Yes — Jesus directly commanded the twelve to avoid Gentiles and Samaritans and to go only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
In Matthew 10:5-6, Jesus sent the twelve with an explicit restriction, telling them not to enter Gentile territory or Samarian cities. Les Feldick explains that this was because God had been dealing with Israel as His covenant people since Abraham, and Jesus came to fulfill those covenant promises. It was not bigotry; it was a matter of God's timing and purpose.
Matthew 10:5-6 — Jesus directly commands the twelve to avoid the Gentiles and Samaritans and to go only to the lost sheep of Israel.
The Bible records Jesus sending out the twelve with an unmistakable command: “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” (Matthew 10:5-6). This was not a suggestion but a direct instruction from Jesus at the beginning of His earthly ministry. Later, the risen Lord gives a broader commission in Acts 1:8: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Even in this wider scope, the actual ministry of the twelve recorded in Acts reaches Samaria, but not the Gentile nations. The New Testament also shows that after Israel was set aside, Paul received an apostleship specifically for the nations: Romans 1:5 says, “By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name.”
Les Feldick begins with Matthew 10:5 and says the language is plain: 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.” He emphasizes that Jesus gave them their marching orders at the very onset of His earthly ministry. Les explains the reason is found in the Abrahamic covenant. Since Abraham, God had been dealing only with His covenant people Israel — promising to make them a nation, to place them in their geographical promised land, and one day to come as their King and Messiah. Jesus came to fulfill those promises, so the mission necessarily focused on Israel. Les also addresses the objection that Jesus was being bigoted. He insists Jesus was not bigoted; He had a heart for the Gentiles, but it was not time. Jesus had come to fulfill the promises made all the way back to Abraham, so He told the twelve to go only to the lost sheep of Israel. Even with the Canaanite woman, Jesus said He could not give to Gentiles what belonged to the children. Les further shows that the twelve never had a ministry among the Gentile nations. Their progress in Acts went as far as Samaria, but they did not go to the nations of the world. Why? Because Israel never accepted the King, and that opportunity was taken from them because of Israel's rejection. Then God set Israel aside and turned to the Gentiles, so Paul could write about obedience to the faith among all nations.
Les explains that since Abraham's covenant, God has been dealing only with His covenant people Israel. The promises involved making Israel a nation, putting them in their geographical promised land, and one day coming to be their King and Messiah. Jesus' command to the twelve to go only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel fit that purpose. He had come to fulfill those covenant promises, so the mission had to begin with Israel.
Les directly answers the charge of bigotry. Jesus was not being bigoted; He had a heart for the Gentiles, but it was not time. He had come to fulfill the promises made to Abraham. Even when Jesus encountered the Canaanite woman, He said He could not give to Gentiles what belonged to the children — that is, Israel.
Les says the twelve were directed only to the nation of Israel. In Acts 1:8, the commission reached as far as Samaria, and Philip did go to Samaria in Acts 8. But the twelve themselves never had a ministry among the Gentile nations. Les challenges readers to find one instance of the twelve ministering to Gentiles — they never did. Why? Because Israel never accepted the King, and that opportunity was taken from them because of Israel's rejection.
Les explains there is no contradiction between Jesus' earlier restriction and Paul's later Gentile ministry. After God set Israel aside, He turned to the Gentiles. Paul could then write of his apostleship “for obedience to the faith among all nations” — not just Israel, but every Gentile nation. This shift is part of God's purposes, not a contradiction.
Why Jesus Told His Disciples: Don't Go to Gentiles
programs, I've got all my kids and my grandkids here with us, and that may never happen again. In fact, I just doubt if it ever would. But anyway, if the camera will just take a quick pan across them, we've got Greg, my oldest son, and his wife Jeanette, and then Jerry, and Laura, my daughter, and my son-in-law, and their two kids Tara and Zach, and then way at the back is my youngest Todd, and hi…
Covenant Ground for the Command
Les traces the restriction back to God's covenant dealing with Israel since Abraham, including the promises of nationhood, land, and the coming King and Messiah.
A Direct Command in Plain Language
Les reads Matthew 10:5 and calls the language plain — Jesus personally commanded the twelve to avoid the Gentiles and Samaritans.
Not Bigotry but Timing
Les says Jesus was not bigoted; He had a heart for the Gentiles, but it was not time, because He came to fulfill the promises to Abraham.
The Narrow Frame of the Mission
Les highlights that Jesus qualified the mission in a very narrow frame of reference, setting up the covenant explanation.
Paul's Later Gentile Commission
Les contrasts the early restriction with Paul's later ministry — after Israel was set aside, the gospel went out to all nations.
The Twelve Never Went to the Nations
Les challenges readers that the twelve never had a Gentile ministry; their Acts 1:8 reach was as far as Samaria because Israel rejected the King.
The Jew-Only Period
Les places the command within the period from Abraham to Christ when God's prophets wrote only to Israel, with exceptions.
Matthew 10:5: 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:
This is Jesus' direct command that the twelve avoid Gentile ways and Samaritan cities.
Matthew 10:6: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
This completes the command, showing the positive focus on Israel.
Acts 1:8: But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
The risen Lord gives a wider commission, but the twelve's recorded ministry reaches Samaria and not the Gentile nations.
Romans 1:5: By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:
Paul's apostleship is explicitly for the faith among all nations, showing the later turn to the Gentiles.
No. Les Feldick says Jesus was not being bigoted; He had a heart for the Gentiles, but it was not time. He had come to fulfill the promises made to Abraham, so He commanded the twelve to go only to the lost sheep of Israel.
Because God had been dealing with Israel as His covenant people since Abraham. The promises concerned making Israel a nation, giving them the promised land, and sending their King and Messiah, so Jesus' earthly mission began with Israel.
Les notes two exceptions during Jesus' earthly ministry: the Roman centurion and the Canaanite woman. At first Jesus even ignored the Canaanite woman because she was a Gentile.
No. Les says the twelve never had a ministry among the Gentile nations. Their Acts 1:8 witness reached as far as Samaria, but they did not take the gospel to the nations because Israel rejected the King.
Watch the Teaching: Why Jesus Told His Disciples: Don't Go to Gentiles