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Why did St. Paul focus much of his mission work on Gentiles?

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Caravaggio: The Conversion of St. Paul (second version) — St. Paul the Apostle *The Conversion of St. Paul* (second version), oil on canvas by Caravaggio, 1601; in Santa Maria del Popolo, Rome.

St. Paul’s focus on mission work among the Gentiles was rooted in his interpretation of divine revelation and his understanding of God’s plan for salvation. Following his vision of Jesus, Paul believed he was specifically appointed to preach to the Gentiles.1

His mission was framed by his reading of Hebrew prophecy, which suggested that in the "days to come," God would restore the tribes of Israel and that Gentiles would subsequently turn to worship the one true God. Paul concluded that his role was to facilitate this process in reverse: by winning Gentiles to the faith, he hoped to make his own people, the Jews, jealous and thereby lead them to Christ. He viewed this as a way to ensure that "the full number of the Gentiles" would come in, ultimately leading to the salvation of Israel.1

Furthermore, this focus was solidified through a political and theological agreement with the apostles in Jerusalem. It was determined that while others would focus on the circumcised, Paul would serve as the principal apostle to the Gentiles, allowing him to spread the gospel without requiring converts to observe the traditional Mosaic Law.123