Did Jesus change his view on preaching to Gentiles?

Question

In John 10:16 Jesus says (ESV quoted):

And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

The common belief, as I understand it, is that this refers to the division between Jews and Gentiles. But when Jesus first sends out his disciples he specifically tells them not to preach to Gentiles (Matthew 10:5-6):

These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

In Matthew 15:22-24 he certainly still kept this mindset, saying "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." When he speaks to the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:4-7) it seems to be out of the necessity of thirst that he speaks to her (and it seems to be only out of necessity that he is in Samaria at all). While he does volunteer to help the Roman centurion (Matthew 8:5-13), this may have only been in deference to the authority that centurion seemed to be very keen on asserting.

We do know that he did change his mind on this matter, as at the end of his life (or rather after the end of it) he commanded his disciples to preach to all the other nations (e.g. Matthew 28:18-20):

And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

If he was referring to Gentiles when he said "I have other sheep that are not of this fold", then he must have already by that time put aside the idea that he "was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel".

Is there a text that suggests this? (If not, the idea he meant Gentiles must come from somewhere!) When in general does Jesus begin saying that his message should or will be preached to Gentiles?

Answer 1

This is a big question and I think it will help to refactor it into some related questions:

What did Jesus see as his mission?

From the passages you cited and the fact that Jesus spent most of his time teaching Jews, it's not a stretch to say that Jesus saw his mission as limited to Israel. Now Jesus did go into the region of the Decapolis, which began as Greek colonies and at that time were heavily influenced by Rome. He also withdrew at the end of his Galilean ministry to Tyre and Sidon, which were ancient pagan cities. Mark emphasizes that he was going there to get a break and that he only helped the Gentile woman because of her clever appeal:

And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs.” And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.—Mark 7:24-30 (ESV)

So Jesus seemed to be telling the Gentile woman that her case was out of his jurisdiction, but he helps her anyway. After that, he begins his final trip to Jerusalem and never returns to the more Hellenized regions in and around Galilee. Mark, and the Gospels that follow his chronology, tell the story of Jesus' life as an inevitable collision course between Jesus and the top Jewish officials in Jerusalem. The interactions with the Gentiles become less important. If you don't know the end of the story, you'd expect that the climax would involve Jesus attempting to reform Temple worship, liberalize Jewish practice and expel the Romans.

It's important to note that John, which was written much later, does not follow that narrative at all. It starts from the first line asserting the view that Jesus' mission was to transform all of creation. We'll get back to John below.

How did the early church come to spread to Gentiles?

There's no question that the primary answer to this question is Paul. Over and over again, Paul asserts that preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles was his particular calling. (See Galatians 2 and nearly every line in Acts.) Paul's letters, which are among the first documents produced by the church, radically reinterpret Jesus' life as having cosmic significance. Paul spearheaded the drive to place a small-time provincial teacher and failed messiah on the center of the empire's civic and religious stage. For this to be a valid mission, Jesus must have come to earth for the sake of people other than the Jews.

Even so, Paul saw the churches mission to go first to the Jews:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”—Romans 1:16-17 (ESV)

The synoptic Gospels, which were written after most, if not all, of Paul's writings, read a bit like very early "Quests for the Historical Jesus". Paul's arguments in Galatians that Christianity be extended to the Gentiles had already won the day, so the Jewish nature of Jesus and his ministry was at risk of being lost to time. Mark doesn't include any commands to go to the Gentiles. Matthew, of course, does when he tells of the resurrected Jesus meeting with His disciples on the mountain in Galilee. And Luke's gospel is really volume 1 of the history he continues in the book of Acts, which is the story of the church spreading to the heart of Rome herself. For Matthew and Luke at least, the mission to the Gentiles is commanded by Jesus after the cross—it's the church's mission.

In John's gospel, what is Jesus' mission?

