Did Jesus Come for Everyone?
Christianity tells us Jesus died for everyone, and He did. This is plainly pointed out in John 3:16
John 3:16 (NASB)
16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
Clearly it says Jesus died for the Word, and not just certain people. But did you know that Jesus originally did not come for everyone, but only the Jews?
In Mark 7:26-29, a Gentile woman came to Jesus, asking Him to cast a demon out of her daughter. Jesus' reply was to turn her away, telling her to "Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs. Jesus is telling her that He was there for the children (Jews) and not for the dogs (Gentiles). When she persists and shows her faith in Him, He relents and heals her child.
Then we have what Jesus sent His disciples out to do...
Matthew 10:5-6 (NASB)
5 These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them, saying, “Do not go on a road to Gentiles, and do not enter a city of Samaritans; 6 but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Jesus clearly tells them not to preach to the Gentiles or the Samaritans. To only go to the lost sheep of Israel. The Jews.
There are a few cases where Jesus does teach Gentiles, but far and large, His ministry was focused on the Jews. When He sent out His disciples it was clearly to preach to the Jews and not to the gentiles. Then after His resurrection, He commanded His disciples to stay in Jerusalem and to begin their preaching the gospel to the Jews. In fact it is not until Acts chapter 8, before the Gentile nations are finally included into the message of Salvation. When it was, it first caused a stir among the apostles that salvation would be offered to the Gentiles as well as the Jews.
Now this does not mean that Jesus did not die for the entire world. It only means that He came first for the Jews and if they would have accepted Him, I am not so sure we all would have ever been saved. The Bible never speculates what would have happened. But the Jews did not accept Him, and instead killed Him. In doing so, His death became the sacrifice that saved the world and not just the Jews.
Jesus died for everyone, but He did not originally come for everyone. Then again He did...
You see, Jesus knew before He even came to us that the Jews would reject Him. He knew from before this world was created that they would kill Him and His gift of salvation would be offered to everyone. So in that sense, Jesus died for everyone and that was God's plan from the start. However, He followed particular rules per say. There was a way He had to do things and that was to come for the Jews first and then the Gentiles. But the Jews were God's people, and so they were the focus of His ministry.
This is not the message most churches preach because it can be confusing to understand, but this is what the Word of God actually tells us. Jesus said He came for the children and not the dogs. He sent His disciples to preach to the Jews and specifically told then "not" to go to the Gentiles or Samaritans. After He dies and resurrects, He keeps them in Jerusalem to preach to the Jews. It is not until well after Jesus is gone to heaven that the gift of salvation is finally offered to the gentiles. Though God had planned on giving it to the gentiles all along, its first intention was for the Jews. The Gentiles received it later. So in that sense, Jesus came for the Jews and not the Gentiles. He died for everyone.
John 3:16 (NASB)
16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
Clearly it says Jesus died for the Word, and not just certain people. But did you know that Jesus originally did not come for everyone, but only the Jews?
In Mark 7:26-29, a Gentile woman came to Jesus, asking Him to cast a demon out of her daughter. Jesus' reply was to turn her away, telling her to "Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs. Jesus is telling her that He was there for the children (Jews) and not for the dogs (Gentiles). When she persists and shows her faith in Him, He relents and heals her child.
Then we have what Jesus sent His disciples out to do...
Matthew 10:5-6 (NASB)
5 These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them, saying, “Do not go on a road to Gentiles, and do not enter a city of Samaritans; 6 but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Jesus clearly tells them not to preach to the Gentiles or the Samaritans. To only go to the lost sheep of Israel. The Jews.
There are a few cases where Jesus does teach Gentiles, but far and large, His ministry was focused on the Jews. When He sent out His disciples it was clearly to preach to the Jews and not to the gentiles. Then after His resurrection, He commanded His disciples to stay in Jerusalem and to begin their preaching the gospel to the Jews. In fact it is not until Acts chapter 8, before the Gentile nations are finally included into the message of Salvation. When it was, it first caused a stir among the apostles that salvation would be offered to the Gentiles as well as the Jews.
Now this does not mean that Jesus did not die for the entire world. It only means that He came first for the Jews and if they would have accepted Him, I am not so sure we all would have ever been saved. The Bible never speculates what would have happened. But the Jews did not accept Him, and instead killed Him. In doing so, His death became the sacrifice that saved the world and not just the Jews.
Jesus died for everyone, but He did not originally come for everyone. Then again He did...
You see, Jesus knew before He even came to us that the Jews would reject Him. He knew from before this world was created that they would kill Him and His gift of salvation would be offered to everyone. So in that sense, Jesus died for everyone and that was God's plan from the start. However, He followed particular rules per say. There was a way He had to do things and that was to come for the Jews first and then the Gentiles. But the Jews were God's people, and so they were the focus of His ministry.
This is not the message most churches preach because it can be confusing to understand, but this is what the Word of God actually tells us. Jesus said He came for the children and not the dogs. He sent His disciples to preach to the Jews and specifically told then "not" to go to the Gentiles or Samaritans. After He dies and resurrects, He keeps them in Jerusalem to preach to the Jews. It is not until well after Jesus is gone to heaven that the gift of salvation is finally offered to the gentiles. Though God had planned on giving it to the gentiles all along, its first intention was for the Jews. The Gentiles received it later. So in that sense, Jesus came for the Jews and not the Gentiles. He died for everyone.
