covenant was solely with the Hebrew people. Our Lord confined his ministry
to the Jewish people, declaring that he was not sent but to the lost sheep of the
house of Israel. Matt.15:24. When he sent out the twelve during his own ministry,
he "commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any
city of the Samaritans enter ye not; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of
Israel." Matt.10:5,6. And when he sent the
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seventy also, it was only into those cities and villages whither he himself would
come. Luke 10:1. His apostles were all Jews. And with them was the first solemn
act of ratification of the new covenant in the cup out of which all drank,
representing the new testament in his blood. Luke 22:20; 1Cor.11:25. And here
comes in the fact that the seventy weeks of Daniel's prophecy pertain exclusively
to the Hebrew people. Dan.9:24. The last, or seventieth, week was devoted to
the confirmation of the covenant. Dan.9:27. It began with our Lord's ministry to
the Hebrews, and ended when the apostles turned to the Gentiles. It was in the
midst of this week of confirming the covenant that our Lord was crucified. And
thus we find that, after our Lord's ascension, the ministers of the word preached
the gospel "to none but unto the Jews only." Acts 11:19. It was unto the Jews first
that God, having raised up his Son, sent him to bless them in turning them away
from their sins. Acts 3:25,26. The termination of the seventy weeks closed the
period in which the work pertained exclusively to the Hebrews. The work for the
Gentiles was opened by the conversion of Saul, and by his commission to them
as their apostle. Acts 9; 26:17. It was also opened on the part of Peter by his
wonderful vision of the sheet let down from Heaven, and the commission given
him at that time. Acts 10; 9; 15:7,14-17.
But what was the condition of the Gentiles before "the door of faith" was
opened to them? Let the apostle Paul answer this, Eph.2:11-13, "Wherefore
remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called
Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision
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in the flesh made by hands; that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens
from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise,
having no hope, and without God in the world; but now in Christ Jesus ye who
sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ."
The apostle goes on to speak of the union of Jews and Gentiles in one body
as follows, verses 14-20: "For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and
hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in his
flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to
make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that he might
reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity
thereby; and came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them
that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one spirit unto the
Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens
with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief
corner-stone."
Those who sneer at everything which God has committed to the Hebrews,
and boast themselves of their Gentile descent, would do well to compare this
statement of the condition of the Gentiles with Paul's statement of the
"advantages" of the Jews, and his enumeration of the things that pertain to th