Most, but not all, scholars date John as one of the very last New Testament books to be written. If so, it was well beyond the circumcision controversy. But the gospel seems to draw on even more Jewish background than the Synoptics. The interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well is a great example since it involves nuanced arguments that would go over the heads of anyone who hasn't picked up some Hebrew history. Jesus is very much Jewish in John's gospel.

However, it also has the strongest statements from Jesus about His mission being extended to the Gentiles. For instance, immediately after talking with the Samaritan woman:

Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”—John 4:31-38 (ESV)

At that moment, Jesus would have been indicating Samaritan fields and perhaps even the Samaritan people who came to Him over then next two days. John tends to say things more round-aboutly than other New Testament authors, but the next paragraph makes clear the intended meaning of the parable ‘One sows and another reaps’:

Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”—John 4:39-42 (ESV)

The author puts the later church idea of Christianity spreading from Israel to all of Rome in the mouth of Jesus, but in an oblique way. Or if you think John is an accurate account of the life and teachings of Jesus, this only means that John rediscovered Jesus' full mission that was concealed during his lifetime. In either case, it isn't so much that Jesus changed the scope of his own mission during his life as that the church later understood his mission to be one of every-increasing circles of influence starting in Jerusalem and extending to the ends of the Earth.

Summary

During his life, Jesus focused primarily on interacting with his fellow Jews, but did not shy away from interactions with Gentiles when they crossed paths. Immediately after Christ's death and resurrection, the church understood her mission to reach beyond the cultural borders of the Hebrews to all people groups. The transition occurred at precisely the moment when it was no longer possible to sit at Jesus' feet. His followers depended instead on His Spirit, which was not tied to a particular location on Earth.

Answer 2

According to the Majority Text footnotes¹ cited in Mark, the word for dog that Jesus used was a diminutive form of the derogatory word dog Jews used for Gentiles who were considered to be unclean. Here the word (kynarion) means "little dog" (a house pet) or puppy, such as would beg food from children.

The kind of pesky, wild, loathsome dogs (probably like the ones that licked Lazarus' sores) would not have been found in a house, as Gentiles would not be found in the house of Israel. These dogs and Gentiles would be found outside the house. By their reaction to her, the disciples probably viewed the woman in this way.

My take: This really was a brilliant play-on-words exchange between Jesus and this woman. She came to Him a "Gentile dog" (maybe even in her own understanding of how Jews perceived someone like her, but in her desperation didn't care). However, she left His presence a member of the house (Jesus specifically says the house of Israel in Mt. 15.24). She got what Jesus was saying and in faith answered in kind. What great joy came to her that day; not only was her daughter healed but, because of her faith, she was a part of the household of God.

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1. The Majority Text New Testament Interlinear, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2007, p. 150. (ISBN: 1-4185-2617

Answer 3

This is where collating information from another gospel account, that of Mark, helps show that Jesus did not "change his mind on this matter, as at the end of his life (or rather after the end of it) he commanded his disciples to preach to all the other nations." Neither does what he said in John 10:16, and how he taught the Samaritan woman in John ch. 4 show any change in his thinking.

Mark is out to honour Christ, the Son of God, as the apostle of the new testament. The old testament made clear that the Gentiles were also to be brought into this spiritual liberation. Yet the Jews were to be given the gospel first. And so they were. Jesus did that, but not to the exclusion of helping to prepare the hearts of the Gentiles so that when the full gospel was later given to them, some would have “good soil” (i.e. prepared hearts) and that seed of the gospel would take root and produce more. The Gentiles received the beginning of the gospel by how Jesus ministered to them when on earth. The Jews received the beginning of the gospel by how John the Baptist prepared them to receive the Messiah. All nations of the earth will hear the beginning of the gospel by the angel in Revelation 14:6-7. The point is this: those who do not respond in repentance to the beginning of the gospel, will not accept the full gospel of Christ. Before the seed of the gospel can take root and produce, it has to fall into prepared ‘soil’ (i.e. hearts). Much seed is cast all over the place, as per. Jesus’ parable of the different types of soil, but only good soil gives good results.

