Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 10:5-6

"These twelve Jesus sent forth, and charged them, saying, Go not into [any] way of the Gentiles, and enter not into any city of the Samaritans: but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." — Matthew 10:5-6 (ASV)

This was “a mission to the Jews” only, meant for the general arousing of the chosen nation. It is an example of a special mission, and it gives authority for missions to specific groups, but it must not be made into an example by which the Lord is supposed to prescribe a cast-iron rule for all missions. The people at that time were favorably disposed to our Lord, and thus His apostles might expect treatment of a more generous kind than can be expected in these times.

Certain of these regulations were altered on a subsequent mission, when the people were less favorably disposed. This was a mission from Israel to Israel. It was not for the Gentiles, but it was to be strictly confined to “the house of Israel.” Even the people most like the Jews were not to be visited: “Into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not.” It was a search for “lost sheep of the house of Israel,” in the pastures near the fold. We may occasionally have services for specific groups, such as working men, etc., but the standing orders are not like that; rather, they are: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature.”

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: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

The gospel is now to be preached to every creature in all the world; but, in those days, it was to be proclaimed first to the Jews, then to the Samaritans, and afterwards to the Gentiles as a whole.

The largeness of our commission to preach the gospel to every creature need not prevent our following providential directions to make it known in one place rather than in another. It is well for the servants of Christ always to ask their Master where they are to go.

You know how it is recorded, in the Acts of the Apostles, that Paul and Silas essayed to go into Bithynia; but the Spirit suffered them not. Ask the Lord, therefore, where you are to work, as well as what your work is to be, for your Master knows how you can best serve him.

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: but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

This was "a mission to the Jews" only, meant for the general awakening of the chosen nation. It was a mission from Israel to Israel; not to the Gentiles, and not even to the people who were most like the Jews: Into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not. After our Lord's resurrection he gave the wider commission, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.