Written Criticism – Is Christ only for the Jews, as stated in the Bible?
In this lecture, His Holiness Pope Shenouda III explains that Christ did not come only for the Jews, even though He once said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 15:24). The Pope clarifies that Christ said this during the early training of His disciples, instructing them first to preach among the Jews, who already possessed the Law, the prophecies, and the divine promises—God’s chosen people in preparation for the Messiah.
After their spiritual preparation and the descent of the Holy Spirit, the mission expanded to all nations, as Christ declared: “You shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). He later commanded: “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15), and “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).
The Pope adds that even during His ministry, Christ interacted with non-Jews—He praised the faith of the Roman centurion, the Canaanite woman, and visited Tyre and Sidon, Gentile regions. Thus, Christ’s message is universal salvation for all humanity. The Jews were only the starting point due to God’s covenant with them, not the limit of His love.
✝️ Spiritual Lessons:
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Christ came to save the whole world, not just one nation.
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The Gospel began with the Jews because they held God’s promises.
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The Church’s mission is to preach to all nations without distinction.
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True belonging to God’s people is through faith, not lineage.
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God’s love embraces all—from east and west—to share Abraham’s blessings.
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