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Chapter 10
Empowered to Preach, Teach and Heal 1 - 15.
10.1. Jesus called his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits so they could cast them out and heal every kind of disease and sickness.
The time had now come for Jesus to sent out Disciples on their own so He calls them together. He imparts to them power over evil spirits so that they can cast them out from those who have been possesed by them. Also to heal every kind of disease and sickness.
10.2 - 4. Now these are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon2 (called Peter), and Andrew his brother; James son of Zebedee and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
In these verses Matthew lists the names of the twelve disciples who Jesus gave power to. Note that he emphasizes that Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus was also given the same as the others and was sent forth by Him. As far as we know Judas did the same miracles as the other disciples.
10.5 - 6. Jesus sent out these twelve, instructing them as follows: "Do not go to Gentile regions and do not enter any Samaritan town. Go instead to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
The disciples were not to go anywhere that they choose to for Jesus specifically tells to go only to the Jews, the lost sheep of God. They were not to enter Samaria or any Gentile regions.
10. 7. As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near!'
He gives them the message that they are to preach. The good news that the kingdom of heaven is near the way of salvation is coming. The message is the same today for every believer proclaim that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the World.
10. 8. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.
As they gave the message signs and wonders would follow. They were to heal the sick, raise the dead to life, lepers are singled out for healing and to drive out demons from those who they possess. As the disciples had received freely from the Lord Jesus Christ this power to do this things so they must freely give to others. The Contemporary English Version says "You received without paying, now give without being paid".
10.9 - 10. Do not take gold, silver, or copper in your belts, no bag for the journey, or an extra tunic, or sandals or staff, for the worker deserves his provisions.
Jesus did not tell them to go and pack their suitcases and make certain they had enough money to provide for food and lodgings as you would expect to do if you were going away for a while. No, it was exactly the opposite they were to go straight away and with what they stood up in. He does add however that a workers deserves their food (1 Corinthians 9: 7 - 11).
10.11. Whenever you enter a town or village, find out who is worthy there and stay with them until you leave.
When they enter a town they are seek out someone who is worthy enough to have them as their guests and stay with them until they are ready to move on.
10.12. As you enter the house, give it greetings.
As they are entering a home they must give their blessing upon it. (" Peace to this house" in Luke 10:5)
10.13. And if the house is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.
If that house is indeed worthy then the blessing will remain upon it. If it is not then the disciples are to take back the blessing of peace.
10.14. And if anyone will not welcome you or listen to your message, shake the dust off your feet as you leave that house or that town.
If anyone will not receive them or their message they are to leave that home or town and shake the dust off their feet at them. To the Jews the dust of heathen countries was unclean. Paul and Barnabus did this to Antioch in Pisidia (Acts 13:51).
10.15. I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town!
Jesus declares that in the Day of Judgment it will be more endurable for the wicked cities of Sodom and Comorrah that for the town who had been given the opportunity to hear the Word of God and receive it.
Opposition and Persecution 16 - 26.
10.16. "I am sending you out like sheep surrounded by wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
Jesus warns them that He is not sending them into pleasant places for they will be like sheep surrounded by people who are as hard hearted and merciless as wolves. So they are to be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent, harmless as doves.
10.17. Beware of people, because they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues.
They are to beware of people who will take them to court and have them publicly beaten.
10.18. And you will be brought before governors and kings because of me, as a witness to them and the Gentiles.
They will be dragged before governors and kings for Christ sake in order for them to witness before the Gentiles that Jesus Christ is Lord and King and Saviour. So Paul was brought before Gallio, Felix, Festus and Agrippa (Acts 26: 1, 28).
10.19. Whenever they hand you over for trial, do not worry about how to speak or what to say, for what you should say will be given to you at that time.
When they are brought to trial they are not to worry about thinking what they should say or how they should say it. In that very hour they will given the right words to say.
10.20. For it is not you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
It will not be their own words but the Holy Spirit that will speak through them.
10.21. "Brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against parents and have them put to death.
Brothers and sisters will betray one another parents will betray their own children and children their parents and have put to death.
10.22 And you will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
Do not expect to be liked or loved by anyone for Christ's disciples will be hated by everyone because they are His. Those who will endure and remain faithful in the face of persecution to the end will be saved.
