Scripture In Nutshell.
Each of the synoptic gospels handles the choosing and sending out of Jesus’ twelve disciples differently. Matthew, the last of the four gospels to be produced, takes a unique approach: he combines the calling of the twelve and the sending out in one section. His gospel also includes the following instruction: “Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” What are we to make of this oddity - that the gospel is exclusive to Israel - which doesn’t seem consistent with the rest of Matthew or with scripture as a whole? Matthew is following a program in his Gospel which reflects the teaching of Paul in a nutshell: the gospel
is offered to Gentiles, but they are not first. Israel is. It is their refusal that opens the door for Gentiles to accept the same teaching. The call and sending of the twelve in Matthew accomplishes two things: it affirms the Scriptural primacy of the mission to Israel; additionally it puts pressure on the Gentile addressees by reminding them of the seriousness of the matter; that when the gospel
is offered to them, it will have already been offered to and refused by Israel; thus it is coming to them as a last opportunity.
Join me in a discussion of Matthew 10:1-8.
References:
Matthew
9:35, 36;
15:24, 28;
24:14;
28:16,
20Romans
9:30Revelation
21:12-14
1 Corinthians 10:1-10
ὄχλους
ochlous (crowds)