In several places in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, Jesus is called the King of the Jews. And Jesus refers to Himself in this way as well. However, this should not be construed to mean that He came only to save the Hebrew people.
From the beginning of the Lord’s covenant with Abraham, we see the plan of God not only to save the Jews, but also to reach beyond them in bringing salvation to all who place their faith in Jesus. God said to Abraham in Genesis 22:18, “Through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed.” And, of course, Jesus was Himself from the “offspring” of Abraham, for He was a descendant of him.
There are many scriptures that point out the fact that salvation is for anyone who believes, whether Jew or Gentile, and regardless of nationality. Here are just a few:
“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile” (Romans 1:16).
“For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’” (Romans 10:12-13).
“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God” (1 John 5:1).
“Then Paul and Barnabas answered [the Jews] boldly: ‘We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. For this is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth’’” (Acts 13:46-47; Note: The last sentence is a quote of Isaiah 49:6).
“This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe” (Romans 3:22).
“Through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 3:6).
“Then Peter began to speak: ‘I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right’” (Acts 10:34-35).
“God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life” (Acts 11:18).
“You [Jesus] are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9).
From these verses, it should be quite clear that the Bible—literally from Genesis to Revelation—shows that Jesus came “to seek and to save” the lost (Luke 19:10). And “the lost” are not just Jews, but each of us who has sinned—whether Jew or Gentile, or whether having lived two thousand years ago or today.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, emphasis mine).
If you are someone who saw Jesus as simply a savior for the Jews, why not trust Him today for your own salvation? “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).