Did Jesus evangelize the Jews?

There are many verses which could be cited because Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all testify that Jesus preached the gospel to the Jews. Jesus’ ministry of evangelism to the Jewish people fills the pages of the four Gospels.

• Jesus was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matthew 15:24; Matthew 18:11; Luke 19:10).

• Jesus preached the gospel to the Jewish people (Luke 4:18; Acts 10:36-40).

• Jesus sent his disciples to preach the gospel to the Jewish people (Matthew 10:5-8).

After the resurrection of Jesus, did the original apostles evangelize the Jews?

• Jesus commissioned his apostles to preach the gospel beginning at Jerusalem (Luke 24:46-48).

• On the Day of Pentecost the multitude which heard Peter preach the gospel were Jews (Acts 2:5-6).

• The apostle Peter says, “Ye men of ISRAEL hear these words…” (Acts 2:22).

• Peter says, “Therefore LET ALL THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL KNOW ASSUREDLY, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36).

• Peter’s preaching, after the man was healed in Acts 3 was aimed at “YE MEN OF ISRAEL…” (Acts 3:12).

• Peter testified to the rulers of the people, and elders of ISRAEL about Jesus (Acts 4:8-12).

• Peter preached that Jesus had been exalted at the right hand of God to be a Prince and a Savior, to give REPENTANCE TO ISRAEL, and forgiveness of sins (Acts 5:31).

• Peter, as well as the other apostles who walked with Jesus in the flesh, was an apostle to the circumcision, the Jewish people.

Did the apostle Paul evangelize the Jews?

• Paul was a chosen vessel for the Lord, to bear the name of Jesus before the Gentiles, and kings, and THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL (Acts 9:15).

• Paul confounded THE JEWS which dwelt at Damascus, proving that Jesus truly is the Christ (Acts 9:22).

• Paul and Barnabas were sent forth by the Holy Ghost, and when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God IN THE SYNAGOGUES OF THE JEWS (Acts 13:4-5).

• Paul preached Jesus to the MEN OF ISRAEL, and those that fear God (Acts 13:16-41).

• Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was A SYNAGOGUE OF THE JEWS: and Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ (Acts 17:1-3).

• Paul disputed in THE SYNAGOGUE OF THE JEWS, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him (Acts 17:17).

• Paul reasoned IN THE SYNAGOGUE every sabbath, and persuaded THE JEWS and the Greeks and testified to the JEWS that Jesus is Christ (Acts 18:5).

• At Ephesus, Paul entered into the synagogue and reasoned with THE JEWS (Acts 18:19).

• Paul went to the synagogue and preached boldly for three months, arguing persuasively about the Kingdom of God. But some became stubborn, rejecting his message and publicly speaking against the Way. So Paul left the synagogue and took the believers with him. Then he held daily discussions at the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for the next two years so that people throughout the province of Asia—both JEWS and Greeks—heard the word of the Lord (Acts 19:8-10).

• Paul testified to both the JEWS, and to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21).

• Paul says, “unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law…that I might by all means save some. (see 1 Corinthians 9:20-22)

Did the early church believers evangelize the Jews?

• Stephen, a deacon, preached and testified of Jesus to the Jews (Acts 7).

• After Stephen was martyred there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem, and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria (Acts 8:). They traveled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only (Acts 11:19).

• And A CERTAIN JEW named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.This man was instructed in the way of the Lord, and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.And he began to speak boldly IN THE SYNAGOGUE: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he came, helped them much which had believed through grace:For HE MIGHTILY CONVINCED THE JEWS, and that publicly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ (Acts 18:24-28).

Are the Jews responsible for believing the Gospel? 

• Jesus said to the religious Jews, “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins” (John 8:24).

• For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that EVERY SOUL, WHICH WILL NOT HEAR THAT PROPHET, SHALL BE CUT OFF FROM AMONG THE PEOPLE. Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. UNTO YOU FIRST God, having raised up his Son Jesus, SENT HIM TO BLESS YOU, IN TURNING AWAY EVERY ONE OF YOU FROM HIS INIQUITIES (Acts 3:22-26).

• Be it known unto you therefore, MEN and BRETHREN, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by THE LAW OF MOSES. Beware therefore, LEST THAT COME UPON YOU, which is spoken of in the prophets; Behold ye despisers, and WOUNDER , and PERISH: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you (Acts 13:38-41).

• Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles (Acts 13: 46).

• For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; TO THE JEW FIRST, and also to the Greek (Romans 1:16).

• For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.For there is NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE JEW AND THE GREEK: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:11-13).

• But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;But unto them which are called, both JEWS and GREEKS, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:23-24).