Who did Jesus tell the twelve apostles to go to in Matthew 10:5?
Jesus commanded the twelve to avoid the way of the Gentiles and not enter any city of the Samaritans; instead, they were to go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. This instruction marked the onset of His earthly ministry and limited their mission within Israel.
Les explains that Matthew 10:5 comes at the very onset of Christ’s earthly ministry. Verses 2, 3, and 4 record that Jesus had chosen the twelve around Galilee, all within the borders of Israel, and they were all Jews. Then Jesus gives them their marching orders: He commanded them, “Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter you not, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Les calls this plain language. He later connects this to Matthew 15, where the woman of Canaan, a Gentile lady, approaches Jesus. The twelve wanted Him to send her away, but Les notes they were aware of what Jesus had told them in chapter 10: they were to have nothing to do with Gentiles and go only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. They were under God’s control, not being bigoted Jews.
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:
More Questions
Why are people shocked by the instructions Jesus gives the Twelve in Matthew 10?
In Matthew 10, when Jesus began His earthly ministry and called the Twelve, He gives instructions that shock people because they do not know they are in their Bible.