The time of the Gentiles had not yet come; Christ had come with the gospel to the Jews – John 4:4-17. Once Jesus had ascended and the Spirit was sent, then the Gentiles would be wonderfully reached. But while on earth, Jesus did things detailed in Mark 7:24 to 8:9 that confirmed the many Hebrew prophecies about the Gentile nations:

In Genesis: “And all peoples on earth will be blessed through you [Abraham].” “All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.”

In the Psalms, “For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.” “Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his peoples.” “Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles, and laud him, all ye people.” “I will record Rahab and Babylon aong those who acknowledge me – Philistia too, and Tyre, along with Cush – and will say ‘This one was born in Zion’.”

In Isaiah, “In that day there shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.” Although that did not happen until Christ arose and sent the Holy Spirit, preparation was made so that Messiah’s fame began to be spread among them.

First, he went to the Gentile cities of Tyre and Sidon, well to the north of Israel’s northern boundary. He performed a miracle for a Syro-Phoenecian woman, full of faith in him. Then he went to the Gentile territory of Decapolis. He healed a deaf Gentile man with a speech impediment, and who heard nothing, but the people there had heard of Jesus and believed he could restore hearing and speech. His fame spread around. Next, a multitude of 4,000 Gentiles following him for 3 days experienced the miracle of being fed with 7 loaves, with 7 baskets of left-over bread gathered after they’d eaten. If numeric symbolism means anything in scripture, it is surely seen in more-than-ample provision of bread from heaven for Gentiles!

The same can be seen with the previous miracle of feeding 5,000 Jews with 5 loaves, resulting in 12 baskets of fragments left over. Consider the numbers. No wonder Jesus was exasperated with his disciples failing to understand his warning about the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod (Mark 8:14-21). This was all about spiritual matters because when Jesus then returned to the coast of Magdala, where Jews of a sort resided in the uttermost parts of Israel, the Pharisees appeared. They would not enter the lands of the Gentiles, but Galilee of the Gentiles was just bearable to suffer. They came to criticize, tempt and persecute.

Consider how few were the miraculous signs Jesus performed for the Gentiles, who acclaimed him with joy and faith, but then see how many more miracles Jesus performed for the Jews, yet these leaders of orthodoxy demanded a sign from heaven of Jesus! There had already been 12 baskets of fragments gathered after the 5,000 Jews were fed from 5 loaves. And now I quote:

“Was this not enough – and to spare – for the 12 tribes? And what greater sign from heaven, than bread from heaven? …What greater sign from heaven than that which had been given? And had they not heard – since they were waiting for him on their side of the sea – of the like sign in the feeding of the 4,000? And was not perfect provision for the Gentiles sign enough, in excess over and above the 4,000 who were fed? And they seek a sign from heaven?

But the disciples themselves were likewise obtuse. Warned by Jesus of the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod, they thought, as they crossed the sea, that this was because they had no bread. But, Mk. 8:17, it was perception which they lacked; it was understanding that was missing” Mk. 8:21 (Mark, pp 132-139, John Metcalfe)

Jesus interacted with Gentiles because he knew they would form the "other sheep not of this [Jewish] fold" who would become one flock under himself, the good shepherd. He did a preparatory work with them, just as John the Baptist had done a preparatory work with the Jews.

Answer 4

I have read all the proposed answers to this question and none of them are complete. Consider the answer I share deeply, because this information is not well known today.

God called Abraham when the whole world had turned against Him (Genesis 11:27-30). He promised that through his seed, all the families of the earth would be blessed. Abraham begat Isaac, "the son of promise," and Isaac begat Jacob whose name was changed to Israel, and from him the 12 tribes were generated. God called Israel to be His chosen people and that they would inherit the earth. The were placed above the nations (Gentiles) spiritually and politically. In the Millennial Kingdom of Christ, we see Israel ruling the nations, they are not equal.

