You might say, "well what about Matthew 28:19?" Isn't that a command to take the gospel to the world wide? What we must ask ourselves, how did the apostles understand this command?
Matthew 28:19-20
19 Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: 20 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
What nations is Jehoshua talking about? Again, we must remember He came only for the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matthew 24:15). Some will say that was Jehoshua's initial mission but now He is telling the apostles to go to all the literal world. However, we actually see that the apostles did not understand it in the universalist way.
Acts 10:15-16
15 And a voice came unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, make not thou common. 16 And this was done thrice: and straightway the vessel was received up into heaven.
If the apostles understood the great commission as a call to go to all non Israelite nations then why did Jehovah God have to give Peter this vision to not call anything unclean that he made clean? This is because that is not how Jehoshua meant it otherwise we would have to say the apostles disobeyed His command. Look below at what Peter says:
Acts 10:26-28
26 But Peter raised him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man. 27 And as he talked with him, he went in, and findeth many come together: 28 and he said unto them, Ye yourselves know how it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to join himself or come unto one of another nation; and [yet] unto me hath God showed that I should not call any man common or unclean.
It is very telling that Peter still understood that it was unlawful for a Judean to join himself to someone of another nation. That was because that those from other nations were not circumcised which meant they were unclean. However, God gave Peter a vision snowing him that not to call what He (God) had made clean unclean.
Acts 10:22
"And they said, Cornelius a centurion, a righteous man and one that feareth God, and well reported of by all the nation of the Jews, was warned of God by a holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words from thee"
It's important to note that Cornelius was a righteous man who feared Jehovah God and was well reported by the nation of Judah. This was not just anyone it was someone who feared God. What's more surprising is the fact that Cornelius was likely a Israelite from the scattered northern tribes. How do we know this? Because James the brother of the Lord included him as a fulfillment of the Amos 9 prophecy concerning the restoration of the Davidic Kingdom:
Acts 15:13-14
13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Brethren, hearken unto me: 14 Symeon hath rehearsed how first God visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
Here James is alluding to the Amos chapter 9 prophecy that he quotes right after these verses. Let's go to the original passage in Amos 9:9-12:
9 For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all the nations, like as grain is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least kernel fall upon the earth. 10 All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, who say, The evil shall not overtake nor meet us.11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up its ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old; 12 that they may possess the remnant of Edom, and all the nations that are called by my name, saith Jehovah that doeth this.
James in Acts 15 acknowledges Cornelius as part of the prophecy of Jehovah God visiting the Gentiles (nations) and calling out a people for His name. This is exactly what Amos prophesied and guess what? The nation's spoken of were not non Israelite nations but they were the nations of the house of Israel dispersed among the non Israelite nations.
Verse 9 and 12 show that it is the house of Israel sifted among the nations who will be called by Jehovah's name in order to resurrect the Kingdom of David. In verse 9 it says that the least kernel shall fall unto the earth of the dispersed Israelites. This means that Jehovah would know exactly where to find them at the time of the restoration. Remember, only the nation of Israel was called by Jehovah's name (Exodus 4:22).
Peter understood Jehoshua's command to take the gospel unto the world as being exclusively for Israel:
Acts 10::36-38
36 The word which he sent unto the children of Israel, preaching good tidings of peace by Jehoshua Messiah (He is King of all.) --37 that saying ye yourselves know, which was published throughout all Judaea, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;.38 even Jehoshua of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
The word of the gospel of the Kingdom was sent to the children of Israel. As noted above, Jehoshua made that clear in that Israel was the object of His ministry and no one else. The apostles continued that mission taking the word of the Kingdom to the children of Israel. Let's look at verse 35:
Acts 10:34-35
34.And Peter opened his mouth and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35 but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to him.
We must ask ourselves, what does every nation mean? Universalists will take this literally to mean every nation in the whole world, however we know that Jehovah only dealt with Israel as His covenant people. As a matter of fact it would take centuries for the gospel to go to the America's and the natives there or certain parts of Africa and the polynesian islands. These nations had never even heard of Jehovah God and His only begotten Son by the time missionaries reached them.
Exodus 2:24-25
24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.
When Peter says God is no respector of persons he obviously isn't contradicting what is said above so must reconcile his statement. When we see that Acts 15 and Acts 17 that the nations mentioned are actually the tribes of the children of Israel then we should understands Peter's statement the same way. The every nation which has those that fear Jehovah God are the same nations mentioned in Acts 15 and 17 i.e. the tribes (nations) of Israel.
