Moslems may try to paint a picture that Gentiles Dogs are outside the gates of new Jerusalem city and that Lord Jesus was sent only to the house of Israel - the Jews. Was the original mission of Lord Jesus sent to the Jews only and paving the way for another prophet to accomplish the salvation plan for the Gentiles? Let us examine the Scripture in order to establish the truth, nothing but the truth.
What is the meaning of "Dogs" that is used in the Bible before Jesus used it?
Let's search for first mention of "dogs" in the Bible, bring it to:
Exo 11:7 But against any of the children of Israel shall not a DOG move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.
To understand the context of "dog" in the above verse 7, the whole chapter 11 will lead to correct interpretation. The verse 5 tells us about "all the firstborn of beasts" shall die.
God said to Moses:
Exo 11:5 And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts.
Then what does it mean when it says in verse 7 that "against any of the children of Israel shall not a DOG move his tongue"? The characteristic of dogs is that they will lick the blood of dead animals. Moving the tongue means to lick the blood. Dogs are therefore used to represent unclean animals in that they eat dead bodies or unclean food.
Exo 22:31 And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.
1Ki 21:19 And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where DOGS licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.
Dogs in the above context has the literal meaning that they are unclean animals. Therefore, dogs symbolize or represent those that are unholy.
Search for the first mention of "dogs" (kyon) by Lord Jesus;
Matt 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the DOGS (Greek: kyon, literally or figuratively means a dog) , neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Dogs symbolize unclean or contemptible. In the above verse, Jesus teaches that holy teachings is not to be entrusted to the unholy or contemptible man. It is futile to teach holy concepts to people who do not want to listen and will only be tearing apart what has been revealed in truth for instance, the Gospel of Jesus.
Both Apostle Paul and Peter used the word "dogs" in the same sense as Jesus used it. Paul warned the Philippians against dogs.
Phi 3:2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
2Pe 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
2Pe 2:21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy
2Pe 2:22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The DOG is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
From the above passage, it reveals another characteristic of dogs that they have the habit of returning to their vomit. This is the nature of dogs. The dogs is an unusual animal in this aspect.
Apostle Peter related the proverb to believers who turned away from the truth and holy teachings of Jesus and turn back to the old way of life. In other words, Peter is talking about the apostate, a person who renounce his previous faith. It is like having accepted the gospel of Jesus but decides to return to the old ways in his unholy life. That is like a dog throwing out his vomit. So one can see that the use of the word "dogs" does not always mean "Gentile dogs".
A Canaanite woman came to Jesus asking for his help as her daughter was possessed by a demon.
Mat 15:21 And Jesus went out thence, and withdrew into the parts of Tyre and Sidon.
Mat 15:22 And behold, a Canaanitish woman came out from those borders, and cried, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a demon.
Mat 15:23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
Mat 15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (KJV)
Mat 15:25 Then came she and worshiped him, saying, Lord, help me.
Mat 15:26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to
DOGS (Greek: kynarion means a puppy or pet dog) .
From the "limited" commission of Jesus to his 12 apostles, it confirms that Jesus' priority is his own race.
Mat 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
Mat 10:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
To have a correct understanding on the word "dogs" in the right context, take a cross-reference to the Gospel of Mark.
Mark 7:27 But Jesus said unto her, Let the children FIRST be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs (Greek: kynarion means a puppy or little dog) .
Did Jesus mean the Canaanite woman is a "little dog"? Not at all. If it were so, Jesus would say "O Gentile dog, I am not sent but to the house of Israel. You can leave now." In fact, Jesus was using an analogy to denote the priority of his mission and did not mean Gentiles are dogs. It is a parable of Jesus about Bread - himself (John 6:35) to feed his own people first. Children may cast the leftover bread to their pet dogs.
Some translation like ESV has wrong interpretation in this manner by interpolation of the word "only" which is not found in original Greek text.
Mat 15:24 He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."
If Jesus were only sent to the house of Israel, then he would not care about the Gentile woman. But one can read that Jesus did grant the request of the Greek woman. Apostle Paul made it clear about the salvation of the Gentiles.
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every ONE that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
The common misconception is that Gentiles is a general term for people who are neither Jews nor Christians or literally Gentiles are pagans. Who are the Gentiles according to the Bible?
