Where Did Jesus Die? — Page 94
? 94 told them of his vision and assured them of his sincerity by boldly preaching in Jerusalem in the name of Jesus. According to his epistle to Galatians he abode with Peter fif- teen days only and he saw no other Disciple besides James. 1 Up to this time all those scattered abroad in consequence of the persecution following the death of Stephen, had travelled as far as Phenice, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word unto none but Jews only. 2 By this time Paul had despaired of the conversion of the Jews. So he determined to preach openly to the Gentiles. Nevertheless this was against the teaching of Jesus; he had strictly prohibited his disciples, 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. ’ 3 And also: ‘I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel’, and ‘It is not meet to take the children’s bread and cast it to dogs’ 4, 5. 1. Gal. 1:19 2. The Acts 11:19 3. Matthew 10:5–6. 4. Matthew 15:24–26 5. There are many other passages in the Gospels which clearly show that Jesus was not sent but to the Israelites. For instance, Mary was told by the angel that Jesus shall be given ‘the throne of his father David’ (Luke 1:32) ‘And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever’ (Luke 1:33). Concerning Bethlehem, Matthew quotes ‘out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel’ (2:6). The Sermon on the Mount was addressed only to the Israelites. Jesus Christ, in spite of the fact that the other nations were living side by side with the Jews in Palestine, never preached to them. He prophesied about his twelve