James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew,
the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon, the Canaanite, and Judas
Iscariot, the man who would betray him. Jesus sent these twelve on mission with the instruction:
“Do not visit pagan territory and do not enter a Samaritan town. Go instead to the lost sheep of
the people of Israel. Go and proclaim this message: The kingdom of heaven is near.
Reflection:
The early ministry of Jesus and His disciples is restricted only to the lost
sheep of the people of Israel. It does not yet include the whole world.
It does not even include the Samaritan towns. Let us remember that the Kingdom
of David was split into two after Solomon took over. In the South is the Kingdom of
Judah and Benjamin whose capital is Jerusalem. This is where Jesus is and His disciples.
While the Northern Kingdom of Israel composed of ten tribes have their capital later
on in Samaria. These ten tribes are not included in the Jesus ministry. This tells us several
things. First God’s love for Israel now expressed through the house of David is everlasting.
God does not abandon His own. Secondly, God employs anyone and everyone that
He wants. There is no such thing as qualification since it is God who qualifies those
whom He calls. And lastly, the love of God will overflow and spread to everyone in the end
when the great commission of Jesus to His disciples is “Go out and preach the gospel to
all nation…”
© Copyright Bible Diary 2021