The answer is: Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel

Matthew 10 vs 6

In Matthew 10:6, Jesus sends His disciples on a mission specifically targeting “the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” This is profound because it highlights His emphasis on the Jewish people, who were seen as facing spiritual confusion and moral drift at the time. Jesus viewed Himself as a fulfillment of the covenants made in the Hebrew Scriptures—meaning He was dynamically addressing a community of faith already steeped in tradition, longing for redemption.

For trivia lovers, it’s interesting to note the term "lost sheep" echoes back to passages like Ezekiel 34, where God’s role as a shepherd is intricately woven throughout the Book of Isaiah. This reflects not merely a call to wanderers, but also to those who have felt abandoned by their community.

Furthermore, the journey of these disciples served as an early model of evangelism aimed at healing and restoring—themes recurring throughout the Gospels. When we consider that early in His ministry, Jesus directs contact primarily to the locals, it underscores an often overlooked point: the motivations behind religious outreach. While modern interpretations frequently broaden to all peoples, the first step in Jesus’s mission was to address those closest to home, prompting reflections on the importance of community before reaching outwards.

Next time you hear about the lost sheep, remember the deep roots of community and belonging it brings to the surface!