Is There A Contradiction?

There appears to be a contradiction made by Jesus in the Scriptures? But is there?

Matthew 10:5, Jesus said to his apostles, “Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not.”  Compare with,

Acts 1:8, Jesus said, “But ye shall receive power, after (is a time word) that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

The Samaritans were an ancient sect who lived among the Jews. Their name was a term of contempt. Their beginning was in the time of king Rehoboam, under whose reign the Jews were divided into two kingdoms, North, and South.

When the Jews returned from Babylonian captivity, the Samaritans for the most part had cast aside their idol worship.  This people asked that the priests of Israel teach them the law of Moses. After being instructed, they soon embraced the Mosaic law.

They were the nearest neighbor of the Jews. Therefore, Samaria soon became a refuge for malcontent Jews: Consequently the term “Samaritan,” became a term of abuse for a dissident rebel.

John 8:48, Jesus said, “Say we (the Jews) not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?”

What scorn the Jews intended when they mouthed these words. A Samaritan meant more then, “No Israelite at all,” but those who had no claim at all to the name, Jew. Samaritan’s were called pretenders.

When the Jews prospered, the Samaritans never failed to call themselves Hebrews, of the race of Abraham. But when persecution came upon the Jews, they disowned them, claiming to be Phoenicians, descended from Joseph, or Manasseh his son. (A two faced people.)

So, lets boil this down into one pot. The Samaritans were Gentiles by blood. Being descendants of those whom the king of Assyria had moved from the East, but now had adopted the religion of the Jews. They worshipped in the court of the Gentiles, in the Temple.

But, there seems to be an unanswered question among Christian’s and other who are always looking to put the Scriptures down.

“Were the apostles to go only to the Jews?” If so, then why did they go to the Samaritans, and enter into Gentile lands? The answer can be found in God’s timing.

Matthew 10:5, Jesus said to his apostles, “Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not.” Well these instructions seem to be perfectly clear.

Verse 6, “But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

The Jews were to be the first offering of salvation unto God. Gentiles were not to be noticed in this first offering, they were not to become a stumbling stone to the apostles. The first century church, consisted mostly of Jews, they being of the ancient fold of God. But now had wandered from their Shepherd; lost.

The apostles were to be the overseers and shepherds of the Jews after Christ’s death. The command by Him, “To go NOT in the way of Gentiles and Samaritans,” was removed on the day the Holy Spirit came down upon the apostles at Pentecost.

Acts 1:8, Jesus said, “But ye shall receive power, after = (is a time word) that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and YE SHALL be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

Christ’s death and resurrection had broken down the middle wall of partition,

Ephesians 2:14, “He (Jesus) is our peace, who hath made both (Jew and Gentile) one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us.”

The Gospel was first to be brought to the Jewish people by the apostles, but upon receiving power from the Holy Spirit, it opened up the way to the Gentiles.

Isaiah 56:6, “Also the stranger (Gentiles,) that join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him, and to love the name of the LORD.”

So the first offering of salvation was to be made to the Jews first,

Acts 3:26, “Unto you (the Jews) first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.”

Here was an open door for them to come back to the God of their fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And if they choose not to return, they would be lost forever, wandering about endlessly.

So, the apostles obeyed the Lord, and went to the Jews first. Once they received the power from the Holy Spirit, they went to the Samaritans, and those Gentiles called brethren. So they were obedient to both commands given them by Jesus, “Go not,” then, “Go to.”

Those called brethren were Gentiles that had adopted the ways of the Jews before Christ, and during his ministry. They worshipped in the court of the Gentiles, a place set up for them in the Temple. But they were ordered not to cross that wall of partition separating them from the Jews, under the penalty of death.

This is the wall, the barrier that Jesus broke down, spoken of in, Ephesians 2:14.

This should answer the question, Why did the apostles seem to disobey the Lord’s command not to go to the Gentiles, and the Samaritans?

Phil LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com