Matthew 10

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve

10:2-4pp -- Mk 3:16-19; Lk 6:14-16; Ac 1:13 10:9-15pp -- Mk 6:8-11; Lk 9:3-5; 10:4-12 10:19-22pp -- Mk 13:11-13; Lk 21:12-17 10:26-33pp -- Lk 12:2-9 10:34,35pp -- Lk 12:51-53

1 He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. 5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. 9 Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; 10 take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep. 

Here we start out with Matthew telling of the 12 disciples, their task and who they were.  A disciple is a learner, a student and Jesus had and has many disciples following him.  We should count ourselves in the number of disciples over the ages.  An apostle is someone who has the authority to represent someone and is sent out with a specific purpose.  The 12 that are listed are from the "inner circle" of disciples who are being sent on a mission representing him.          When you see these 12 listed in Mark, Luke and Acts you may see some variation in names as several of them had more than one name. 

Jesus sent them out with the authority to act in his name driving out evil spirits, healing the sick, even raising the dead.  Above all they were to preach God's kingdom coming and they were to charge nothing for their services just  as Jesus did.  They were to depend solely on the people taking nothing else with them, not even a change in clothes. 

When each of us is representing Jesus, he gives us the authority to do so but ONLY when we are representing him with truth, when we are being Authentic Christians.  We are also to serve Christ with out the aim of getting rich, but don't take this passage out of context.  This was a one time mission for this group.  In Luke 22:36 Jesus tells them to take a purse and even a sword.  We need to ask God each day what we are to take with us in to his ministry.

Now, why was this group told to go ONLY to the Jews?  First we have to realize that salvation was given to the Jews to begin with and then through them to the gentiles Romans 1:16 and also remember that Matthew was writing first to a Jewish audience and those who would have read his works would have known the special place they held in gods plan of salvation.  Again this was a specific trip he was sending them out on and Jesus, himself knew how overwhelming a task it would have been if at that time he had sent the 12 men out with the plan of sharing the Gospel with the entire none world.  Jesus's instructions here were of a practical nature, concentrate on developing a strong foundation believers with in the Jewish population people who would at least be familiar with the Scripture and Messianic prophecies before attempting to connect with Non-Jews.

11 "Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave. 12 As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. 15 I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. 16 I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 

As the apostles traveled , preaching Jesus' message, they weren't to stay at the local Motel 6 but to stay in peoples homes.  Why?  Well, first because thy weren't carrying any money to pay for it with, but next because hospitality was a prized custom in the Middle East.     If they found people who seemed interested in their message they were to great the host with Shalom, meaning peace.  If, however, they were not greeted warmly as to share the message, so that its peace wont' be lost, they were to simply shake the dust off and move on to another more welcoming place.  There were several symbolic messages here:  The Jews believed that they should shake the dust off of themselves after any encounter with a Gentile.  So shaking the dust of an entire town off their feet when its people refused to listen would have been quite the insult to the town.  And as for being more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah?  God destroyed them for their wickedness if you remember.  Luke 12:47 explains the more we know the truth, the more we are expected to act upon it.  Think about what that really means in terms of OUR Mission.  Then Jesus tells them that they will be as helpless as sheep among wolves therefore they MUST have the shrewdness of a snake?  OK go back and read Genesis 3:1 the snake was evil, yes, but its wisdom isn't evil.  If they used wisdom with pure and righteous motives, that would protect them. 
We end this section with the reminder that our job is NOT to save people, but to plant seeds.  Even if our message is not well or even totally received, we have done our job and sometimes have to shake the dust from our own feet and move on.  The Holy Spirit is assigned the rest of the task. 

      17 "Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22 All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.   

