Matthew 10:5–6 – Why did Jesus limit the disciples’ preaching to Israel first, seemingly contradicting the later worldwide mission in Matthew 28:19?

Context of Matthew 10:5–6

In Matthew 10:5–6, Jesus commands: “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. Instead, go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’” At first glance, this appears in tension with His later directive in Matthew 28:19: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…” The sequence of these instructions forms a purposeful, progressive revelation of the larger plan that unfolds throughout Scripture.

Covenantal Priority for Israel

The directive that the disciples focus on Israel initially reflects the covenantal role Israel has played in salvation history. God promised Abraham that his descendants would bless “all the families of the earth” (Genesis 12:3). This promise set forth a unique responsibility for Israel to be both the repository of God’s revelation and the messenger of future blessings to the nations. Within this covenant framework, Israel was to receive the Messiah first (Romans 1:16).

Jesus’s own earthly ministry was predominantly among the Jewish people. He often cited Israel’s covenant status, declaring that His mission was initially “to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 15:24). This did not exclude Gentiles—He ministered to a Roman centurion (Matthew 8:5–13) and responded to the Canaanite woman’s faith (Matthew 15:22–28). Rather, His words and actions highlight the divine plan that began with Israel as the historical custodian of God’s promises before reaching the wider world.

Fulfillment of Messianic Prophecies

Many prophecies in the Hebrew Scriptures pointed to a pivotal Deliverer rising from within Israel. Passages such as Isaiah 9:6–7 and Micah 5:2 show the expectation of a Jewish Messiah whose ultimate scope would extend to all the earth (Isaiah 49:6). By having the Twelve first proclaim the kingdom to Israel, Matthew 10 aligns with the scriptural precedent: the Messiah, promised specifically to the covenant nation, had come. Israel’s initial reception of Him would become the launching point for the global spread of the gospel.

Sequential Reveal Leading to All Nations

After His resurrection, Jesus gives a broader commission: “Go and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:19). Rather than contradicting His earlier instruction, this is a natural expansion of the mission. The disciples obeyed this progression—bearing witness “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Scholars note how the Book of Acts narrates the gospel’s spread: it begins among Jewish believers, then Samaritans, then devout Gentiles, and finally all the way to Rome.

In Romans 15:8–9, Paul clarifies that Christ became “a servant of the circumcision on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs, so that the Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy.” There is no contradiction: the gospel was always meant for everyone, but God’s redemptive plan unfolded in stages, beginning with Israel as the covenant people.

Scriptural Unity in Both Commands

Jesus’s instructions in Matthew 10 emphasize the immediacy of an initial ministry phase directed toward Israel, fulfilling prophecy and affirming the Messiah’s identity within His own covenant nation. By the time we arrive at Matthew 28:19, His finished work of atonement and resurrection (Matthew 28:6–7; 1 Corinthians 15:3–4) commissions the disciples to proclaim salvation universally.

Harmony emerges when recognizing that the mission to Israel first is part of a larger whole. Early in the Gospels, the kingdom’s arrival is declared to the nation that carried the covenant. After Christ’s resurrection, the same message extends to every nation under heaven (Acts 2:5), firmly establishing that the scope of redemption moves outward from its Jewish framework to embrace the entire world (Ephesians 2:11–22).

Key Theological Implications

• God honors His promises: Israel’s role in redemptive history is pivotal (Deuteronomy 7:6–9; Romans 9:4–5).

• No contradiction exists: Scripture consistently shows an initial, covenant-based ministry to Israel, followed by full inclusion of Gentiles (Acts 10:34–35).

• Prophetic fulfillment: The Messiah’s coming to Israel first satisfies messianic prophecies before the gospel radiates to all people (Luke 24:45–47).

• Progressive revelation: Different emphases at different times illustrate a coherent plan that begins with Israel and culminates in the worldwide mission of Christ’s followers.

Conclusion

Far from being contradictory, Matthew 10:5–6 and Matthew 28:19 depict a unified plan that unfolds in distinct phases. Israel’s foundational role and covenant identity align with Jesus’s directive to go “to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” first. Then, upon His triumphant resurrection, the worldwide scope of salvation is fully revealed: “Go and make disciples of all nations.” Both commands stand in harmony, revealing an intentional progression from the special covenant with Israel to the universal invitation extended to every tribe, language, and people on earth.