Gentiles were "without hope and without God in this world" (Ephesians 2:12). Gentiles could approach God only by becoming proselytes by adopting Israel's customs and observing the Sabbath. Those Gentiles that got circumcised were considered "proselytes of the gate" and could enter the outside court area of the Tabernacle/Temple. Uncircumcised Gentiles could not enter the courtyard, and Jews would not even associate with them, let alone eat with them.

This is the situation when we come to the 4 accounts of our Lord.

Romans 15 8-11

⁸Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the Circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: ⁹And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. ¹⁰And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. ¹¹And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.

God had revealed He would call a people out of the nations for His own name. This was not new revelation,but was well known. Gentiles could become proselytes and share in Israel's blessings, and they would contribute physical goods in return. James recognized this in Acts chapter 15, at the Jerusalem Council, which was held over the debate of whether Gentiles were required to keep Israel's customs, including circumcision. I will come back to this point later.

Jesus was sent to Israel, the Circumcision, and not to Gentiles. When he sent the 12 and the 70 out to preach "the gospel of the Kingdom," he specifically told them not to go into the streets the Gentiles. Israel would be saved first, depending upon their repentance and acceptation of the Lord Jesus, then Israel would bless the nations with their spiritual riches.

Israel as a nation did not repent, but crucified her Messiah instead. On the cross, Jesus cried out "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." They did what they did out of ignorance, not knowledgeable defiance. So God answered His Son's last dying request. On Pentecost, Israel was reoffered the Kingdom, dependent upon their national repentance.

Pentecost was not "the birth of the Christian church" as is commonly taught. It is the reoffering of the Kingdom to Israel. Peter addresses Israel specifically 4 times in his Pentecostal prophecy in Act 2. Notice all through the first 12 chapters of Acts that nothing of the truths the apostle Paul taught are there! Nothing about justification, nothing about reconciliation, nothing about a heavenly inheritance, etc. All in Acts is related to Israel's calling.

The 12 apostles never left Palestine throughout the book of Acts, for Jesus explicitly commanded them to start on Jerusalem, then go to Sameria (still in Palestine), and then to "the limits of the land" (not to the ends of the earth, as it is wrongly translated.) The only Gentiles that were reached in the first 12 chapters of Acts were proselytes: the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8) and the Roman Cornelius (Acts 10,11). No non-proselytes (called idolaters by Israel) were reached.

Israel rejected the testimony of the Holy Spirit through the 12 apostles 10 times in the first 12 chapters of Acts. For this reason, God raised up Saul of Tarsus, to begin a new work among the Gentiles. In Acts 13:1,2 Paul was "severed" (not "separated") from the Circumcision to go into the Gentiles. Notice Paul wrote that he was "severed for The Gospel of God" and that gospel was not new but was the fulfillment of previous prophecy, namely God calling out a people from the Gentiles.

The first non-proselyte to be reached was Sergius Paulus, and he was reached by the apostle Paul. The Jew Bar Jesus tried to interfere and dissuade the Roman procounselor, and Paul spoke judgement against him and blinded him "for a season." That was a sign that Israel would be blinded for a season while the Gentiles streamed into the widening Kingdom of God. In Romans 11:25 we read Israel has been held in abeyance until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in.

So let's put this together. God's promises to Israel cannot be abridged for it was an unconditional promise. They shall, eventually, inherit the earth and rule over the Gentiles. There is no equality between Jews and Gentiles in that scenario. But God is God of the Gentiles too (Romans 3:29). God had already provided for the Gentiles, and Paul was sent to make it happen.

By Acts 28, Israel had rejected the testimony of the Holy Spirit another 10 times outside the land of Palestine. Paul spoke the same judgement from Isaiah 6 that Jesus spoke during his earthly ministry, and from that time, Israel has been put on "pause."

The period of time we currently live in is not the subject of previous prophecy. According to the prophets, the Messiah would come, deliver Israel from her enemies, and immediately usher in his Kingdom which was the subject of previous prophecy. I Peter 1:9-13 speaks of this. During this time, God is building His church made up of only a small remnant of Jews and mainly Gentiles. Once the church is taken up to meet the Lord in the air, God will resume His dealings with Israel.

