Matthew 10:5-6
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Jesus' instruction to avoid the Samaritans here isn't about eternal rejection, but a strategic first step. He's directing the disciples to focus their initial mission on the "lost sheep of Israel," setting the stage for a later, broader outreach that includes these very people.
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is sending out his twelve disciples for the first time on a specific mission to minister to the people of Israel. He's giving them clear instructions about where they are and aren't allowed to go, emphasizing that their initial focus must be on the "lost sheep of the house of Israel." This immediate context highlights the intentional, staged rollout of the Gospel, preparing the way for later, broader outreach.
Ever felt overwhelmed by the world's needs? Jesus understood. He strategically narrowed the focus for His first disciples' mission.
When Jesus sent out the twelve apostles, He gave them very specific instructions: 'Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans.'
This wasn't about exclusion, but about strategic prioritization.
Why the Limit?
Jesus called His own people 'lost sheep.' What does this tender, yet urgent, description reveal about His heart and mission strategy?
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The directive to 'go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel' reveals a deep pastoral heart and a strategic focus.
Understanding 'Lost Sheep'
Understand the original words
ethnos · Greek Noun
All non-Jewish people; biblically, it refers to the nations of the world who were outside the covenant promises given to Israel prior to the gospel's expansion.
Samareitēs · Greek Noun
A people group living in the region between Galilee and Judea who were viewed with hostility by many Jews due to their mixed ethnic heritage and divergent religious practices.
probaton · Greek Noun
Refers to the people of God, often highlighting their vulnerability, straying from God's guidance, and their need for a Shepherd. In the context of Israel, it highlights their covenantal status but also their spiritual wandering.
apollumi · Greek Adjective/Participle
Refers to the state of being spiritually ruined or astray from God. It describes the condition of humanity separated from God, needing divine intervention for restoration.
This directive reflects a strategic, phased approach to the Gospel's proclamation, prioritizing the Jewish people first due to historical covenants and existing animosity with Samaritans, before a later, broader outreach to all nations.
c. 722 BC
Assyrian Conquest of Northern Israel
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern kingdom of Israel, deporting many Israelites and repopulating the area with foreigners, including people from Cuthah. This marks the beginning of the mixed ethnic and religious identity of the Samaritans.
c. 5th century BC
Samaritan Temple on Mount Gerizim
The Samaritans build their own temple on Mount Gerizim, further solidifying their religious separation from the Jews, who view this as a direct challenge to their own temple in Jerusalem.
c. 129 BC
Destruction of Samaritan Temple
Jewish ruler John Hyrcanus destroys the Samaritan temple on Mount Gerizim, intensifying the bitter animosity between Jews and Samaritans.
c. 30 AD
Jesus' Ministry in Samaria
Jesus Himself travels through Samaria and preaches in a Samaritan city, experiencing success and demonstrating a willingness to engage with this population. This sets a precedent for future outreach.
c. 30-33 AD— this verse
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve
Jesus commissions His twelve apostles for a specific mission within Galilee, explicitly instructing them to avoid the Gentiles and Samaritan cities. This limited commission prioritizes reaching the 'lost sheep of Israel' first.
c. 33 AD
Early Church Outreach to Samaritans
Following Jesus' ascension and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the early apostles, particularly Philip, begin to preach the Gospel in Samaria with significant results.
This passage shows Jesus giving a similar, but broader, commission to the seventy disciples, highlighting the strategic nature of the disciples' mission field at this stage.
John 4:4-42This encounter with the Samaritan woman and the subsequent ministry in Samaria demonstrates Jesus' own willingness to cross the social and religious divide, showing that the restriction was temporary and specific to this mission.
Acts 8:1This verse notes a persecution that scattered the early believers, leading them to spread the message of Jesus to the Gentiles, fulfilling the later, broader commission.
Romans 1:16Paul's declaration that he is 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,' echoes the priority given to Israel in Jesus' initial mission.
Matthew 28:19This Great Commission, given later, directly contrasts the limited scope of Matthew 10:5 by commanding the disciples to 'go and make disciples of all nations,' showing the progression of God's redemptive plan.
barnesMatthew 10:5: "These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:"
Into the way of the Gentiles - That is, among the Gentiles, or nowhere but among the Jews. The full time for preaching the gospel to the Gentiles was not come. It was proper that it should be first preached to the Jews, the ancient covenant people of God, and the people among whom the Messiah was born. Afterward he gave them a charge t…
vincentMatthew 10:5: "These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:"
Judas Iscariot (ὁ Ἰσκαριώτης)The article distinguishes him from others of the name of Judas (compare John 14:22). Iscariot is usually explained as a compound, meaning the man of Kerioth, with reference to his native town, which is given in Joshua (Joshua 15:25) as one of the uttermost cities of Judah toward the coast of Edom southwa…
Jesus' instruction to avoid the Samaritans here isn't about eternal rejection, but a strategic first step. He's directing the disciples to focus their initial mission on the "lost sheep of Israel," setting the stage for a later, broader outreach that includes these very people.
Jesus is sending out his twelve disciples for the first time on a specific mission to minister to the people of Israel. He's giving them clear instructions about where they are and aren't allowed to go, emphasizing that their initial focus must be on the "lost sheep of the house of Israel." This immediate context highlights the intentional, staged rollout of the Gospel, preparing the way for later, broader outreach.
Jesus is sending out his twelve disciples for the first time on a specific mission to minister to the people of Israel. He's giving them clear instructions about where they are and aren't allowed to go, emphasizing that their initial focus must be on the "lost sheep of the house of Israel." This immediate context highlights the intentional, staged rollout of the Gospel, preparing the way for later, broader outreach.
"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." — Jesus' instruction to avoid the Samaritans here isn't about eternal rejection, but a strategic first step. He's directing the disciples to focus their initial mission on the "lost sheep of Israel," s…
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Last reviewed October 2026
