Why did the early church preach only to Jews at first?
The early church preached only to Jews because God had not yet given them instructions to go to the Gentiles. He was still dealing with His covenant people Israel, as late as Acts chapter 7. So the message remained Jew only until God directed otherwise.
Les teaches from Acts 11:19 that those scattered after Stephen’s stoning—seven years after Pentecost—traveled to Phenice, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the Word to none but Jews only. They had only the Old Testament, not the New. Les explains it was Jew only because God had not yet given instructions to go to the Gentiles. He was still dealing with His covenant people Israel as late as Acts 7, so Peter addressed his hearers as men of Israel.
Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.
More Questions
How long after Pentecost did the believers still preach only to Jews?
This scattering and preaching to Jews only happened long after Pentecost, which Les estimates at about seven years after Pentecost.
Is it bigoted to teach that the early believers preached only to Jews?
This Jewish-only preaching is not bigotry on the speaker's part but simply what the book of Acts plainly says.
Did the early believers preach to Gentiles right after Pentecost?
In Acts 11:19 the scattered believers preached the Word to none but Jews only — seven or eight years after Pentecost these Jews had gone to no one but Jews.
How do we know the early Jewish believers kept Jesus' commandment to go only to Israel?
The early Jewish believers adhered to the commandment Jesus gave to the Twelve, which is shown in Acts chapter 11.