When did Jesus change his view of reaching Gentiles? Perhaps the answer is "never." Jesus ministered during the time when Israel was not held in abeyance. Because of God's promises to Israel, they had to reject the Christ so that the Gentiles could be reached. So the goal to reach Gentiles was always on the Lord's mind, but because of the promises, the Word had to go to Israel first. When Israel proved her apostasy throughout Palestine, God opened the door to the Gentiles (Acts 13:1,2). This is when the body of Christ began, but it was not yet a "joint-body." Israel still had preference over Gentiles at that time.

When Israel had fully proved her apostasy, in Acts 28:28ff, God revealed secrets He kept from before the creation. Those secrets are revealed by Paul in Ephesians chapters 1 and 3. The Secret of Christ in Ephesians 1:9,10 revealed that Christ would not only inherit the earthly jurisdiction, but he would reign over the heavens too. Absolutely nothing about the heavenly jurisdiction was made known in previous prophecy. The Secret of Christ was revealed because the Christian's heavenly inheritance was also revealed, and God wants us to know Christ will head up all in heaven as well as on earth.

The joint-body of Christ began in Acts 28:28ff with the revelation in Ephesians 3. Jews and Gentiles are fully equal in this joint-body and, since God gave Israel jurisdiction of the earth in Christ, He could not give Gentiles an earthly inheritance. The joint-body of Christ inherits the celestial realm, not the earthly Kingdom. We are not Israel, but are a separate body of believers.

Most of the verses I have mentioned should be well known to people on this forum, but if you need help or clarification, or you want to dispute lovingly, leave a comment I will answer.

Answer 5

After Jesus had died and before he ascended to heaven.

Mark 16 15He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

19After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

Answer 6

The Jew first, then the Gentiles

Jesus did not change his mind about his message being universal. His mission has always been to be the savior of the world, and he was conscious of his identity and mission from childhood (Luke 2). When Jesus said about being sent only to the lost sheep of Israel, he was referring to his earthly ministry. The gospel was not to be preached universally until the promise of the Holy Spirit (advocate, Spirit of Jesus) is received on the day of Pentecost, and the Jews are the primary recipient.

[ESV Acts 1:4-8] ⁴And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; ⁵for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” ⁶So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. ⁸But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

There is a time and purpose for everything. The Jews are the heirs of the promises and covenant of God, as Jesus said as to the Canaanite woman to let the children eat first and then the dogs (as a proverb). The New Testament recalls and repeats the national election and promises to the chosen nation, as we see in Acts 1, the disciples asked about the final restoration of the kingdom. So, Jesus was indeed sent only to the lost sheep of Israel, that is to say mainly the lost among the Jews. He is the Jewish Messiah and King, it does not contradict with the fact that he is also the savior of the world and his Jewish religion is meant for the whole world. The work of spreading the gospel to the world was not for his own but his disciple's, which was done only after his mission was completed. See Deut 7:6; Rom 11:25-29; Jer 31:35-37.

[ESV Acts 3:25-26] ²⁵You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ ²⁶God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”

[Acts 13:46-48] ⁴⁶And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. ⁴⁷For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” ⁴⁸And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.

Rom 9:4-5 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen. ESV

Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. ESV

Rom 2:9-10 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. ESV

Answer 7

He first chose to give the Israelites grace at the wedding of Cana (Another topic). Then chose to give grace to the gentiles at the encounter with the Samaritan woman. The field of harvest for Jesus was Israel (as he said), and concerning the law of harvest:

Le 23:22 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I [am] the LORD your God.

By cutting off the corners of the field, there was a circumcision of the field. Inside the circle represents the Jews, and outside the gentiles.

The woman's clever response showed she had a knowledge of the law. Even the gleanings inside the circumcision were available for the poor and sojourners. And Jesus was compelled, in fulfilling the law, to answer her request.

Though gleaning inside the circle had to wait until the harvesters had passed, gleaning in the corners was permitted at any time since it belonged to the gentiles.

