Matthew Chapter 15, Verse 24
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24: ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν ουκ απεσταλην ει μη εις τα προβατα τα απολωλοτα οικου ισραηλ
24: But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost
sheep of the house of Israel.
24: And he answering, said: I was not sent but to the sheep, that are
lost of the house of Israel.
But he answered - -I am not sent, etc. This answer was made to the woman, not to the disciples. The lost sheep of the house of Israel were the Jews. He came first to them. He came as their expected Messiah. He came to preach the gospel himself to the Jews only. Afterwards it was preached to the Gentiles; but the ministry of Jesus was confined almost entirely to the Jews.
