By Pastor Richard Jordan
From Grace School of the Bible
In recent years, I have come to understand the distinctive ministry of the Apostle Paul. He is extremely important due to the fact that it is Paul who wrote one half of the New Testament, and three-fourths of the epistles. To ignore or diminish his epistles is to be disobedient to the Heavenly Ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ in both doctrine and practice.
For the next several articles, I am reposting Richard Jordan’s booklet WHY PAUL?
____________________________
CHRIST’S EARTHLY MINISTRY
During His earthly ministry, neither our Lord nor His twelve apostles ministered to the Gentiles as such. Rather, Christ came to minister to the nation Israel. Romans 15:8 is very clear on this point. This is a verse that can revolutionize your understanding of God’s Word:
“Now I say that JESUS CHRIST WAS A MINISTER OF THE CIRCUMCISION FOR THE TRUTH OF GOD, TO CONFIRM THE PROMISES MADE UNTO THE FATHERS.”
In light of this simple declaration-one which only unbelief would gainsay-we can confidently know something: The books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John record the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ to the nation Israel exclusively. He confirmed to Israel that the promises made to their patriarchs were true. He proclaimed the good news that they were soon to be fulfilled.
When we point out from a verse like Romans 15:8 that Christ’s earthly ministry was exclusively to Israel, somewhere someone will rise in objection by quoting “the world” and “whosoever” from a verse like John 3:16. This is supposed to prove that His earthly ministry had the world-not just Israel -in view.
Unfortunately those who do so somehow ignore verses like 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.”
But why would Christ say, “God so loved the world” and yet forbid His apostles from going to the world? What is going on? And there is more. Consider the account in Matthew 15 – “And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, 0 Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil” (vs. 22,23). According to the popular view, Christ should have rushed right over to this young girl and immediately helped her.
But read on: “But he answered her not a word” (v. 23).
Did you think the Lord would do this to someone in such obvious need? And when His disciples interceded on her behalf, we have His plain words:
“But he answered and said, I AM NOT SENT BUT UNTO THE LOST SHEEP OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL” (v.24).
When we compare this verse with John 3:16 it isn’t hard to get confused! Didn’t Christ love this lady and her daughter? Surely He did! Then what is going on?
Unless we recognize exactly what the program of God was at the time we will never find the answer. You see, at that point the program was not a wholesale going out to the nations. The program in effect then was based on the promises made to Abraham and amplified by the prophets.
The Old Testament abounds with promises and prophecies that salvation would go to the ends of the earth through redeemed Israel (e.g., Genesis 22:17,18, Isaiah 60:1-3, Zechariah 8:13,20-23, etc.). This is why our Lord confined His earthly ministry exclusively to the nation Israel. They were the chosen and prophesied channel of blessing of the nations.
God indeed loved the whole world, and His specific promise was that salvation was to go to the world through the rise of Israel. Reading on in Matthew 15 we discover the woman finally received the healing she sought for her daughter. It is important to see on what basis this blessing was bestowed:
“Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. “But he answered and said, IT IS NOT MEET TO TAKE THE CHILDREN’S BREAD, AND CAST IT TO DOGS” (vs. 25,26).
Mark 7:27 amplifies the Lord’s statement by adding His words: “Let the children first be filled.” The minis” was first to Israel -they must “first be filled” with God’s blessings-and then through a redeemed and “filled” Israel salvation would go to the Gentiles. The woman’s answer reflected her understanding of where she stood:
“And she said, TRUTH, LORD: YET THE DOGS EAT OF THE CRUMBS WHICH FALL FROM THEIR MASTERS’ TABLE” (Matthew 15:27).
When she took her place under Israel ‘s table, she received the blessing which overflowed from it. In other words, she got her blessing in the program then in effect. This explains why our Lord was sent to none but “the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” That favored nation was in a sad spiritual condition. They sorely needed to repent for they were in no condition to be a blessing to anyone.
________________________ We continue in our next article…