Samaritan (Part 4)

Text: Matthew 10:5 “These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:”

Intro: The thing to remember here is that Matthews gospel account portrays Christ as King, the Son of David. In the first 10 chapters Christ reveals Himself to the Jews as the long-awaited King of Jerusalem. He was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, and that very truth is stated 12 times over the course of the books 28 chapters. He was born in Bethlehem to a virgin, all of which was confirmed by the announcement by God’s messenger Gabriel, Herod kills the children, so as a child He is brought to Egypt by His parents, then later returns to Nazareth and is called a Nazarene. In the first 10 chapters we see Him fulfill many of those prophecies concerning the Jewish Messiah, but when He presents Himself as such, Matthew 11:28 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” but the overwhelming response to His offer, was flat out rejection. A rejection that grew in hostility until He was eventually put to death by the very people, He came to save and prosper through His own kingdom. Matthew 27:29 “And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!”

2 Kings 17:23 “... So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day.”

2 Kings 17:24 “... and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof.”

2 Kings 17:29 “Howbeit every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made...”

Samaria although is in the land of what was Old Testament Northern Kingdom Israel, they have become genetically, and religiously different, from the people that once resided there through the blessing of God. That also means that they are not the same as the remnant of God’s chosen people that remained in Judaea at the time of Christ.

You here me say all the time, that things that are different are not the same!

Our passage in Matthew 10 shows us the progression of discipleship.

Matthew 10:1 “And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.”

Notice here that they are called “disciples”, meaning: A learner, or follower, that receives instruction and is adherent to another.

Matthew 10:2 “Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;”

Notice the change in their name? “apostle” representing their commission from Christ, their empowerment by Christ, and their purpose to bring Jews to Christ.

They were to do that through miracles, signs, and the preaching of the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 10:5–7 “These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 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.”

To put it very simple, it is the Jews whom the promise of an earthly kingdom was made, so it was the Jews who were anticipating the Messiah’s ushering in of that kingdom! The Jews are still today, looking for the Messiah, having rejected Christ, they desire one to fulfill the Old Testament prophecy pertaining to His birth, life, and kingdom…

We on the other hand, are not looking for a kingdom but we are looking for our Saviour… While the Jews have no idea who they are looking for, we do! Colossians 3:4 “When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.”

In keeping the promises and covenants of the Old Testament, Israel was to be converted first, then through them, the Gentile was to come to God.

Genesis 12:1–3 “Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”

Even Paul who was the apostle to the Gentiles...

Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

Through Israel’s reception of their Messiah, and their conversion from death unto life, then...

Isaiah 60:1–3 “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, And the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And gross darkness the people: But the Lord shall arise upon thee, And his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, And kings to the brightness of thy rising.”

God’s plan was not for Christ to come to the Gentiles, but God had a provision for when the Jews, His chosen people would reject their promised Messiah. Then God who is rich and mercy, would reach the Gentiles without them… Which too, was spoken of in the Old Testament...

Romans 15:9 “And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.” (quoting 2 Sam. 22:50 & Ps. 18:49)

So keeping with God’s plan of the Jew first…

Matthew 15:24 “But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Romans 15:8 “Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:”

Ephesians 2:11–12 “Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:”

Those alienated from the commonwealth of Israel included the Samaritans...

John 4:22 “Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.”

Jesus’ earthly ministry by design was restricted to the Jews, He still demonstrates the broader purpose of His coming, in John 4… Which was to be the fulfillment of the blessing of Abraham, upon the whole world.

John 4:23–26 “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.”

Remember, at the time of John 4, Israel is mainly in unbelief, (Mark 6:4 “But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.” / Mark 6:6 “And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.” ) so refusing to receive their promise Messiah they rather stuck to the traditions that had been made at the hands of sinful men.

So, while Christ came for the lost sheep of Israel, He would soon commission eleven of the twelve men back in Matthew 10, Acts 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

And so…

John 4:4 “And he must needs go through Samaria.”

We will begin here in John 4 next week! The first interaction of Christ and the Samaritans…