exiled those people from the Levant, the believers in the Southern Kingdom of Judah remained; from then on all followers of Moses were called Jews to this day.

The Christian equivalent to that transition is "to become born again".