Memory Text: 1 Corinthians 9:22 NRSV “To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some.”
Sunday – Disciples among the Samaritans
God’s Attitude Towards All Races:
John 1:3 20th Century NT “Through him all things came into being, and nothing came into being apart from him.”
Acts 10:28 20th Century NT “"You are doubtless aware that it is forbidden for a Jew to be intimate with a foreigner, or even to enter his house; and yet God has shown me that I ought not to call any man ‘defiled’ or ‘unclean.’”
Acts 10:34-35 20th Century NT “34 ¶ Then Peter began. "I see, beyond all doubt," he said, "that ‘God does not show partiality,’ 35 But that in every nation he who reverences him and does what is right is acceptable to him.”
Acts 17:26-28 20th Century NT “26 He made all races of the earth’s surface—fixing a time for their rise and fall, and the limits of their settlements— 27 That they might search for God, if by any means they might feel their way to him and find him. And yet he is not really far from any one of us; 28 For in him we live and move and are. To use the words of some of your own poets—’His offspring, too, are we.’”
Acts 17:26 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY “Paul is stating the historical truth that all men, and consequently all nations, sprang from one common ancestor, Adam. The belief was one that no Greek, and especially no Athenian, was likely to accept. For such, the distinction between Greek and barbarian was radical and essential. The one was by nature meant to be the slave of the other (Aristotle Politics i. 2. 6). But there was no place in Paul’s theology for a “superior” race. He believed the Genesis account of the creation of man. He saw the oneness of physical structure, of potential or actual development, which forbids any one race or nation—Hebrew, Hellenic, Latin, or Teutonic—to assume that it is the cream and flower of humanity.”
Hebrews 2:9 20th Century NT “What our eyes do see is Jesus, who was made for a while lower than angels, now, because of his sufferings and death, crowned with glory and honour; so that his tasting the bitterness of death should, in God’s loving-kindness, be on behalf of all mankind.”
Jesus and Races Other Than Jews:
Luke 17:11-16 NLT “11 ¶ As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. 12 As he entered a village there, ten lepers stood at a distance, 13 crying out, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" 14 He looked at them and said, "Go show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, their leprosy disappeared. 15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, "Praise God, I’m healed!" 16 He fell face down on the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan.”
John 4:39-42 NKJV “39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me all that I [ever] did." 40 So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of His own word. 42 Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard [Him] and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world."”
John 4:42 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY The readiness of these Samaritans to believe the evidence that Jesus was the “Prophet” of whom Moses spoke stands forth in sharp contrast to the uncertainty with which the Jews received Him. His life and message constituted convincing evidence to the Samaritans that Moses’ prediction had met its fulfillment in the person of Jesus of Nazareth.
Monday – The God-Fearers
Luke 7:1-11 NKJV “1 ¶ Now when He concluded all His sayings in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum. 2 And a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die. 3 So when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to Him, pleading with Him to come and heal his servant. 4 And when they came to Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying that the one for whom He should do this was deserving, 5 "for he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue." 6 Then Jesus went with them. And when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, "Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof. 7 "Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 "For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does [it]." 9 When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, "I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!" 10 And those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick. 11 ¶ Now it happened, the day after, [that] He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd.”
Luke 7:2 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY Fully aware of the usual Jewish attitude toward Gentiles (see on Matt. 7:6), the centurion may have been uncertain as to how Jesus would respond to a request coming directly from one not of His own race. Having had, perhaps, unpleasant experiences with various Jewish leaders in the past, he may have feared a rebuff. In typically Oriental fashion, also, the correct procedure would be to make arrangements through a middleman, who, presumably, was in a position to provide for things that might otherwise be refused. Possibly these were the “elders” of the very synagogue Jesus usually attended when in Capernaum.
Acts 11:1-3 Moffatt NT “1 ¶ Now the apostles and the brothers in Judaea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter came up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party fell foul of him. 3 "You went into the houses of the uncircumcised," they said, "and you ate with them!"”
Tuesday – The Canaanite
Matthew 15:21-28 Holman “21 ¶ When Jesus left there, He withdrew to the area of Tyre and Sidon. 22 Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came and kept crying out, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is cruelly tormented by a demon.” 23 Yet He did not say a word to her. So His disciples approached Him and urged Him, “Send her away because she cries out after us.” 24 He replied, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came, knelt before Him, and said, “Lord, help me!” 26 He answered, “It isn’t right to take the children’s bread and throw it to their dogs.” 27 “Yes, Lord,” she said, “yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table!” 28 Then Jesus replied to her, “Woman, your faith is great. Let it be done for you as you want.” And from that moment her daughter was cured.”
Ellen White, Desire of Ages, p. 402 – “Jesus longed to unfold the deep mysteries of the truth which had been hid for ages, that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs with the Jews, and "partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel." Eph. 3:6. This truth the disciples were slow to learn, and the divine Teacher gave them lesson upon lesson. In rewarding the faith of the centurion at Capernaum, and preaching the gospel to the inhabitants of Sychar, He had already given evidence that He did not share the intolerance of the Jews. But the Samaritans had some knowledge of God; and the centurion had shown kindness to Israel. Now Jesus brought the disciples in contact with a heathen, whom they regarded as having no reason above any of her people, to expect favor from Him.”
Wednesday – Philip and the Ethiopian Official
Acts 8:26-40 KJ21 “26 ¶ And the angel of the Lord spoke unto Philip, saying, "Arise and go toward the south unto the road that goeth down from Jerusalem into Gaza, which is desert." 27 And he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasure and had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28 was returning; and sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. 29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, "Go near and join thyself to this chariot." 30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Understandest thou what thou readest?" 31 And he said, "How can I, unless some man should guide me?" And he besought Philip that he would come up and sit with him. 32 The place of the Scripture from which he read was this: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb before his shearer is dumb, so opened He not His mouth. 33 In His humiliation, His judgment was taken away. And who shall declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth." 34 And the eunuch answered Philip and said, "I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? Of himself, or of some other man?" 35 Then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same Scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. 36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water; and the eunuch said, "See, here is water! What doth hinder me from being baptized?" 37 And Philip said, "If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." 38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still, and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 And when they had come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip. And the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip was found at Azotus, and passing through, he preached in all the cities until he came to Caesarea.”
Acts 8:27 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY Ethiopia, like Cush in the OT, is a general name given to the country south of the first cataract of the Nile, and extending into modern Ethiopia. Its northern portion was the great kingdom of Meroe in the upper valley of the Nile, which was ruled over by queens for a long period.
Thursday – The Antioch Church
Acts 11:25-40 CEV “25 Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul. 26 He found Saul and brought him to Antioch, where they met with the church for a whole year and taught many of its people. There in Antioch the Lord’s followers were first called Christians. 27 ¶ During this time some prophets from Jerusalem came to Antioch. 28 One of them was Agabus. Then with the help of the Spirit, he told that there would be a terrible famine everywhere in the world. And it happened when Claudius was Emperor. 29 The followers in Antioch decided to send whatever help they could to the followers in Judea. 30 So they had Barnabas and Saul take their gifts to the church leaders in Jerusalem.”
Acts 11:28 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY This famine is probably that mentioned by Josephus (Antiquities xx. 2. 5), who tells how Helena, queen of Adiabene, east of the Tigris, while visiting at Jerusalem helped the people by obtaining for them corn from Alexandria and dried figs from Cyprus.
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