Her request is that she be permitted to glean at the same time as the harvester. The children are still at the table, while the dogs eat what they drop. The harvesters are still in the field while the gentile can pick up what they drop.

In both cases, the harvest of the corners and of the gleanings came after the harvest of those in the circumcision.

His primary mission of harvest has to be of the Jews until after the cross. Paul also first went to the Jews both by Jesus's example and by his understanding of the 'dinner theater' aspect of the shadow of the law.

His 'other sheep'... those in the four 'corners' of the world are the gentiles who's harvest has to wait for the primary harvest to be completed.

Side Note: The woman had received the same kind of revelation as Peter in acknowledging Jesus as the Messiah, Son of God, since she identified him as fulfilling the 'shadow of the law'. Such revelation is obtained by faith.

---The deeper dig--- Using Rabbi Eliezer's rule of Notarikon: Interpretation by dividing a word into two or more parts:

Dogs כלב keleb - Son of God's כ heart לב (those whom the Son loves)

eat - a metaphor for learning

crumbs פת path - secret פ parts (ת makes it an object)

fall נפל naphal - Son of Man's נ secret פ teachings ל

table שׁלחן shulchan

שׁ(ל-ח)ן - teeth (metaphor for law) שׁן with a teaching ל of life ח inside

שׁל-חן - peace של and grace חן

"Even those whom the Son loves learn from the secrets of the Son of Man's secret teachings of the law containing the teaching of life and of peace and grace. "

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Answer 8

Jesus objects to changing water into wine because his hour has not yet come.

John 2:4 NET Jesus replied, “Woman, why are you saying this to me? My time has not yet come.”

The ministry in the house of God, giving bread necessary for life, is only allowed after reaching maturity, thirty. Which, by the way, the leaders had failed at:

Matthew 23:37 NET ”O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would have none of it!

He objects to feeding lifegiving bread, meant for children, to the dogs.

His mission is to Israel, to step in where the experts in law have failed, walked with God, so that they can transform Israel into God's People. Their disobedience meant that the law has been veiled from their eyes, and the law brings death instead of life.

Jesus's obedience, on the other hand, means He has found favour with God, enabling His life giving ministry. He can reveal the Light to Israel, confirmed with the healing of their spiritual as well as physical blindness. If they don't believe His message and its resultant opening of the interpretation of Scripture (spiritual eyes), at least let them believe it through the resulting opening of physical eyes. In believing His message, Israel will be healed of its failure to fulfil its mission.

The covenant is between God and Israel, but true Israel is composed of Abraham's children within the Jewish AND the Gentile groups, identified by faith. Ministry to the Gentiles is subsequent to rejection by Jewish believers. As the disbelief increases on the Jewish side, the door to the Gentiles increasingly widens. All this, of course, is preplanned.

Both Mary's faith and the Syro-phoenician woman's faith demonstrate that faith trumps the letter of the law. Faith, here interpreted as confidence that God will help, decides the outcome, not rules and regulations.

Its useful to keep in mind that the relinquishing of His Godly powers meant that Jesus actually did not know all the will of God, and access to that will came only as and when He continued in His surrender of His will, any preconceptions and plans He would have had. One sees that the presence of strong faith in those who approached Him were a guide to Him of God's causation of that faith, and a surprising communication from the Father to deliver, as was the lack of faith a signal to withhold deliverance.

Surrendering one's life also means surrendering control. He was winging it a lot.

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Original Question

If he was referring to Gentiles when he said "I have other sheep that are not of this fold", then he must have already by that time put aside the idea that he "was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel".

Is there a text that suggests this? (If not, the idea he meant Gentiles must come from somewhere!) When in general does Jesus begin saying that his message should or will be preached to Gentiles?

Always.

Luke 4:24-27 NET And he added, “I tell you the truth, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. But in truth I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s days, when the sky was shut up three and a half years, and there was a great famine over all the land. Yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to a woman who was a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, yet none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”