hmm, would it be useful to define "the church" in this view
@Guojing
I'm just having a difficult time understanding why Romans 1:16 couldn't potentially factor in your thought process.
It actually bothers me that the Jews are first but I'm sure it will make sense eventually...my mind has taken that in way too many directions and I sort of leave it alone. It's what was said, and that's that. I digress.
Why is it problematic to presume that the church began first with the Jew and then extended to the Gentile/greek? Seems like a good deal of scriptural support. It does appear like the Lord had to make to the Jews see that the Gentiles also also are of the body but they were second seemingly.
I could take a bit of time thinking it out, but I haven't ever had an issue with that line of thought, other than the why.
Remember the final question the 11 asked Jesus before the latter ascended to heaven?
I mean, if you are not going to see the Son of God in the flesh ever again, I am sure your last question would be the most critical to you?
6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying,
Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
Do you realize none of the apostles were asking about whether Jews and Gentiles can now be saved together? They were not told anything about the mystery of the body of Christ comprising of Jews and Gentiles living in equality, that was revealed specifically to the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 2 and 3.
As I have said elsewhere in this thread, U have to understand OT prophecy about the divine timetable.
Many prophecies in the Kingdom program for Israel are dependent on the Jewish nation accepting their King before they can happen. I would think all the Jews then, who have been taught the OT since they were young, would have understood them.
Jeremiah 23:5 KJV Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and
a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord Our Righteousness.
Luke 1 NLT 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High.
The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel[c] forever; his Kingdom will never end!”
Zechariah 8 explains
3 “Thus says the Lord: ‘I will return to Zion, And dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Jerusalem shall be called the City of Truth, The Mountain of the Lord of hosts, The Holy Mountain.’
Later on, in the chapter in Zechariah 8:20-23 New Living Translation (NLT)
20 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says:
People from nations and cities around the world will travel to Jerusalem. 21 The people of one city will say to the people of another, ‘Come with us to Jerusalem to ask the Lord to bless us. Let’s worship the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. I’m determined to go.’ 22 Many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord of Heaven’s Armies and to ask for his blessing. 23 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says:
In those days ten men from different nations and languages of the world will clutch at the sleeve of one Jew. And they will say, ‘Please let us walk with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”
A similar prophecy was given in Micah Chapter 4 (NLT)
In the last days, the mountain of the Lord’s house will be the highest of all—the most important place on earth. It will be raised above the other hills, and
people from all over the world will stream there to worship.
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People from many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of Jacob’s God. There he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For the Lord’s teaching will go out from Zion; his word will go out from Jerusalem.
Finally, the same prophecy was given in the book of Isaiah chapter 2:2
In the last days, the mountain of the Lord’s house will be the highest of all—the most important place on earth.
It will be raised above the other hills, and people from all over the world will stream there to worship.
So, based on these 3 accounts,
the timeline was supposed to be Jews are to be saved first, once they accept Jesus as the Messiah, then the Kingdom will be established in Jerusalem and the Jews will then be priests spreading that blessings to all the Gentiles.
That is why the body of Christ could not have begun in Acts 2. The Kingdom program was still valid in early Acts, it ended after Stephen was stoned.
Finally, when Jesus was on Earth, he also said this to the Samaritan woman
John 4:22 New Living Translation (NLT)
22 You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him,
for salvation comes through the Jews.
Once you understand from the perspective of the Jews then, such verses in Acts become easily understood, such as
Acts 8:1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria,
except the apostles.
Why did the 12 stubbornly remained in Jerusalem despite the great persecution?
Acts 11:19 Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none
but unto the Jews only.
Why did the majority of those scattered kept preaching to the Jews only? By what you said, shouldn't they understand the GC in Matt 28 is urging them to preach to Gentiles?
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