Did Jesus (God) Change HIs Mind About Salvation?

[GUYMAN]

I read a piece by a priest in my area who basically said that in the story of Jesus meeting the Caananite woman Jesus changes his mind about salvation only being for the Jew. Is that how we should look at it? Is this another example of how Jesus was truly human? Or should we discount this, because “God” doesn’t change his mind, etc?

 

[James248]

I read a piece by a priest in my area who basically said that in the story of Jesus meeting the Caananite woman Jesus changes his mind about salvation only being for the Jew. Is that how we should look at it? Is this another example of how Jesus was truly human? Or should we discount this, because “God” doesn’t change his mind, etc?

Nope, Jesus was testing the woman. Remember earlier He healed the slave of a centurion and said that the officer had more faith than anyone in Israel He’d seen.

 

[EIF5A]

I’m not sure how that fits in with God’s will that all people be saved…

 

[TK421]

I read a piece by a priest in my area who basically said that in the story of Jesus meeting the Caananite woman Jesus changes his mind about salvation only being for the Jew. Is that how we should look at it? Is this another example of how Jesus was truly human? Or should we discount this, because “God” doesn’t change his mind, etc?

It was Divine Providence from eternity to eternity that the Son would be the redemption of mankind.

 

[steve_b]

I read a piece by a priest in my area who basically said that in the story of Jesus meeting the Caananite woman Jesus changes his mind about salvation only being for the Jew. Is that how we should look at it? Is this another example of how Jesus was truly human? Or should we discount this, because “God” doesn’t change his mind, etc?

Not knowing what he actually said, maybe it is referring to

**Matt 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent out, charging them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And preach as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons…

Matt 15: 22 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and cried, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely possessed by a demon.” 23 But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”[e] 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 And he answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

while Jesus words look one way on the surface, otoh, Jesus is giving the Jews, the people of the covenant, 1st right of refusal to accept the new and everlasting covenant, and He is putting full attention to that goal.

AND,
• the result of that effort, the Church in the beginning was 100% Jewish.
• yet Jesus did interact a few times with Gentiles, and was particularly impressed with the Roman centurion and what he said to Jesus. Such that Jesus said He hadn’t seen faith like that in all Israel Matthew 8:5-13 . And we make the same powerful profession of faith before we receive Jesus in the Eucharist at mass

• Lord I am not worth you should enter under my roof but only say the word and my soul will be healed.
  
  • The HS inspired Peter to open the covenant up to Gentiles by baptizing Cornelius AND his whole family. So we know who that ultimately came from Matthew 8:5-13 …yes, Jesus
  • And Paul being frustrated with his fellow Jews because of their resistence to him, mentally and physically, THEN was inspired to go to the Gentiles.

Thus it looks like, Jesus and His apostles gave the Jews first right of refusal by focusing on them first. And as such the Church in the beginning was 100% Jewish. But we know that soon changed. Not because Jesus changed His mind, but because the Jews were given first right of refusal THEN the Gentiles were brought into the new covenant.

Jesus gave a heads up on this in advance when He answered Peter ** John 10:16** ], Jesus was referring to the gentiles**

 

[steve_b]

I’m not sure how that fits in with God’s will that all people be saved…

1 Timothy 2:4 ] doesn’t mean all will be saved. God forces no one to be saved nor force anyone to accept the knowledge of truth and live it.

Knowing everything in advance, Jesus, the one who judges ALL, warns us in advance

**Matthew 7:13-14 **,

13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy,[a] that leads to destruction, ἀπώλεια, ] and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
Note: ἀπώλεια, apóleia: = destruction, eternal ruin.

**Luke 13:23-28 , **
23 And some one said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, 24 “Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the householder has risen up and shut the door, you will begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us.’ He will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from; depart from me, all you workers of iniquity!’ 28 There you will weep and gnash your teeth,

Note:

• Jesus didn’t deny the questioner’s point or correct it for being wrong
• Jesus actually validated the point, and expanded on it.

 

[EIF5A]

1 Timothy 2:4 ] doesn’t mean all will be saved. God forces no one to be saved nor force anyone to accept the knowledge of truth and live it.

Ah yes, salvation is open for everyone as God desires, but our unrepentant sins prevent that. But the original post seems to imply that perhaps salvation was for Jews only. Or maybe the post meant salvation for the Jews first.

