The disciples on their first missionary tour were to go only to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel." If they had now preached the gospel to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, they would have lost their influence with the Jews. By exciting the prejudice of the Pharisees they would have involved themselves in controversy which would have discouraged them at the outset of their labors. Even the apostles were slow to understand that the gospel was to be carried to all nations. Until they themselves could grasp this truth they were not prepared to labor for the Gentiles. If the Jews would receive the gospel, God purposed to make them His messengers to the Gentiles. Therefore they were first to hear the message.

Disciplene skulle på deres første missionsrejse kun gå til "de fortabte får af Israels hus". Hvis de på dette tidspunkt havde prædiket evangeliet for hedninger eller samaritanere, ville de have mistet deres indflydelse over jøderne. De ville ved at vække farisæernes fordom være blevet indblandet i en meningsudveksling, som ville have taget modet fra dem straks ved begyndelsen af deres arbejde. Selv apostlene fattede kun langsomt, at evangeliet skulle bringes ud til alle folkeslag. Før de selv kunne begribe denne sandhed, var de ikke beredt til at arbejde blandt hedninger. Hvis jøderne ville tage imod evangeliet, var det Guds hensigt at gøre dem til sine sendebud til hedningerne. Derfor skulle de høre budskabet først.