Provoke the Jews to Jealousy
Most Christians know the Great Commission, which says: “Go into the world and make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19). But this isn’t the Great Commission for Christians; it’s for Jews!
All the men addressed in this verse were Jewish. In this statement Jesus was telling the apostles to go to the gentiles and nations, and make disciples of them. Messiah was actually telling them to teach these pagans (since that’s what they were) about the God of Israel and his Messiah.
Jews going to gentiles was what the Great Commission was initially all about, even though it has been expanded to Christians going to the lost.
In chapter 11 of Romans, Paul (Rabbi Saul) wrote to the believers in Rome about his people, Israel. He spoke of them as “natural” branches of the olive tree, whereas he considered gentiles to be “wild” branches (11:16-24).