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----- Original Message -----
Sent: 1/5/2006 1:50:13 AM
Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] Saturday Sabbath/Other lost Israelite sheep
Blaine writes > Jesus himself never went to the Gentiles. He never spoke to them except on one occasion that was an exception to his rule.
NKJ Mark 5:1 Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. 2 And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, ... 18 And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. 19 However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you." 20 And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.
You might want to ruminate on this passage a while, Blaine. Only one of the "ten cities" which together made up the Decapolis was located to the west of the River Jordan (it was called Scythopolis, a.k.a. Bethshaen). The rest were situated beyond the banks of the "promised land," in what could only be classified Gentile territory (the other nine cities were Hippos, Gadara, Pella, Philadelphia, Gerasa [home of the "Garasenes," a.k.a. "Gadarenes"], Dion, Canatha, Raphana, and Damascus). Indeed Jesus sent this duly impressed Gentile into the far country to "publish" (GR. karussein) his story until throughout Decapolis "all kept on marveling (imperfect tense) at what Jesus had done."
And, Blaine, I find it quite noteworthy that Jesus did this without first proselytizing him in the doctrines and duties of the Jewish people. IF I had a complaint, it would be that many Christians get bogged done in the minutiae of their peculiar forms of legalism and fail to realize this subtle but profound point. To their shame, the astonishing truth remains that Jesus sent this brand new Gentile convert out without any discipling at all, not permitting him to stay on with them and learn through the traditions of his people the proper way of holiness. The truth is he sent him out without so much as a whisper from the law and prophets, off without a word on the do's and don'ts of godly living. No law. No commandments. No holy days. No feasts or ordinances -- just a simple request: "Tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you."
In your post you claim that Peter was the first to introduce the Gospel to the Gentiles. In fact, Blaine, he was not. A caveman from Gerasa gets credit for that one. What Peter was was the first JEW to go to the Gentiles. Ah yes, but before he was fit to go, he had to come to grips with the fact that what Jesus had done under law for the Jews, he had accomplished as well for the Gentiles -- and this he did for them apart from the law! Indeed before he could go, Peter had to grasp the fact that he dare not foist upon Greeks his Jewish customs: for who was he to call unholy what God in Christ had cleansed?
Bill
cd: Well stated Taylor-The Samaritan women also preached of Jesus and did not consider herself a Jew-for she said" How is it that thou,being a Jew askest drink of me,which am a Samarian"? And went her way into the city, and saith to the men. Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: Is not this the Christ?I believe God gives us simple understanding first and then later deeper understanding of the law.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2006 6:32 PM
Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] Saturday Sabbath/Other lost Israelite sheep
The Gentiles first received the gospel by way of the Apostles--Peter first received the command to carry the message to those whom God had cleansed as he saw the sheet lowered with the unclean animals on it, and was commanded to "Rise, Peter, Kill and eat."
This was the introduction of any Gentile to a gospel message. Paul was then commissioned to carry the message to Gentiles, and was deemed the apostle to the Gentiles.
Jesus himself never went to the Gentiles. He never spoke to them except on one occasion that was an exception to his rule. They never heard his voice, yet he says, "Other sheep I have which are not of this fold, and they too must Hear My Voice!" His personal appearances were ALWAYS reserved for the House of Israel, ONLY!!
In a message dated 1/4/2006 6:33:16 A.M. Mountain Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
----- Original Message -----
Sent: 1/3/2006 7:39:32 PM
Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] Saturday Sabbath/Other lost Israelite sheep
What about this?
Matthew 15:22-26
"And behold a woman of Canaan came . . . but he answered and said, I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the House of Israel . . . It is not meet to take the children's bread, and cast it to the dogs."
Do you not believe your Bible? Here He actually stated in so many words his mission was to the HOUSE OF ISRAEL only. The woman from Caanan, although a Gentile, was an exception because of her great faith.
cd: Then does that mean that gentiles cannot be saved? If his words were for the "House of Israel" only then why are we told to live by those same words that Jesus spoke to the Jews? If so then the message that Jesus carried were for all men-this was foretold as the Jews had to first be offered the truth with the understanding that they would reject that truth-it was also foretold that Jesus would die for the sins of the whole world-so he was also here for the whole world not just the Jews. We then are grafted into the tribes- and in a sense become a part of the promise given to Abraham and are actually grafted into Israel (ie. Romans 11:17)
His mission to the Samaritans was due to the large amount of the blood of Israel in that group of people. The Samaritans were a mixture of Israelite bloodlines and Babylonian bloodlines--they were descendants of those Jews who were not taken captive in the Babylonian Captivity, and who intermarried with the Babylonians who were sent from Babylon to occupy the land. Because the Jews would not recognize their Israelite heritage, they even had a separate temple, alter, priests, etc. But Jesus, knowing all things, knew many of them were also Israelites. This was not a contradiction to his stance that he was sent "but to the House of Israel."
cd: The Samaritans were more correctly termed half-Jews (ie mixture of gentile and Jewish blood) as such they were outcasts to which the Jews would have no part of-nor any dealing with-as a half Jew is regarded as a gentiles-It is my view that Jesus helped those whom asked for help-Jew or Gentile.After the Babylonian captivity Ezra separated those that inner married with those Gentiles mentioned and the Jewish blood line remained pure (ie. see Ezra 10: 6-17).
Not only that, but if his mission was "but to the House of Israel," what about those Israelites--ten tribes of them--who had already been taken captive many years earlier into the "Northlands" by Assyria? How was he to minister to them? The Jews were basically two tribes only--Judah and Benjamin--and parts of a third tribe, Levi. The other ten tribes had been taken captive years earlier and were never heard from again. They are even today referred to as the "Lost Ten tribes." So what about them? Did THE SAVIOR NOT CARE ABOUT THEM?
cd: In Bible prophecy we are told to look for Israel to become a nation again as a sign of the last days of the Gentile world rule-to wit the Messianic Jews and the converted Gentiles will rule the world under the leadership of Jesus Christ (ie. King of Kings) at this same time there is a seven year time of testing and the outpouring of Gods wrath-within this same time period God seals 12,000 from each tribe of Israel equaling 144,000 and each tribe is mentioned as being present in Israel (ie. Rev.7,14). The nation of Israel came into existence May 14,1947 and was ratified in 1969-This has never happened in the history of the world-no nation has ever ceased to exist for 2,000 years and returned-yet Israel has done so. The Jews have returned and all the tribes are present-so therefore logic would dictate there are no "lost tribes".The sheep of another fold was the Gentiles.
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