Matthew 15:24 kjv
But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Matthew 15:24 nkjv
But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
Matthew 15:24 niv
He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."
Matthew 15:24 esv
He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
Matthew 15:24 nlt
Then Jesus said to the woman, "I was sent only to help God's lost sheep ? the people of Israel."
Matthew 15 24 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mt 10:5-6 | "Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." | Jesus' explicit instructions to His disciples confirming the initial Israel-centric mission. |
| Rom 1:16 | "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." | The divine order of salvation, starting with the Jews. |
| Acts 13:46 | "It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you [Jews]..." | Paul's confirmation of the priority of reaching Israel first. |
| Ps 119:176 | "I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant, for I do not forget your commandments." | Israel's confession of their spiritual wandering and need for divine seeking. |
| Isa 53:6 | "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all." | Humanity's lost condition, pictured as straying sheep. |
| Eze 34:11-12 | "For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out... I will rescue them..." | God's promise to actively seek out His scattered and neglected people. |
| Jer 50:6 | "My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray..." | A lament for Israel's leadership failure and their consequence of being lost. |
| Lk 15:3-7 | Parable of the Lost Sheep: "What man of you, having a hundred sheep... leaves the ninety-nine in the open country and goes after the one that is lost...?" | Jesus' teaching emphasizing divine pursuit of the lost. |
| Mt 9:36 | "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." | Jesus' compassionate view of the multitudes in Israel, recognizing their dire spiritual state. |
| Jn 10:16 | "And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also..." | Jesus alludes to the future inclusion of Gentiles ("other sheep"). |
| Isa 49:6 | "I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth." | Prophecy indicating Israel's ultimate role in bringing salvation to the Gentiles. |
| Zec 8:23 | "Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew..." | Prophecy pointing to the Gentiles coming to God through Israel. |
| Eph 2:12 | "Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel..." | Gentiles were once outside God's covenant with Israel. |
| Mt 28:19 | "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them..." | The Great Commission, marking the universal expansion of the Gospel after His resurrection. |
| Acts 1:8 | "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." | The gradual, geographic expansion of the gospel message from Jerusalem outward. |
| Rom 9:4-5 | "They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ..." | Acknowledging the special privileges and heritage of Israel. |
| Gal 3:28 | "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." | The unity in Christ that transcends former ethnic/social divisions in the church age. |
| Isa 11:12 | "He will raise a signal for the nations and will assemble the banished of Israel, and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth." | Prophecy of the future re-gathering of Israel. |
| Hos 1:10 | "Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea... And in the place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' it shall be said to them, 'Children of the living God.'" | Prophecy of the re-gathering and recognition of Israel. |
| Rom 11:25-26 | "...a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved..." | God's future plan for Israel's restoration. |
| Jn 4:22 | "You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews." | Jesus confirming the Jewish origin of salvation, including His own heritage. |
| Lk 24:47 | "and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem." | Post-resurrection instruction for universal evangelism, still highlighting Jerusalem as the starting point. |
| Mal 3:6 | "For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed." | God's unchanging faithfulness to His covenant with Israel. |
Matthew 15 verses
Matthew 15 24 Meaning
Matthew 15:24 encapsulates Jesus' initial, divinely ordained mission: to gather the scattered people of Israel, whom the Scriptures often portray as "lost sheep" in need of their Shepherd. This statement clarifies the specific focus of His earthly ministry during His first advent, addressing His covenant people first before the full expansion of the Gospel to the Gentiles. It underlines a precise order in God's redemptive plan, establishing a foundational premise for understanding both His immediate actions and the eventual trajectory of His Kingdom.
Matthew 15 24 Context
Matthew 15:24 occurs during a significant period in Jesus' ministry. Immediately prior, Jesus has just engaged in a strong rebuke of the Pharisees and scribes for prioritizing human traditions over God's commandments (Mt 15:1-20). He has withdrawn from Galilee to the region of Tyre and Sidon, Gentile territory, signifying a brief departure from His typical Jewish-centric ministry. It is here that a Canaanite woman (a Gentile) approaches Him, pleading for the healing of her demon-possessed daughter (Mt 15:21-22).
Initially, Jesus remains silent. When His disciples urge Him to send her away, Jesus states this verse (Mt 15:24) as a justification for His apparent hesitation or non-engagement with her. It highlights a core tenet of His earthly mission to the original audience: His primary responsibility was to the covenant people of Israel. This context underscores the progressive nature of God's redemptive plan; while God always intended salvation for the Gentiles, the historical and spiritual framework mandated that it would first come through Israel. The encounter itself becomes a powerful demonstration of faith breaking through initial limitations, ultimately showing God's compassion extends beyond national boundaries, though within a specific divine order.
Matthew 15 24 Word Analysis
He answered (Ἀπεκρίθη - Apekrithe): While often meaning a direct response, in biblical usage, especially in the Gospels, "answered" can introduce a significant statement or declaration, even if no direct question was posed to which it is a reply. Here, it signifies Jesus making a profound declaration concerning His divine commission and the scope of His present work. It's a statement of divine purpose, not merely a casual retort.