We know that Jehovah God did indeed favor Israel over other nations so Peter's statement could not be meant in a universalist way. Peter simply means that among all the nation's of the tribes of Israel Jehovah God has men and women who fear Him. Again, it couldn't mean that literally every nation on earth had people that feared him as there many areas of the world that didn't even hear about Jehovah God until centuries later.
Being that the new covenant was made with the house of Judah and the house of Israel the John 3:16 passage about God sending His only begotten Son into the world that whosoever believeth in him would have eternal life applies to whosoever of Israel would believe in the Son of God. Just to show even further that the gospel of the Kingdom was for Israel let's go to the book of Acts again:
Acts 1:5-8
5 For John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days hence. 6 They therefore, when they were come together, asked him, saying, Lord, dost thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? 7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know times or seasons, which the Father hath set within His own authority. 8 But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
We must note that the apostles expected the Kingdom of Israel to be restored. Jehoshua's death and resurrection did not change that hope. Remember, the prophecy about Jehoshua was that He would be the King who would rule over the united Israelite Kingdom.(Ezekiel 34 and 37). The apostles were asking a logical question. Jehoshua did not dispute the verity of what they were asking but simply was telling them that not to worry too much about the when but be more concerned with the how. Jehoshua said that it was in the Father's power and timing as to when the Kingdom would be restored. This goes exactly with what He said earlier in His ministry that only the Father's knows the hour of his (Jehoshua's) return.
The how the Kingdom would be restored was what the apostles we're going to actively take part in. Jehoshua told them that they would bw anointed with the Holy Spirit and then be His witnesses throughout all Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and the utter most parts of the earth.
Let's break down the geography of this:
Jerusalem was the capital city of Judea. This is exactly where the new covenant Davidic Kingdom had it's inauguration as the holy spirit fell on the apostles on the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem. The sermon Peter preached on this day was that Jehoshua fulfilled the Davidic covenant by His resurrection from the dead and being enthroned on the throne of David.
It was fitting that Jersuslem was the site of the inauguration of the new covenant Davidic Kingdom since this is where the Davidic throne resided in the old covenant. Of course now the throne is right above in the Heavenly New Jersuslem.
Judea of course is the whole country surrounding Jerusalem. This is where much of the Southern Kingdom of Judah still lived which consisted of Judah, Benjamin and some of Levi.
Samaria is where the capital of the house of Israel was located. This was the northern Kingdom. Many that lived here were descendants of the northern tribes but had been mixed ethnically by this time. Much of the northern kingdom had been dispersed among the nations by this time.
Jehoshua's geographical plan for the apostles to witness in His name fits bible prophecy that the Davidic king would unite the two Kingdoms. The apostles taking the gospel to the brethren of Israel was obviously the priority of Jehoshua and Jehovah God.
What about the utter most parts of the earth? Many take this to mean the rest of literal world, however in the context of the passage i.e. the restoration of the Kingdom of Israel then we should understand it in terms of bible prophecy. Prophecy states that Jehovah God would regather both southern and northern Kingdoms into one. The Amos 9 prophecy said that the nations called by Jehovah's name would be gathered to restore the Davidic Kingdom. We know that these nations are the house of Israel (northern Kingdom) because Amos 9 says that the house of Israel would be dispersed among the nations but that a kernel would not fall to the ground. This means that Jehovah would know exactly where each northern Israelite was that was gonna be called and taken out for His name. Remember, only Israel was called by Jehovah's name so the nations gathered in Amos 9 are Israelites as verse 9 of that chapter states.
It wasn't until centuries later that the gospel went to a great part of the literal world. Obviously, Jehovah's priority was His covenant people Israel. The utter most parts of the earth are the parts of the earth where the Israelites were dispersed following their captivity by Assyria.
Going back to John 3:16, let's look at a verse that uses the word "world" as an example that only speaks of a certain group of people and not the literal whole world:
John 12:19
"The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Behold how ye prevail nothing: lo, the world is gone after him"
Obviously the whole world wasn't going after Messiah but rather Israelites who believed on Him or at least believed in the miracles he performed. Also, the context here is about the multitudes who had gathered to welcome the Messiah into Jersuslem as the King of Israel.
John 3:16 must also be understood within the context of John chapter 1 which we will look at now:
John 1:10-13
10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and they that were his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, [even] to them that believe on his name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Most of the churches interpret the world here to be the literal whole earth. This misunderstanding has attributed Jehoshua as being the Genesis creator. We have to ask ourselves, which world did Jehoshua come to? Let's look at the verses that come right before the above to understand the context:
John 1:4-5
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not.