 

[jcrichton]

I read a piece by a priest in my area who basically said that in the story of Jesus meeting the Caananite woman Jesus changes his mind about salvation only being for the Jew. Is that how we should look at it? Is this another example of how Jesus was truly human? Or should we discount this, because “God” doesn’t change his mind, etc?

Hi!

I don’t mean to speak ill of the dead… but a person, be he a Priest or not, that offers such exegesis of Scriptures must be dead wrong!

Does Scriptures ever state that God so Loved the Jews that He send His Son so that only the Jews may Live… but that Jesus had a change of Heart so Me made it all inclusive?:

16 For God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world, to judge the world, but that the world may be saved by him.

(St. John 3:16-17)
The only time Salvation is reference to the Jews is here:

22 You adore that which you know not: we adore that which we know; for salvation is of the Jews.

(St. John 4:22)
…and why is that?

Because of the Promise:

19 Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.

(Genesis 17:19)
This Promise is to be maintained through an act of God: I Will Be their God and they will be my people:

9 After Jacob returned from Paddan Aram, God appeared to him again and blessed him. 10 God said to him, “Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel.” So he named him Israel. 11 And God said to him, “I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will be among your descendants. 12 The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you.”

(Genesis 35:9-12)

22 Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son, (Exodus 4:22)
Jesus is that Promise:

23 “From this man’s descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised.

(Acts 13:23)
Yahweh God let it be Known that Israel would reject Him and that He would gather onto Himself a new people (Romans 10; 9:6-29); since Salvation is from the Jews Jesus had to Limit Himself to the people of Israel:

23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

(St. Matthew 10:23)
Once the Promise is Fulfilled:

11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

(St. John 1:11-13)
…then Jesus can go to the Gentiles:

21 In his name the nations will put their hope.”

(St. Matthew 12:21)
The Canaanite woman acted before the appropriate time… yet Jesus, compelled by her Faith, acquiesced to her plea–surely, this was a lesson for Israel who remained in disbelief!

Maran atha!

Angel

 

[steve_b]

Ah yes, salvation is open for everyone as God desires, but our unrepentant sins prevent that. But the original post seems to imply that perhaps salvation was for Jews only. Or maybe the post meant salvation for the Jews first.

And maybe it’s because **John 4:22 ** ]

Jews received the first covenant, therefore they get first crack at accepting the new and everlasting covenant

 

[Mavzylor]

The same thing was preached to me by a priest. He even went so far as to say that Jesus was under the influence of the male Jewish culture of His time, and responded rudely because He truly believed he should focus on His own people. It seems that some are uncomfortable with Jesus’s reaction, or don’t understand it, and so they appeal to the His humanity. However, Jesus was the perfect human, and fully divine, and as you said yourself, He does not change His mind. It was merely a challenge of the woman’s faith. Would she believe Him to be as cold as other Jews had been to outsiders, or would she know better that He was the all loving God?

 

[jcrichton]

The same thing was preached to me by a priest. He even went so far as to say that Jesus was under the influence of the male Jewish culture of His time, and responded rudely because He truly believed he should focus on His own people. It seems that some are uncomfortable with Jesus’s reaction, or don’t understand it, and so they appeal to the His humanity. However, Jesus was the perfect human, and fully divine, and as you said yourself, He does not change His mind. It was merely a challenge of the woman’s faith. Would she believe Him to be as cold as other Jews had been to outsiders, or would she know better that He was the all loving God?

Hi!

I’m sorry to say that I have experienced too much… how does that Priest reconcile Jesus encounter with the Samaritan woman, His “hanging out” with sinners, His demand that children be allowed to come to Him, His friendship with Mary and Martha, the miracles with non-Jews, specifically the Roman Centurion…?

Jesus alone elevated woman, children, and sinners beyond the Judaic and pagan cultural tenets.

What Jesus does do is set the world on Fire! He makes a poignant point, Israel rejects God:

18 It seems that no one has come back to give praise to God, except this foreigner.’

(St. Luke 17:18)

24 And he went on, ‘I tell you solemnly, no prophet is ever accepted in his own country. 25 ‘There were many widows in Israel, I can assure you, in Elijah’s day, when heaven remained shut for three years and six months and a great famine raged throughout the land, 26 but Elijah was not sent to any one of these: he was sent to a widow at Zarephath, a Sidonian town. 27 And in the prophet Elisha’s time there were many lepers in Israel, but none of these was cured, except the Syrian, Naaman.’ 28 When they heard this everyone in the synagogue was enraged. (St. Luke 4:24-28)
Maran atha!

Angel