I was sent (ἀπεστάλην - apestalēn): This is a passive form of apostellō, meaning "to send forth with a specific commission or purpose." The passive voice implies divine agency – Jesus was not sent by Himself, but by God the Father. This emphasizes His authority and the precise nature of His mission, given to Him by His Sender. It points to a pre-ordained plan and a specific, time-sensitive purpose.
only (εἰ μὴ - ei mē): This restrictive conjunction means "except for" or "but only." It acts as a clear delimitation of the scope of Jesus' mission at that particular time. It's a precise boundary, indicating exclusivity for His immediate earthly work. It doesn't mean exclusion from future salvation, but prioritization in the present.
to the lost sheep (πρόβατα τὰ ἀπολωλότα - probata ta apolōlota):
- sheep (probata): A common biblical metaphor for people, often for God's chosen people, dependent and prone to straying.
- lost (apolōlota): Perfect passive participle of apollymi, meaning "to destroy," "to perish," or "to be lost." Here, it describes sheep that have strayed, gone astray, or are in danger of perishing. This term evokes deep Old Testament imagery of Israel's spiritual condition, scattered and lacking proper guidance, suffering under corrupt leadership. It highlights their vulnerable and perilous state. Jesus came as the Good Shepherd to seek them out.
of the house of Israel (οἴκου Ἰσραήλ - oikou Israēl):
- house (oikos): Not just a physical dwelling, but metaphorically signifying the lineage, family, descendants, or even the entire nation and its established structure and covenant relationship with God.
- Israel (Israēl): The covenant name given to Jacob (Gen 32:28), signifying the people chosen by God, descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the recipient of God's covenants and promises. This explicitly names the beneficiaries of Jesus' primary ministry, the twelve tribes and their descendants, reinforcing the idea of God's faithfulness to His covenant people.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
"I was sent only": This phrase asserts the divine origin and restricted focus of Jesus' current mission. It speaks to a specific commission from the Father, a clear directive that outlines the boundaries of His initial ministry. It’s not an indication of unwillingness, but adherence to a strategic, heavenly plan.
"to the lost sheep of the house of Israel": This powerful descriptive phrase defines the target group and their condition. "Lost sheep" speaks to their spiritual plight—straying from God's ways, in need of guidance, salvation, and protection. "House of Israel" specifies the covenant nation, underscoring God's continued faithfulness to His chosen people, even in their lost state. This shows God's specific care for Israel before the gospel exploded into the Gentile world.
Matthew 15 24 Bonus Section
This verse highlights the tension within the book of Matthew itself, between the Jewish focus of Jesus' early ministry and the universal scope of the Great Commission (Mt 28:19) at the end of the Gospel. This tension demonstrates God's progressive revelation of His plan: initial priority to Israel, then outward to the Gentiles. It is not a contradiction but a sequence. The Jewish people, as covenant heirs, were the original recipients of the Kingdom's proclamation, providing the framework through which all peoples would eventually receive God's blessings. The Gentile inclusion, exemplified powerfully by the Canaanite woman, became a clear signpost that God's grace was already breaking out of pre-conceived ethnic boundaries, yet still originating from within God's covenant plan for Israel. The woman's tenacious faith is presented as an anomaly, prompting Jesus to extend His compassion beyond the strict immediate scope, effectively anticipating the church's mission post-Pentecost.
Matthew 15 24 Commentary
Matthew 15:24 is not a statement of racial prejudice or a rejection of Gentiles, but rather a revelation of God's redemptive strategy, executed in precise divine order. Jesus' primary mission during His earthly life was intrinsically tied to the covenant promises made to Israel. He came as the fulfillment of prophecies, as the Messiah of Israel, sent to call His own people to repentance and restore them to God. The "lost sheep" imagery deeply resonates with Israel's history of straying from God's path, their spiritual and moral wanderings, and the failure of their human shepherds (leaders). Jesus is the true Shepherd coming to seek and save His people.
This specific, time-bound mission of Jesus doesn't negate the eventual global scope of the Gospel. Instead, it forms the foundation. Salvation is from the Jews (Jn 4:22), and it had to be established among them first. The encounter with the Canaanite woman immediately following this statement dramatically illustrates the breakthrough of faith that transcends these initial boundaries. Her persistent faith compels Jesus to act, serving as a powerful foreshadowing that while His initial earthly ministry focused on Israel, God's ultimate redemptive plan embraced all nations, mediated through the rejected Messiah of Israel. This verse affirms God's faithfulness to His covenant while preparing the ground for the radical inclusion of the Gentiles, especially post-resurrection.
- Practical Example: Just as a surgeon might first focus on a critical, life-threatening organ before attending to other issues, Jesus had a primary, critical task to address with His own people, preparing the ground for the broader healing of the nations.
- Practical Example: A parent's immediate concern is for their own children; however, this doesn't preclude them from caring for or loving other children or advocating for broader welfare once their family is secure.