Genesis 10:5 By these were the isles of the GENTILES divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.
Second mention of Gentiles is from:
Jdg 4:2 And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.
So the term Gentiles have been wrongly referred to non-Jews. In fact Gentiles are the Jews.
The sons of Japheth are the Gentiles, All the nations mentioned in Gen 10: 2-4 are traced back to the European nations. The Europeans or "White People" are the Gentiles. To prove this lets go back to scripture. The apostle Paul stated he is the apostle to the Gentiles.
Romans11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
Paul taught Europeans, 1. The ROMANS, 2. CORINTHIANS, 3. GALATIANS, 4. PHILIPPIANS, 5. THESSALONIANS ETC.
All these people were white Europeans, if the Gentiles were everybody who wasn’t an Israelite, why didn’t the apostle to the Gentiles go to the Egyptians and Ethiopians? Both these nations were his next door neighbors? Paul didn’t teach them because they are not Gentiles.
Gentiles do not mean Christians or a race in this context but a name of a place.
Mat 4:14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying,
Mat 4:15 The land of Zebulun, and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;
Mat 12:21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.
Is that Canaanite woman a Gentile dog? No, because she was a woman of great faith in Jesus Christ. Those who have faith in Jesus are called Christians and not pagans.
Mat 15:27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.
Mat 15:28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
Why Jesus did not send her away when his disciples asked him to do so? Instead Jesus said he was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. In other words, his priority was sent to minister to the Israelite nation and not to the Gentiles at that material time. In any event, Jesus did not turn her away but granted her the request. The same principle applies to you and me today, when we approach Lord Jesus in sincerity and in truth for the direction and guidance in making the right decision about the Way to Paradise, Lord Jesus will not turn away from us.
The Greek word "dog" used by Lord Jesus is "kynarion" means a pet puppy in Matthew 15:26 while in Revelation Chapter 22:15 Greek word used for dogs is "kyon" literally or figuratively for "dog" and not a puppy. One can see the difference? The interpretation for "dogs" in Revelation Chapter 22:15 has a different meaning than in word used by Lord Jesus.
In a parable of the beggar Lazarus and rich man, there is also mention of dogs licking the sores of the beggar. Dogs are literally unclean.
Luke 16:20 (Jesus said) And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
Luke 16:21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs (Greek: kyon literally Dog) came and licked his sores.
The misinterpretation of the meaning "dogs" will create confusion to the teachings of salvation. Jesus granted the request of Canaanite woman and did not deny her of any assistance. The Samaritan woman believed in the words of Lord Jesus and declared that He was indeed the Christ, Savior of the world. So we can be confidence that Lord Jesus will not deny our requests when one come to Him in prayers.
For Jesus’ statement to be construed as rude or wrong in some way, a person would be forced to prove that the illustration or idiom He used to refer to the Gentiles as "little dogs" must be taken in a derogatory fashion. Such cannot be proved. In fact, the term Jesus used for "little dogs" could easily be taken in an illustrative way without any type of unkind insinuation. In his commentary on Mark, renowned commentator R.C.H. Lenski translated the Greek term used by Jesus (kunaria) as "little pet dogs." Lenski further noted concerning Jesus statement: "In the Orient dogs have no owners but run wild and serve as scavengers for all garbage and offal.... It is an entirely different conception when Jesus speaks of ‘little pet dogs’ in referring to the Gentiles. These have owners who keep them even in the house and feed them by throwing them bits from the table".
In regard to the non-derogatory nature of Jesus’ comment to the Gentile woman, Allen Black wrote: "The form of his statement is proverbial. And the basis of the proverb is not an antipathy for Gentiles, but the necessary Jewish focus of Jesus’ earthly ministry"
To the Jews First and Also to the Greeks
In order for one to understand Jesus’ statement, he or she must recognize the primary purpose of the comment. Jesus was passing through the land of the Gentiles (Greeks) and was approached by a woman who was not a Jew. While Jesus’ message would eventually reach the Gentile world, it is evident from the Scriptures that the Jewish nation would be the initial recipient of that message. In his account of Jesus’ encounter with the Syrophoenician woman, Matthew recorded that Jesus said: "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (15:24). When Jesus sent the twelve apostles on the "limited commission," He told them: "Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matthew 10:5-6).