Many overlook this passage regarding it's true fulfillment. Understanding these two verses will go a long way in discerning what is meant in verse 10. Let's look at a prophecy that is related to the above two verses:
Isaiah 9:1-2
1 But there shall be no gloom to her that was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali; but in the latter time hath he made it glorious, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. 2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.
The concept of Jehoshua being the light that shineth in darkness comes from this prophecy in Isaiah. Notice that this prophecy is about the future Davidic king (Isaiah 9:6-7) coming as the light into the darkness of the land of Israel especially denoting the northern kingdom (Zebulun, Naphtali, Galilee of the nations i.e. northern Israelites). These people in the northern Kingdom had walked in the darkness of being cut off from Jehovah God and now the light of the Messianic King came to shine the bright light of Kingdom on them. Jehoshua's mission was to seek that which is lost i.e. the house of Israel.
Even verse 11 of John clarifies what is meant by "world" as it says He (Jehoshua) came unto His own. Who were Jehoshua's own? The very one's he said He was sent to i.e. the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Acts 3:19-20
19 Repent ye therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that so there may come seasons of refreshing from the presence of Jehovah; 20 and that he may send the Messiah who hath been appointed for you, even Jehoshua:
Peter is talking his country men (Israel) and exhorts them to repent so that the presence of Jehovah would come upon them and that He (Jehovah) would send the Messiah to them. Notice in verse 20 that it says the Messiah was appointed for them. Who's them? Obviously Israel as that is Peter's audience.
Acts 13:16-17
16 And Paul stood up, and beckoning with the hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, hearken: 17 The God of this people Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they sojourned in the land of Egypt, and with a high arm led he them forth out of it.
Paul says that Jehovah God chose Israel. According to Paul Israel is the elect of God. Has this changed with the arrival of Jehoshua? Let's see:
Acts 13:22-23
22 And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king; to whom also he bare witness and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who shall do all My will. 23 Of this man`s seed hath God according to promise brought unto Israel a Saviour, Jehoshua;
Notice that the raising up of David was equated to him being anointed as king. The same is true of Jehoshua in that Him being raised up by Jehovah God has to do with being anointed as King which took place at His baptism. Nathaniel confessed Jehoshua as the Son of God and King of Israel two days after His baptism.
In verse 23 it says that of this man's (David) seed Jehovah brought unto Israel a saviour Jehoshua. It is plain as day, Jehovah brought Jehoshua the Son of God unto Israel and no one else. Jehoshua Himself states this in that He was only sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Understanding this fundamental truth helps us understand many other passages. Let's go to the epistles of John:
1 John 4:9-10
9 Herein was the love of God manifested in us, that God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world that we might live through him.10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Now that we know that God sent Jehoshua unto Israel we know that the above verses apppy to Israel. Jehovah God sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him. Remember, the word "world" has a flexible meaning and doesn't automatically denote the literal whole world. Which world was Jehoshua sent to if not the literal whole world? We'll we just read plain and clear scriptures even from Jehoshua Himself that it was only Israel that He was sent for to seek and bring the Kingdom to. It was only Israel that Jehovah sent Jehoshua to.
So the "world" and the "we" John is referring to could only be whom Jehoshua and Paul said that He was sent for i.e the house of Israel. With this being understood, who is it that God loved in verse 10? Who is the"us"? The "us" that God loved is the same us that God sent His Son to be the propitiation (mercyseat) for our sins. Let's let scripture answer this for us instead of our feelings:
Matthew 1:21
"And she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name JEHOSHUA; for it is he that shall save his people from their sins"
It is Jehoshua's people that Jehoshua was sent to save from their sins. Who are His people? Is it the whole literal world? Again, we will let scripture answer this for us:
Acts 13:26
"Brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and those among you that fear God, to us is the word of this salvation sent forth."
To who was the word of salvation sent forth? Clearly its the nation of Israel i.e. the children of Abraham. These are the one's Jehoshua said He came for i.e. the house of Israel.
So the answer to the question, regarding who is the 'us" of verse 10 that God loved and sent His Son to redeem, is the house of Israel. This is consistent with all of scripture.
1 John 4:14
"And we have beheld and bear witness that the Father hath sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world"
On the surface this appears to be another universalist verse, however as we have read from the above passages that Jehoshua was sent to lost sheep of the house of Israel to save them from their sins and to reign over them as King forever (Luke 1:26-36). In fact, the whole narrative surrounding Jehoshua's birth is how Jehovah God has visited Israel with salvation.
