“To the Jew First"
Acts 13:13-52
“It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.” [Acts 13:46]
To the Jew first and then to Gentiles; that had been God’s plan from the beginning.
“I will make you [Abraham] a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” [Genesis 12:2-3]
“In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you [Abraham] have obeyed my voice.” [Genesis 22:18]
“I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.” [Isaiah 49:6]
In Acts 13 we are reminded of the literal fulfillment of these prophecies; that the blessing, the Gospel, the good news of Messiah, comes to the Jews first, and then to the Gentiles. Note, too, that the prophecies highlight a Person [“your seed,” “I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles”].
Israel, however, has rejected Jesus as the Messiah. Therefore, the fulfillment of Gentile blessing bypassed the nation and went directly to the Gentiles. “Behold, we turn to the Gentiles.” [Acts 13:2]
This transition is described in this latter portion of Acts. From Acts 13 on we find Paul beginning his ministry in the synagogues but only to be cast out and then ministering directly to the Gentiles. And this same blueprint continued:
To the Jew first and then to the Gentiles.
Paul described this in His Romans Epistle. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” [Romans 1:16]
While most of Paul’s converts were Gentiles, he continued to share with his countrymen. He began with the Jew first.
Food for thought as we pray over our evangelizing today. We must never forget God’s people, the Jewish nation.
May we continue to pray for Israel’s salvation.
