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Jesus' Inclusive Attitude Towards the Gentiles In the Gospel of Matthew: A Challenge to The Osu Cast System In Igboland, Nigeria
(Tangaza University College, 2003) Uzoeto, Charles OnyeKachukwu
Having journeyed with Matthew in his Gospel, I was greatly fascinated by how this text presents Jesus as the Messiah for the Jews and the Gentiles right from his birth, during his earthly ministry and consummated after his resurrection. It is clear, as we shall see in chapter one, that Matthew's Gospel is more Jewish than the other synoptic gospels. Notwithstanding that fact, Matthew includes 'Gentiles' as one of his main themes and presents Jesus as one who welcomes the Gentiles into the plan of salvation. The particular approach of Jesus invokes in me a consciousness of the reality of the Osu Caste System (which is like the Gentiles of today) in Igbo Land of Nigeria where I was born and brought up. The approach of Jesus to the Gentiles of his time poses a great challenge to the Catholic Christians of Igbo land. There are many texts in Matthew's Gospel that speak about the Gentiles, but I have decided to choose some particular ones which portray Jesus' inclusive attitude towards those who came to him with great faith. In these texts Jesus marvelled at and praised the faith of these two Gentiles.