Yes — the early Christians preached only to Jews because God had not yet instructed them to take the message to the Gentiles.
Scripture explicitly says they 'preached the word to none but unto the Jews only' (Acts 11:19). Peter's Pentecost sermon also addressed 'Ye men of Israel,' not pagan Gentiles. Les Feldick emphasizes that God was still dealing with Israel as His covenant people and that the offer of salvation remained confined to Israel until the later transition to the Gentiles.
Acts 11:19 — This is the direct statement that the early believers preached to none but unto the Jews only.
Acts 2:22 — Peter's Pentecost address is explicitly directed to 'Ye men of Israel' — not to pagan Gentiles.
Acts 11:19 is the key passage: '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.' The Bible here limits the audience to Jews. In Acts 2:22, Peter's Pentecost sermon begins, 'Ye men of Israel, hear these words.' The biblical record from Pentecost through the events around Stephen tells of the message being carried only to Jewish people in the areas where the believers were scattered. The Bible does not explicitly explain the reason for this restriction in these verses, but the account makes the Jewish-only nature of the early preaching clear.
Les explains the reason this way: God was still dealing only with the Jew. The offer of salvation, under the Law, was not yet turned over to the whole world (Clip 0). Peter's Pentecost message continued the Old Testament promises and covenants that God had made to the nation of Israel (Clip 7). Les also notes that people often reject this plain language — 'people rebel at that' — but he insists the Scripture is clear (Clip 3). He connects the eventual shift to the Gentiles with Israel's continued rejection, the conversion of Saul, and Peter's visit to Cornelius, after which God began something totally different (Clips 3, 6).
Les Feldick explains that when Acts 11:19 says they 'preached the word,' it is referring to the Old Testament. He points out that the New Testament had not yet been written, so the only Word they had was the Old Testament. That Old Testament message was used to prove that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ, the One Israel had crucified. This same message continued in the first few years, and Les says you cannot put Gentiles into that picture because the Scripture says they preached to none but Jew only.
Les Feldick notes that Acts 11:19 describes believers scattered by the persecution that arose around Stephen, which he places about seven years after Pentecost. Even at that late date, those believers traveled as far as Phenice, Cyprus, and Antioch and still preached to none but Jews only. Les says God then 'did something totally different' because Israel rejected the offer in unbelief, just as they had earlier at Kadesh. The transition begins with Peter's visit to Cornelius and the conversion of Saul, after which the Jewish program begins to slip away.
Les Feldick teaches that God was dealing only with the Jew throughout this early period. The offer of salvation under the Law was still confined to Israel; it had not yet been turned over to the whole world. Peter's Pentecost address was made to 'Ye men of Israel' — Jews gathered from throughout the Roman Empire for the feast — and Les says Peter was continuing the Old Testament promises and covenants, making a claim on the nation that Christ had come to fulfill those promises.
Peter at Pentecost
Peter's Pentecost crowd was made up of Jews from the known world, and he addressed them as 'Ye men of Israel' — not including pagan Gentiles in his audience.
Seven Years Later — Still Jew Only
Acts 11:19 shows that even at the stoning of Stephen, about seven years after Pentecost, scattered believers preached the Word to none but Jew only.
Scattered to Phenice, Cyprus, Antioch
The Jewish believers scattered by persecution traveled to Phenice, Cyprus, and Antioch and still did not go to Gentiles — they preached to none but Jew only.
Israel's Rejection and God's New Direction
Les notes that people resist this plain Bible statement, but after Israel rejected God's offer again, God did something totally different.
The Word Was the Old Testament
Because the New Testament had not been written, the 'word' they preached was the Old Testament, proving that Israel's crucified One was the Christ.
Old Testament Proof of Messiah
The same verses show that these believers preached the Old Testament message that Jesus was the Messiah to none but Jews only.
Transition to the Gentiles
Acts 11:19 sets the scene just as the Jewish program begins to transition toward the Gentiles after Peter's visit to Cornelius's house and Saul's conversion.
Peter's Claim on Israel
Peter's Pentecost speech continues the Old Testament promises and covenants, making the claim on the nation of Israel rather than on 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.
This is the direct biblical statement that early believers preached only to Jews, even after the persecution linked to Stephen.
Acts 2:22: Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
Peter's Pentecost sermon is addressed to the nation of Israel, not to pagan Gentiles.
The Bible says in Acts 11:19 that the scattered believers 'preached the word to none but unto the Jews only.' Les Feldick explains that God was still dealing with Israel as His covenant people, and the offer of salvation was not yet opened to the whole world. This continued until God raised Paul and sent him to the Gentiles.
According to Les, even as late as the stoning of Stephen — about seven years after Pentecost — the scattered Jewish believers were still preaching to none but Jew only. The transition began with Peter's visit to Cornelius and then Paul's conversion, when God began to do something different because Israel had rejected the message.
They preached the Old Testament. Les points out that the New Testament had not yet been written, so the 'word' they proclaimed was the Old Testament, used to prove that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah promised to Israel.
Watch the Teaching: What Peter Really Said at Pentecost — Acts 2 Explained