Out of context ...

Submitted by Oliver (United States), Jul 16, 2007 at 23:45

Raqib Ahmed Asif, before you accuse another of quoting 'out of context', kindly provide the references of your own mis-quotations - Thank you.

The word for 'sheep' appears 40 times in the Christian NT, the word 'lost' appears only 9 times. Of these, only two times do 'sheep' and 'lost' appear in the same context. As you can see, in the first verses the LORD Jesus sends His Disciples to 'the lost sheep of Israel'. But, in the second group of verses the LORD Jesus and some disciples are passing through the lands of Tyre and Sidon when a Canaanite women begged Him to heal her daughter - He tested her faith by 'suggesting' that He had been sent only to the lost sheep of Israel and it would not be right to help her - but she proved her faith by bowing down before Him - and so He healed her daughter, even though she was not one of the 'lost sheep of Israel'. Did the LORD Jesus commit a sin by healing this young girl - or was He sent from the Father to take away the sins of the whole world? Wanna venture a guess?

Matt 10:1 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil b spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. 5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.' 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, c drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

Matt 15:21

Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly." 23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us." 24 He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." 25 The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said. 26 He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to the dogs." 27 "Yes it is, Lord," she said. "Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table." 28 Then Jesus said to her, "Woman,e you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

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