No “Wall” Between Jews and Gentiles

Christ began to break down the “middle wall of separation” (Ephesians 2:14) between Jew and Gentile and to preach salvation to everyone. He mingled freely with the despised Samaritans, setting aside the customs of the Jews. He slept under their roofs, ate at their tables, and taught in their streets.ULe 9.5

The Savior longed to unfold to His disciples the truth that “the Gentiles should be fellow heirs” with the Jews and “partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel” (Ephesians 3:6). He rewarded the faith of the centurion at Capernaum; He preached to the people living in Sychar; and on His visit to Phoenicia, He healed the daughter of the Canaanite woman. Among those whom many thought were unworthy of salvation, there were people hungering for truth.ULe 9.6

In this way Christ tried to teach the disciples that in God’s kingdom there are no territorial lines, no rigid social classes, no aristocracy. They must bring all nations the message of a Savior’s love. But not until later did they fully realize that God “made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth” (Acts 17:26).ULe 10.1

These first disciples represented a wide variety in types of character. Differing in natural characteristics, they needed to come into unity. To achieve this end, Christ tried to bring them into unity with Himself. He expressed His burden for them in His prayer to His Father, “That they all may be one, ... that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me” (John 17:21-23). He knew that truth would conquer in the battle with evil, and that the blood-stained banner would someday wave triumphantly over His followers.ULe 10.2

As Christ realized that soon He must leave His disciples to carry on the work, He tried to prepare them for the future. He knew that they would suffer persecution, be put out of the synagogues, and be thrown into prison. Some would even be killed. In speaking of their future, He was clear and definite, so that in their coming trials they would remember His words and be strengthened to believe in Him as the Redeemer.ULe 10.3

“Let not your heart be troubled,” He said. “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:1-3). When I go away I will still work earnestly for you. I go to My Father and yours to cooperate with Him for your good.ULe 10.4

“He who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father” (verse 12). Christ did not mean that the disciples would do a better or higher work than He had done, but that their work would have greater extent. He was speaking of all that would take place under the power of the Holy Spirit.ULe 10.5