Matthew chapter 10

Jesus sends the Twelve on a short-term mission. He instructs them. He says they will face persecution. Don’t be intimidated. Great rewards are in store.

 


 

JESUS SENDS THE TWELVE ON A SHORT-TERM MISSION

 

VERSE 1. He called to himself his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every sickness.

authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out. Without a doubt, the Twelve could drive out demons. Their ability to do that was given to them by Jesus Christ.

How about in our day? Does God give people the authority to drive out demons?

to heal every disease and every sickness. Without a doubt, the Twleve could heal every disease and sickness. Their ability to do that was given to them by Jesus Christ. How about in our day?

Does God give people the ability to heal every disease and sickness?

 

VERSE 2. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these. The first, Simon, who is called Peter; Andrew, his brother; James the son of Zebedee; John, his brother;

 

VERSE 3. Philip; Bartholomew; Thomas; Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus; Lebbaeus, who was also called Thaddaeus;

Some manuscripts omit “Lebbaeus, who was also called.”

 

VERSE 4. Simon the Canaanite; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.

 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE MISSION

 

VERSE 5. Jesus sent these twelve out, and commanded them, saying, “Don’t go among the Gentiles, and don’t enter into any city of the Samaritans.

commanded them. The Lord Jesus Christ gave specific commands to the Twelve for this mission.

In our day, some believers feel personally led to adapt these commands for themselves. However, we do not see the commands of this section applying to all Christians.

 

VERSE 6. Rather, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

 

VERSE 7. As you go, preach, saying, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!’

The Kingdom of God is not a denomination or a culture. It is not a religion or a political movement or culture war. Rather it is within you. Read more »

 

VERSE 8. Heal the sick, [raise the dead,] cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons. Freely you received, so freely give.

raise the dead. Most translations include this phrase. The Apostles did not not object to it. Nor did they ask how to do it.

In context, it is not meant metaphorically, as in “encourage those who feel sad.” Rather, the Apostles understood that they were to literally command corpses to come back to life.

How about in our day? Does God give people the ability to raise the dead?

 

VERSE 9. Don’t take any gold, silver, or brass in your money belts.

 

VERSE 10. Take no bag for your journey, neither two coats, nor shoes, nor staff: for the laborer is worthy of his food.

This is radical simplicity. It calls for drastically simplifying your life.

The Lord Jesus Christ sent the Twelve on a short-term mission. And later the Seventy. He required radical minimalism. Read more »

The Bible calls us to support the people who teach us in the faith. Read more »

 

VERSE 11. Into whatever city or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy; and stay there until you go on.

 

VERSE 12. As you enter into the household, greet it.

 

VERSE 13. If the household is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it isn’t worthy, let your peace return to you.

let your peace come on it. What does this mean?

 

VERSE 14. Whoever doesn’t receive you, nor hear your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet.

 

VERSE 15. Most certainly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.

 

THEY WILL FACE PERSECUTION

 

VERSE 16. “Behold, I send you out as sheep among wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

 

VERSE 17. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you.

This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to Matthew and from the entire Bible.

they will deliver you up. People will rat us out. We should keep this in mind.

 

VERSE 18. Yes, and you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the nations.

 

VERSE 19. But when they deliver you up, don’t be anxious how or what you will say, for it will be given you in that hour what you will say.

 

VERSE 20. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

 

VERSE 21. “Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. Children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death.

The Lord Jesus says he came to set people at odds against each other. What does this mean? Read more »

 

VERSE 22. You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved.

 

VERSE 23. But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next, for most certainly I tell you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel, until the Son of Man has come.

flee into the next. People will persecute an apostle, to the extent that the apostle has to flee.

We envision a mobile ministry. The apostle stays a while in one location, then needs to flee. The apostle should reduce the number of possessions, so that fleeing will be easier.

 

DON’T BE INTIMIDATED

 

VERSE 24. “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord.

 

VERSE 25. It is enough for the disciple that he be like his teacher, and the servant like his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household!

Beelzebul. Literally, Lord of the Flies, or the devil.

 

VERSE 26. Therefore don’t be afraid of them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed; and hidden that will not be known.

This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to Matthew and from the entire Bible.

don’t be afraid. Fear is a natural emotion. We can’t turn it off. Most people are held back by fear. But the Bible says “Do not be afraid.” That means to move forward anyway. Read more »

 

VERSE 27. What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in the ear, proclaim on the housetops.

We Christians represent the Lord Jesus. Anything we say can, and will, be repeated to other people. Our words need to be above reproach. Read more »

 

VERSE 28. Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.

Don’t be afraid. Fear is a natural emotion. We can’t turn it off. Most people are held back by fear. But the Bible says “Do not be afraid.” That means to move forward anyway. Read more »

Gehenna. The Lord Jesus Christ talks about Hades, Gehēnna, fire, and darkness. Christians often call those things Hell. Is Hell a location where people are sent? Or a state of being? Read more »

 

VERSE 29. “Aren’t two sparrows sold for an assarion coin? Not one of them falls on the ground apart from your Father’s will,

an assarion coin. An assarion was a small coin worth one tenth of a drachma or a sixteenth of a denarius. An assarion is approximately the wages of one half hour of agricultural labor.

 

VERSE 30. but the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

 

VERSE 31. Therefore don’t be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows.

don’t be afraid. Fear is a natural emotion. We can’t turn it off. Most people are held back by fear. But the Bible says “Do not be afraid.” That means to move forward anyway. Read more »

 

VERSE 32. Everyone therefore who confesses me before men, I will also confess him before my Father who is in heaven.

 

VERSE 33. But whoever denies me before men, I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven.

 

NOT PEACE BUT A SWORD

 

VERSE 34. “Don’t think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn’t come to send peace, but a sword.

What was the mission of the Lord Jesus Christ? How did he himself define it? Here are the verses we find in the four gospels »

 

VERSE 35. For I came to set a man at odds against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

What was the mission of the Lord Jesus Christ? How did he himself define it? Here are the verses we find in the four gospels »

The Lord Jesus says he came to set people at odds against each other. What does this mean? Read more »

 

VERSE 36. A man’s foes will be those of his own household.

Micah 7:6. For the son dishonors the father, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.

 

VERSE 37. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me isn’t worthy of me.

 

VERSE 38. He who doesn’t take his cross and follow after me, isn’t worthy of me.

follow after me. The Lord Jesus calls us to follow him. But what does that mean? How can you grow in it each day? Read more »

 

VERSE 39. He who seeks his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.

 

GREAT REWARDS ARE IN STORE

 

VERSE 40. He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me.

When the apostles spoke, they used their power and authority to speak the message of the Lord Jesus Christ. Read more »

 

VERSE 41. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. He who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward.

 

VERSE 42. Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most certainly I tell you he will in no way lose his reward.”

 


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MATTHEW

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Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.