It is clear from Jehoshua's ministry and from the subsequent ministry of the apostles that Jehoshua was not sent to the literal whole world. In fact, long before the gospel of the Kingdom went to the far reaches of Africa, Asia, America and the polynesians it was said that the gospel was preached to every creature under heaven. I had long been confused by this verse knowing that it wasn't literally the case. Some Christians have tried to teach that Jehoshua did actually go to these places but they are written down.
The truth of the matter is that the concept of the world in the view of Jehoshua and the apostles is largely limited to the nation of Israel, both southern and northern kingdoms.
Colossians 1:23
"if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister"
This verse has always puzzled me as obviously this cannot be literally true as we know the gospel wasn't taken to certain parts of the world until centuries later. Some say that Paul is referring to the known world at that time but that can't be true either as Africa and East Asia were known yet the gospel had not penetrated those areas by this time with the exception of Ethiopia (the eunuch) those areas at the time of Paul's writing this.
So what does Paul mean here? If we take into account that the express purpose of the gospel of the Kingdom was to reunite the 12 tribes of Israel under the headship of the Davidic King then this statement by Paul makes perfect sense. Paul is stating that the gospel has been preached to every part of the world where Israel had been dispersed. That's the only explanation that makes sense. Again, we do not disconnect the old testament from the new testament then we will rightly divide the word of truth.
In fact, the Colossians were Israelites who had been dispersed among the nation's. How do we know that? Let's go to chapter 1 and see:
Colossians 1:19-22
19 For it was the good pleasure [of the Father] that in him should all the fulness dwell; 20 and through him to reconcile all things unto himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross; through him, [I say], whether things upon the earth, or things in the heavens. 21 And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works, 22 yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him:
Most in the mainstream churches overlook what Paul is saying here concerning reconciliation in verses. Think about this, in order to reconcile with someone you have had to at one time be in relationship with them. If Paul says that the Colossians were reconciled to God through Messiah this means they at one time had to be in covenant with Jehovah. Was anyone else besides Israel in covenant with Jehovah God in the old testament?
Amos 3:1-2
1 Hear this word that Jehovah hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up out of the land of Egypt, saying, 2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will visit upon you all your iniquities.
Jehovah only knew (in covenant with) Israel out of all the families of the earth. We know that Jehovah God divorced Israel because of their iniquities. He didn't divorce anyone else because He wasn't in covenant with anyone else. When a husband and wife divorce if they get back together then it is a reconciliation. If a husband and wife make a covenant for the first time then it is not a reconciliation because there was never a covenant in the first place. With this understanding we can then be assured that if the Colossians were reconciled to God they would have had to be in covenant with Him at some point in the past. This for sure means that they were once part of Israel since that is the only nation God was in covenant with which He subsequently divorced.
Let's talk about the Galatians, were they also of the house of Israel?
2 Peter 1:1-2
1 Peter, an apostle of Jehoshua Mesaiah, to the elect who are sojourners of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jehoshua Messiah: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
Peter is addressing his epistle to the dispersion in Galatia among other areas. Dispersion obviously refers to the house of Israel that were dispersed among the nations (Amos 9:9-12). He refers to them as the elect and sojourners, which are terms used of Israel. It's important to remember that only Israel as a nation has ever been elected by Jehovah God (Exodus 4:22). So obviously these people he is addressing in the various nations are dispersed Israelites who are sojourning there. This then shows us that Paul's letter to the Galatians is to the northern Israelites that are sojourning in Galatia. This makes sense in light of some of the things Paul tells them.
Galatians 1:1-3
1 Paul, an apostle (not from men, neither through man, but through Jehoshua Messiah and God the Father, who raised him from the dead), 2 and all the brethren that are with me, unto the churches of Galatia: 3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jehoshua Messiah.
Paul addresses the Galatians by calling them brethren. Now we normally in the churches thought that meant that they were his brethren in the sense of being brothers in Messiah i.e. of the same faith. While that is still true the greek word for brethren indicates more than just being of the same faith. Let's look at that word:
"adephos" (Greek strongs 80) comes from a (as a connective particle) and delphus (the womb); a brother (literally or figuratively) near or remote (much like) brother".
The meaning here indicates being of the same womb (woman's belly/matrix) i.e. coming from the same genetic heritage. The word brethren here in Galatians 1 is more than figurative i.e. just being of the same faith but rather has a more literal meaning of coming from the same ancestors.
If we connect 1 Peter 1 with chapter 1 of Galatians then the truth of who the Galatians really are comes out. Now things start to make more sense when we read Galatians notably PauL's confrontation with Peter in chapter 2. In part 3 of this study we will look at the book of Galatians in regards to this topic of John 3:16.