Just before Jesus ascended to heaven after His resurrection, He informed the apostles: "[A]nd you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8). The sequence of places where the apostles would witness manifests the order in which the Gospel would be preached (i.e., the Jews first and then the Gentiles). In addition, the apostle Paul, in his epistle to the church at Rome, stated: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek" (1:16). Jesus’ statement to the Syrophoenician woman indicated that the Jewish nation was Jesus’ primary target for evangelism during His earthly ministry.
But heed that all liars will be cast to the lake of fire. If one's faith is not in Jesus, then there is no savior and advocate in the Great Judgment.
Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Who shall be saved from hell fire?
Mar 16:15 And he (Jesus) said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Mar 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Joh 10:9 (Jesus said) I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
Who are judging the 12 tribes of Israel?
Matthew 19:28 And Jesus said unto them (disciples), Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, JUDGING the twelve tribes of Israel.
Luke 22:30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones JUDGING the twelve tribes of Israel.
Rev 21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Lord Jesus did not say Gentiles shall not enter the gates of new Jerusalem City. He did promise the 12 Apostles to rule with him sit on the thrones as judges over the 12 tribes of Israel. Believers do not have to be judges but are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God (Eph 2:19).
Act 26:6 And now I (Paul) stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:
Act 26:7 Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.
Act 26:8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?
Act 26:9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
How to be saved from Hell?
Act 16:29 Then he (prison keeper) called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
Act 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
Act 16:31 And they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
1Ti 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Act 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Act 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Who shall enter the new Jerusalem city?
Luke 10:20 (Jesus said) Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your Names are written in heaven.
Rev 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will NOT blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
Rev 21:12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel
Christians have a place in new Jerusalem city by promise is similar to promise with Isaac.
Isaiah 62:2 And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name.
Rev 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
Rev 1:20 (Jesus said) The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
The 7 churches namely Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyathira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea are located in Asia Minor and not in Israel. Hence Lord Jesus was addressing to the Gentiles too and the salvation plan of God is for all.
Act 13:46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
Eph 3:6 That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
Eph 3:7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.
Eph 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
Eph 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
Lamb's Book of Life
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Surely the dogs are not Christians because Jesus has redeemed them by his own blood and are holy in God's sight.
Gal 4:4 But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
Gal 4:5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Gal 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
Gal 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;
Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Mat 26:28 (Jesus said) For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of SINS.
Again who are the Dogs? The Dogs are the unrighteous or contemptible, and apostate.
1Co 6:9 Know ye not that the UNRIGHTEOUS shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
1Co 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
1Co 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Take a look at Jesus' Great commission on whom shall the gospel be preached.
Mat 28:19 (Jesus said) Go ye therefore, and teach ALL nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost
Act 1:8 (Jesus said) But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
As the Great Commission is to witness to the farthest part of the earth beyond the country of Israel, it must be referring to all nations too.
Salvation is for all races and nationalities in Jesus Christ.
Now what is the correct interpretation of "dogs" in Revelation Chapter 22: 15?
Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his Commandments (Matt 7:21), that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Rev 22:15 For without (outside the city gates) are DOGS (Greek: kyon literally or figuratively Dog), and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
Cross-reference to a similar verse on those outside the city gates or those burnt in lake of fire.
Rev 21:8 But [the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable] and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
As the gates of the city are always open, outside the city must be the lake of burning fire or hell otherwise the "Dogs" would freely enter into the city.
Rev 21:25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.
Take note that there is no consistency for "Dogs" to mean "Gentiles" or pagans when the other categories of people are basically workers of evil and not a race. Let us see it make any sense to use Dogs = Gentiles; it will read as "For without are Gentiles, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie."
Dogs in this context must be a figure of speech. It simply does not make sense to only include dogs and not any other animals. Why only dogs? If dogs are Gentiles, then it would read " For without are Gentiles, Arabs, Samaritans etc ...".
The final conclusion is that dogs are false teachers, false prophets, contemptible, the coward, unbelieving, abominable, unholy, and the apostate. Through Jesus Christ our Lord by his death, resurrection and ascension to the throne of God, there is hope for all races. Jesus never use the word "kynarion" to mean "kyon" or the redeemed Christians amongst the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars.
