Matthew 15:24
ESV
He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
NIV
He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."
NASB
But He answered and said, 'I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.'
CSB
He replied, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
NLT
Then Jesus said to the woman, 'I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep — the people of Israel.'
KJV
But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
NKJV
But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
What does Matthew 15:24 mean?
Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus acted with a crystal-clear sense of His purpose. Eventually, all nations of earth would be blessed through Israel, in the person of Jesus, as the Son of God gave His life as the sacrifice for the sins of humanity. For that to happen, however, Jesus needs to accomplish certain things within the people of Israel. So, for now, Jesus has come to serve and heal God's chosen people as the promised Messiah. Only after His own people officially reject Him will the offer be made for all to come into the family of God through faith in Christ (John 1:11–12).Jesus uses the same language with her as when He sent disciples out in pairs to the towns and villages of Galilee (Matthew 10:5–6). He strictly forbids them from going into the Gentile territories. They are only to take the message of the kingdom to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. This is the same reason given here for refusing—for now—to cast the demon from the daughter of this Canaanite woman begging Him for help. He has not been sent by His Father to heal the Gentiles, yet.
