Because of the deep-seededprivilege of Israel, who felt they were entitled to a saviour, and because of their stiff-necked rebellion in idolatry, judgement fell upon Israel. Even their renowned prophets, Elijah and Elisha, were sent to restore not their people but a gentile widow and gentile leper. Similarly, Jesus was rejected by his people so that the gentiles might be saved.

The gospel eats at our sense of entitlement. To know Jesus is to need Jesus, who came to seek and save the lost. Jesus came for the spiritually poor, for those who think that God would never want them, for the oppressed, and the widow. Jesus is needed by all, privileged and poor, but only when we recognise our own spiritual poverty and our need for Christ to save us can we know him.