“Handed over to the Gentiles”: The Centrality of Persecution for Missiology

Abstract

Two issues must be considered together in missiology: the relationship of Jesus (of the Gospels) to the Gentiles and the necessity of rejection of the gospel by one's own people. The first issue has been treated as a puzzling side issue and the second simply neglected. The answer to both questions involves recognizing the necessity of rejection and persecution within Christian churches and the coming of God's kingdom as a continually present process.