10.23. Whenever they persecute you in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
When disciples are persecuted in one town for their faith they are flee to another. Taken in the context of the verse the disciples of Jesus Christ who are persecute will never have time to flee for refuge to every town in Israel before Jesus Christ comes. It is debatable what Jesus meant by this. Some commentators say that He meant before His death and resurrection others that He meant before the destruction of Jerusalem or until He comes again. It cannot mean from the time He said these words until He comes again for His church for this period has been far too long and the country far too small for this to be so. It is more likely to refer to the time of the destruction of Jerusalem when believers fled from Israel.
10.24 - 25. "A disciple is not greater than his teacher, nor a slave greater than his master. It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house 'Beelzebul,' how much more will they defame the members of his household!
A disciple is not better than his teacher and a slave is not above his master so Christ's disciples cannot be better than He is or higher than Him. As His disciples we should become like Him. As He came to serve so His followers should serve others (John 13:13-16). If they called Jesus Beelzebub they are going to call His desciples even more so (Matthew 12:24).
Do not Fear 26 - 33.
10.26. "Do not be afraid of them, for nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing is secret that will not be made known.
Do not be afraid of those who oppose, persecute and threaten you for nothing is hidden from God. In due time their evil deeds against you will be made known. (Jeremiah 1:8, 1 Peter 3:14)
10.27. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops.
The Lord Jesus Christ encourages His disciples to spread abroad the things that He has taught them in secret. They are to proclaim it in the daytime and shout it from the housetops.
10.28. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Do not be afraid of people for they can only kill the body they cannot kill the soul. Fear only God for He alone is able to destroy both body and soul in hell.
10.29. Aren't two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will.
The Lord gives the blessed assurance that God the Father not only cares for the sparrow that is sold two a penny but He knows and sees them when they die.
10.30 - 31. Even all the hairs on your head are numbered. So do not be afraid; you are more valuable than many sparrows.
You do not know how many hairs you have on your head unless you have none at all but God the Father numbers them! So why be afraid for you are of more value than a flock of sparrows.
10.32. "Whoever, then, acknowledges me before people, I will acknowledge before my Father in heaven.
If you want to avoid persecution then deny the Lord Jesus Christ. However, if you confess before the people that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Saviour then He will acknowledge you as His own before His Father in heaven.
10.33. But whoever denies me before people, I will deny him also before my Father in heaven.
Whoever denies, disowns Jesus Christ before people then He will denyand disown them before His Father in heaven.
Not Peace but Conflict 34 - 39.
10.34. "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace but a sword.
He warns His disciples that He has not come into the world to bring an end to all wars and contentions whether it is between individual people or nations. The "peace on earth" proclaimed by the angel at the birth of Jesus Christ refers to the peace of God through reconciliation to Him by the death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross (Colossians 1:21-22). There will be those who will continually oppose the teaching and the person of the Lord Jesus Christ therefore there will be no peace but conflict as the Word of God which is the sword of the spirit is proclaimed (Ephesians 6:17, Hebrews 4:12).
10.35 - 36. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and a man's enemies will be the members of his household.
The gospel message will bring division among families, a son will turn against his father a daughter against her mother and the opposite will be true. The enemies of a believers will be from within their own families.
10.37. "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
If a Christians have a greater love for their parents or for their own children, if they put these relations before Christ then they do not deserve to have Him (Mark 3:32-34, Mark 10:28-30).
10.38. And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
Whoever does not deny himself (die to self-will) and embraces the will of God whatever it may cost is not deserving to belong to Christ.
10.39. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life because of me will find it.
Whoever holds on to his own life will lose out by it but whoever lets go of his own life completely surrendering it to Jesus Christ will have that abundant life (John 10:10, Galatians 2:20)
Rewards 40 - 42.
10.40. "Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.
If anyone welcomes you it is the same as welcoming the Lord Jesus Christ and whoever welcomes Jesus welcomes God the Father who went Him.
10.41. Whoever receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward. Whoever receives a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive a righteous person's reward.
The person who receives a prophet of the Lord as such will receive the same reward as a prophet. Anyone who receives a righteous person because of their righteousness will have the same reward as a righteous person.
10.42. And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple, I tell you the truth, he will never lose his reward."
Whoever gives a cup of cold water to the least of the disciples of Jesus Christ because he is a disciple of His has the promise of the Lord that he will never lose his reward.
