How does Matthew 10:6 connect with God's covenant promises to Israel? Setting the Scene in Matthew 10 • Matthew 10:5-6: “These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: ‘Do not go onto the road of the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’” • Jesus is commissioning the Twelve on their first preaching mission. Their initial focus is deliberately narrow: Israel alone. Who Are the “Lost Sheep”? • “Lost sheep” recalls God’s pastoral imagery for Israel (Psalm 95:7; Ezekiel 34:11-16). • The phrase recognizes Israel’s covenant identity while acknowledging her current spiritual estrangement. Linking Back to the Abrahamic Covenant • Genesis 12:2-3 promises Abraham a nation through which “all the families of the earth will be blessed.” • By sending messengers first to Abraham’s physical descendants, Jesus honors the divine order: blessing begins with the covenant family, then overflows to the nations (Romans 1:16). • This mission previews the fulfillment of God’s oath “to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant” (Luke 1:72). Echoes of the Sinaitic Covenant • Exodus 19:5-6 calls Israel “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” • Jesus’ directive aims to restore that priestly calling—Israel is to hear the good news so she can, in turn, declare God’s glory. Prophetic Hints of Restoration • Jeremiah 23:3-4 and Ezekiel 34:23 speak of God gathering His scattered sheep under a righteous Shepherd. • Jesus positions Himself—and ultimately His apostles—as agents of that promised regathering. A Foretaste of the New Covenant • Jeremiah 31:31-34 promises a “new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.” • By ministering first to Israel, Jesus signals that the new-covenant blessings (forgiveness, new heart, Spirit) are rooted in God’s unbreakable promises to national Israel, then extend outward (Acts 1:8; Acts 3:25-26). Implications for the Gospel Narrative • Matthew’s Gospel highlights Jesus as Israel’s Messiah (Matthew 1:1). Chapter 10 shows the Messiah’s faithfulness to covenant sequence: Israel first, nations next (Matthew 28:19-20). • The restriction in Matthew 10 is temporary, emphasizing priority, not exclusivity. Pentecost will widen the circle (Acts 2; Acts 10). Living the Connection Today • God keeps every covenant pledge; His faithfulness to Israel underscores His reliability toward all who trust Him (Romans 11:29). • The church, grafted in by grace, is called to honor the Jewish roots of redemption and anticipate the full restoration promised in Scripture (Romans 11:25-27). |
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