In this section we are reminded, again that it should NOT be easy to be a Christian.  Some of what Jesus is telling his disciples is prophetic for the future and some of it is for this current mission he is sending them out on.  There is not any account this early on as to them being brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles,     but we know it DID happen later on.  We have to be careful with the next verses 19 and 20 as it is easy to twist these to your own desire.  some have used this to say we don't need to study the bible because they will be given the words when they need to witness, but go back to the verse before and see that it tells us in context to refer to arrest and persecution for being a Christian, not for witnessing to a friend.  the power of the Holy Spirit is available to those being persecuted for their faith and this may even come from our own families.  People will hate  Christians even tot he point of killing them but eternal life is the reward for those who are faithful.  don't SEEK death though he says to fee when you are persecuted.  This last sentence is again prophetic and there are several ideas about the coming mentioned.  1 the second coming, 2. His resurrection and 3 the destruction of Jerusalem.  

Remember what we said earlier about the Narrow and Wide gates?  Many who think they are Christians are not and being a Christian means that you have to be willing to endure hatred and anger for what you believe.  It cant be a causal belief something set aside when it is inconvenient.  It has to fill your heart and mind to the point that you are willing to suffer and die for Christ, or maybe even more difficult I our current society, to live for him even if your friends turn against you.    


24 "A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebub, how much more the members of his household! 26 "So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny ? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 32 "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven. 

In the first 2 verses, Jesus refers to himself as the Teacher and master head of the house.  He tells them here that his disciples can expects to be treated the same way as Jesus was treated.  It is a bit confusing, but some even called Jesus "prince of demons"  (12:24) so his followers can expect the same and even more.  We are not to be afraid when things happen because of our Christian walk, ultimately everything will be brought out in to the light of day, the open, and judged.  We are told to witness boldly, and openly about or faith.  Jesus is telling both his disciples and us today that we have no need to fear even if witnessing puts us in physical danger, for the alternative is to put our soul in danger of eternal destruction.  Verse 28 clearly speaks of God, for Satan cant destroy your soul.  (Heb. 10:31) We MUST fear disobeying God rather than fearing people as God is our final judge but he is merciful and fair even caring about he fate of a single sparrow.  Jesus reminds us that no only does God know and care about us and what is happening to us at any given moment, he knows how many hairs are on each of our heads.  Another reason to witness openly, is that Jesus tells us here that he will treat you, as you treat him.  Claim him, he claims you... deny him?????????
Think clearly every day, you may not be actively denying Jesus with your mouth, but ask yourself, is your LIFE denying him?  Are you LIVING on the Narrow road?  Or on the Broad road?  If you have not been persecuted, consider whether or not you are truly living FOR him?

34 "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn " 'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law-- 36 a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.' 37 "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 40 "He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me. 41 Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward."


This is a very tough concept for us to grasp because after all.... Isn't God LOVE?  and now here Jesus is saying that he didn't come to bring peace to the earth but to bring a sword?  When faced with the Gospel Message, each of us by ourselves, from with in ourselves, just make a choice.  First, do we believe, or not in the message given us?  But even more than that, do we hold on to a half-hearted
conditional commitment to Christ, a commitment that only lasts while everything is going great for us, as long as no sacrifice is asked from us or that we are not asked to leave our "comfort zone"  or do we choose a relationship with Christ above all things and all other loyalties and commitments?  We must know that the choice will not always be an easy one to make and sometimes it is going to involve going against societal norms and taking some unpopular stances on issues. 

Jesus is also NOT saying that he came here to CAUSE fighting and divisions.  But because he came, people, through out all history, will have to choose.  They have to either choose his truth or the worlds lies.  And, sometimes those choices will separate families. It is not Christ who causes this strife, it is the pride and sin in peoples lives that cause it.  The up side is that Christ also says here that anyone who hears your witness and responds is treating you as he would treat Christ himself.  If anyone even gives a cup of cold water, he will certainly not lose his reward.  Often we hear this verse  misquoted, or at least with out the part that says "because he is my disciple."  Sure, kindness will be rewarded not just on this earth but in eternity, but Christ especially values the kindness done to his followers BECAUSE they are his followers.  We are supposed to do all we can for each other first then to the outside world.