Jesus Sends Out the Twelve .( A .) .( B .) .( C .) .( D .) .( E .) (Matthew 10:1-42 true)
What does Matthew 10:5-6 Mean?
Contextual Meaning
The apostles were to limit their ministry to the Jews living in Galilee. They were not to go north or east into Gentile territory or south where the Samaritans predominated. The Samaritans were only partially Jewish racially. They were the descendants of the poorest of the Jews, whom the Assyrians left in the Promised Land when they took the Northern Kingdom into captivity, and the Gentiles whom the Assyrians imported. Religiously they only accepted the Pentateuch as authoritative. This is Matthew"s only reference to the Samaritans. [source][source][source]
The apostles were to go specifically to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, a term that described all the Jews ( Isaiah 53:6; Jeremiah 50:6; Ezekiel 34). The designation highlights the needy character of the Jews. Jesus sent them to the Jews exclusively to do three things. They would announce the appearance of a Jewish Messiah, announce a Jewish kingdom, and provide signs to Jews who required them as proof of divine authorization. Jesus did not need the additional opposition that would come from Gentiles and Samaritans. He would have to deal with enough of that from the Jews. His kingdom would be a universal one, but at this stage of His ministry Jesus wanted to offer it to the Jews first. We have already noted that Jesus had restricted His ministry primarily but not exclusively to Jews ( Matthew 8:1-13). He was the King of the Jews. [source][source][source]