Only two—a Canaanite woman and a Roman centurion.
Les Feldick teaches that Jesus confined His ministry to Israel throughout His three years of earthly ministry, with these two exceptions. The Canaanite woman appears in Matthew 15, and the Roman centurion is the other exception Les names. Jesus also instructed the Twelve not to go to the Gentiles, but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Matthew 15:22-27 — Records the Canaanite woman's exchange with Jesus, one of the two Gentile exceptions Les identifies.
Matthew 10:5-6 — Shows Jesus commanding the Twelve to go to the lost sheep of Israel rather than to Gentiles.
John 12:20-21 — Describes Greeks asking to see Jesus, a passage Les discusses but does not count as a third Gentile ministry.
In Matthew 10:5-6, Jesus commanded the twelve, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Matthew 15:22-27 then records a Canaanite woman who came to Jesus crying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. Jesus answered, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. The woman replied, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. John 12:20-21 reports that certain Greeks—Gentiles—asked Philip, Sir, we would see Jesus. The Scriptures do not supply a summary number, but they do show a pattern of ministry directed to Israel.
Les Feldick states plainly that over His three years of earthly ministry Jesus confined His ministry to Israel, with two exceptions: the Roman centurion and the Canaanite woman (Clips 2, 3, 7). He emphasizes that before the Canaanite woman was finally helped, Jesus ignored her, and the disciples told Him to send her away because she was a Gentile (Clip 1). Les also clarifies that this was not bigotry on Jesus's part—it was God's timing and the fulfillment of promises made to Abraham (Clip 4). He uses the Canaanite woman's exchange to show that the 'children's bread' belonged to Israel and the Gentiles were the 'dogs' who could receive only the crumbs (Clip 0).
Les names the Roman centurion and the Canaanite woman as the only two Gentiles Jesus dealt with during His earthly ministry. He says otherwise Jesus confined His ministry to the nation of Israel.
Les explains that Jesus was not being bigoted. It was not time for the Gentiles, because He had come to fulfill the promises made to Abraham. He commanded the twelve to go only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. After Israel was set aside, Paul could write of obedience to the faith among all nations.
When the Canaanite woman cried out to Jesus, He answered her not a word. His disciples urged Him, 'Send her away,' because she was a Gentile and they knew the instruction to have nothing to do with Gentiles. Jesus later answered, 'It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs,' and the woman replied that the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the master's table.
Les speculates that these Greeks were not proselytes but curiosity seekers—Gentiles visiting Jerusalem who had heard about Jesus. They asked Philip, 'Sir, we would see Jesus.' Les does not count them as a third Gentile ministry; the two exceptions remain the Canaanite woman and the Roman centurion.
Children's Bread, Dogs, and Crumbs
Les explains the exchange with the Canaanite woman: the children are the Jews, the dogs are the Gentiles, and the woman's 'crumbs' reply shows she understood Israel's priority.
Disciples Want Her Sent Away
Les notes that the Twelve wanted Jesus to send the Canaanite woman away because she was a Gentile, and they remembered the command to go only to the lost sheep of Israel.
Two Exceptions and Paul's Commission
Les names the Roman centurion and the Canaanite woman as the two exceptions to Jesus's Israel-only ministry, then shows how Paul's apostleship to all nations is not a contradiction.
Only Two in Christ's Ministry
Les repeats that Jesus dealt with only the Canaanite woman and the Roman centurion as Gentile exceptions in His earthly ministry.
Not Bigotry, But Divine Timing
Les stresses that Jesus was not bigoted toward Gentiles; the time had not yet come, because He was fulfilling promises made to Abraham and had sent the Twelve to Israel.
Granted the Canaanite's Request
Les recalls that the disciples said to send the Canaanite woman away, yet Jesus finally condescended to her and granted her request.
The Greeks Were Curiosity Seekers
Les interprets the Greeks in John 12 as probably curiosity seekers, not proselytes, who merely asked to see Jesus—not a third Gentile ministry.
Ministry Confined to Israel
Les affirms that Jesus confined His ministry to the Jews in a small region, again naming only the Roman centurion and the Canaanite woman as exceptions, and cites Acts 11:19.
Matthew 10:5-6: 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: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Jesus's explicit instruction to the Twelve establishes the Israel-first scope of His earthly ministry.
Matthew 10:7: And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
The message Jesus authorized for Israel was that the kingdom was near.
Matthew 15:22: 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.
This Canaanite woman is one of the two Gentile exceptions Les names.
Matthew 15:23: But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
The disciples asked Jesus to send her away, reflecting the restriction to Israel.
Matthew 15:26: But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.
Jesus's reply distinguishes Israel, the children, from Gentiles, the dogs.
Matthew 15:27: And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.
The woman's response accepts the priority of Israel while asking for a merciful crumb.
John 12:20-21: And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
Les discusses these Greeks as likely curiosity seekers rather than another group Jesus ministered to.
Romans 1:5-7: By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
After Israel was set aside, Paul's commission goes out among all nations, Jews and Gentiles.
Acts 11:19: 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.
Les cites this verse to show that even the early church initially preached only to Jews.
Les explains that in Jesus's reply, 'the children' are the Jews and 'the dogs' are the Gentiles. The phrase 'It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs' was about Israel's priority, not an insult. The woman accepted the imagery by saying the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table.
Yes, according to Les. He consistently names the Roman centurion along with the Canaanite woman as the only two Gentiles Jesus dealt with in His earthly ministry. The transcripts do not include the centurion's account in detail, but Les uses them as a pair.
The Bible itself does not give a numbered list. Les draws the conclusion of two from the Gospel record, naming the Roman centurion and the Canaanite woman. He also discusses the Greeks in John 12 but does not treat them as a third ministry.
Watch the Teaching: Why Jesus Told His Disciples: Don't Go to Gentiles