Matthew 10 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Matthew 10

The Twelve Apostles

10:1 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. 2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;¹ 4 Simon the Zealot,² and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles

5 These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’³ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers,⁴ cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. 9 Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, or two tunics⁵ or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food. 11 And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. 12 As you enter the house, greet it. 13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. 15 Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.

Persecution Will Come

16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. 19 When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. 20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, 22 and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant⁶ above his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign⁷ those of his household.

Have No Fear

26 “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.⁸ 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?⁹ And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

Not Peace, but a Sword

34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 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. 38 And whoever 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.

Rewards

40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. 41 The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”

Footnotes

[1] 10:3 Some manuscripts Lebbaeus, or Lebbaeus called Thaddaeus
[2] 10:4 Greek kananaios, meaning zealot
[3] 10:7 Or The kingdom of heaven has come near
[4] 10:8 Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13
[5] 10:10 Greek chiton, a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin
[6] 10:24 Or bondservant; also verse 25
[7] 10:25 Greek lacks will they malign
[8] 10:28 Greek Gehenna
[9] 10:29 Greek assarion, Roman copper coin (Latin quadrans) worth about 1/16 of a denarius (which was a day’s wage for a laborer)

Commentary

v1-4: The Lord sends out the Twelve, answering His own prayer (9.37-38); the Great Commission can be fulfilled, and through prayer the shortage of workers can be overcome.

As in Mark 3.14, the Twelve are selected from a larger group. They are paired off, so they don't work alone. They receive power from Christ (compare 9.35), but such power cannot be passed from man to man (Acts 8.19).

v5-8: The Twelve are sent to Jews (contrast Luke 9.1-2), reflecting Matthew's Jewish emphasis. Yet there are many "lost sheep" in Israel; 8.12; 9.36; Rom 9.6. We find that the unreached and the unsaved are closer than we think. The Jews are offered the gospel first; Acts 13.5, 14; 14.1; 17.2, 10; 18.4; Rom 1.16; 2.10; 11.12. The message brings preaching and then healing; 4.23; 9.35.

Commissioned by Jesus, just as the fishermen are commanded to let down their nets; Luke 5.4-6; John 21.6.

v9-10: The frugal lifestyle; luxury is certainly not consistent with their calling; see 11.8. The same restrictions had applied to persons approaching the temple; thus Jesus is declaring that the disciples’ service was thoroughly holy.

v11-12: Depending on the kindness of others, see 1 Cor 9.1-18; it seems few are "worthy."

v13-14: The ministry of authority; such is the power given to the Twelve.

Jesus understood the Jewsih mindset. Dust from land outside Judea was unholy. It oculd not be mingled with Judean dust! Such was the Jewish concept of 'unclean.' His words here therefore carry a strong and perceptive meaning.

v15: The Lord will honour their message; if there is not salvation, there will be judgment; as far as the lost sheep of Israel are concerned, this is a day of decision.

v16-26: The cost of discipleship; we must take the Christian life seriously; and persecution is one indication of the life of obedience.

v16: Sheep in the midst of wolves, Ps 22.12; we share Christ's experience of suffering.

v17-18: Opposition comes through men, 2 Sam 24.14, "Do not let me fall into the hand of man." Jesus refers to councils and synagogues, and the cities of Israel (v23). He also speaks of a testimony to Gentiles. The reference here to the Sanhedrin was to a local council, not the national Sanhedrin in Jerusalem.

v19-20: In the situation of trial and persecution, we must trust in God to give us words to speak. The words here are sometimes taken out of context. Doubtless the Spirit of the Father speaks through us in many circumstances, but the context here is of persecution for Christ's sake.

v21: Opposition even within a family unit; see v35-37; Mark 13.12. This is striking in a culture where a family is a powerful unity, and generally believed together; John 4.53; Acts 10.24; 16.15; 16.31-34.

v22: Universal opposition, see 24.9; there is the opportunity to endure, 24.13. The conditions described here will recur before Christ returns for the Jews.

v23: The persecuted servant is not always to remain in the place of suffering; here is permission to flee to another place, bringing testimony there too, with preaching and healing.

v24-25: The expectation is that we will be mistreated simply because we are followers of Jesus; we should beware of men, but not fear them. Jesus describes His followers as members of His household.

v26-31: Have confidence in God and in His faithfulness, for all power belongs to the Father. Jesus' use of the name "Father" indicates His power working with love. Yet, the very life to which we are called brings persecutions, for men can "kill the body," but cannot steal the soul.

v32-39: It is in this context this Christ brings His challenge to personal commitment. It is through our total loyalty to Him that we declare that we are truly on His side.

From v27, there is the responsibility of proclamation; in Acts 3.16, the responsibility to proclaim the gospel of Christ.

Fearlessness and trust, v28-31; Acts 4.19-20, to carry on whatever men think.
Testimony, acknowledging Jesus Christ before people; Acts 16.25, since God has spoken we cannot keep quiet.
Conflict, even with those close to us; see Acts 17.5-8, where the early Christians experienced human antagonism.
Self-denial; see Acts 11.29, even laying aside personal preferences and desires.

'If a person turns away from God and His direction to 'find life,' there will be an actual losing of life, a dead emptiness.' (Edith Schaeffer, Affliction)

v40-42: There is a reward for those who obey the Lord's call. And here is an encouragement to practical kindness, Acts 6.2-3; 11.29.