Bible Study series: Matthew 10:1-15. The apostles will eventually go into all the world and preach the gospel (Matt. 28:18-20)
A warm welcome to this Bible study! I write to learn, so let’s learn together. I also translate to learn. The translations are mine, unless otherwise noted. If you would like to see many others, please click on this link:
In the next link to the original chapter, I comment more and offer the Greek text. At the bottom you will find a “Summary and Conclusion” section geared toward discipleship. Check it out!
In this post, links are provided for further study.
Let’s begin.
Scripture: Matthew 10:1-15
1 Now, when he summoned his twelve disciples, he gave them authority over impure spirts in order to expel them and to heal every sickness and every illness.
2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: 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 Jesus sent the twelve with the command saying to them, “Do not spread out and go on a road towards the Gentiles and do not enter any town of Samaritans. 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is near!’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, expel demons. Freely you have received, freely give. 9 Don’t acquire gold nor silver nor copper for your money belts, 10 nor a backpack for the journey, nor two cloaks nor sandals nor a staff. For the worker is worthy of his nourishment. 11 Into whichever town or village you enter, inquire who is worthy there. Remain there until you leave. 12 As you enter one house, greet it. 13 And if the house is worthy, may your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, may your peace return to you. 14 And whoever does not welcome you nor listens to your words, as you go outside the house or that town, shake the dust from off your feet. 15 I tell you the truth that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that town.” (Matt. 10:1-15)
Comments:
1:
Matthew writes summary verses for Jesus that match this verse for the twelve disciples. In the book of Acts, his ministry expands beyond the twelve, so other commissioned disciples do his works. Renewalists believe that the commission extends even to them today. By God’s grace and power and authority, they too can do these are signs and wonders.
“disciples”: Word Study on Disciple
“authority”: it is the noun exousia (pronounced ex-oo-see-ah), and it means, depending on the context: “right to act,” “freedom of choice,” “power, capability, might, power, authority, absolute power”; “power or authority exercised by rulers by virtue of their offices; official power; domain or jurisdiction, spiritual powers.”
The difference between authority and power is parallel to a policeman’s badge and his gun. The badge symbolizes his right to exercise his power through his gun, if necessary. The gun backs up his authority with power. But the distinction should not be pressed too hard, because exousia can also mean “power.” In any case, God through Jesus can distribute authority to his followers (Matt. 10:1; Luke 10:19; John 1:12).
So do we have the same power and authority that the twelve have in this passage, or are they a special case? Restrictive interpreters say they are special cases with unique callings, while freer interpreters say we too, as disciples of Jesus, can have the same authority. I come down on the freer interpretation.
Jesus will give us authority even over the nations, if we overcome trials and persecution (Rev. 2:26). And he is about to distribute his power in Acts 2. Never forget that you have his authority and power to live a victorious life over your personal flaws and sins and Satan. They no longer have power and authority over you; you have power and authority over them.
See my posts about Satan in the area of systematic theology:
Bible Basics about Satan and Demons and Victory Over Them
Bible Basics about Deliverance
Magic, Witchcraft, Sorcery, and Fortunetelling
“impure”: this adjective is added because pagans believed that some spirits were good; no, the spirit was impure. But why not just “evil” spirit? The answer is in the Jewish background of clean and unclean. The impure spirit rendered the people impure.
“diseases”: Don’t be afraid to pray against diseases of the mind or moral diseases. Pray, and watch God work in your mind or your child’s mind! Here it just means physical diseases.
2-4:
Verse 2 appears at first glance to be out of sequence. Here he sends them, and in v. 3 he will instruct them. It seems the verses should be reversed. But v. 2 is background material, while v. 3 is in the foreground. A storyteller can vary his technique and sequence as he sees fit.
The Meaning of the Names of the Twelve Apostles
Jesus was formally separating these twelve from the crowds and any of the other many disciples. Recall that Jesus sent out seventy (or seventy-two) disciples, as well (Luke 10:1-12, 17-20). There are these twelve, who will judge the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt. 19:28) and whose names will be written on the foundation stones of the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:14). This special office can never be duplicated. These twelve have a unique vocation and commission.
However, in the NT there is a lower order of apostles. Barnabas was called an apostle (Acts 14:14); Andronicus and Junia (a woman) were probably apostles, depending how one reads the Greek (Rom. 16:7) (I say they were). Certain brothers, including Titus, were called apostles (2 Cor. 8:23). Epaphroditus was an apostle (Phil. 2:25). Things that mark an apostle are signs, wonders, and miracles (2 Cor. 12:12), and men who were not numbered among the twelve could do them (Luke 10:9). Even Philip, who was titled an evangelist, could do them (Acts 8:4-13). Evidently, Stephen could work them in great power of the Spirit, and he became a servant-deacon (Acts 6:5). Surely other men, whose ministries went unrecorded, could claim to do them without being an apostle or titled in some way (Mark 16:17-18). In any case, no one has to be one of the twelve to be commissioned and work miracles.
5-6:
“sent”: this verb is apostellō (pronounced ah-poh-stehl-loh), and it is related to the noun apostle, but let’s not overstate things. It means “to send” and is used 132 times in the NT. BDAG, a thick Greek lexicon, says it means (1) “to dispatch someone for the achievement of some objective, send away / out” (the disciples are sent out: Matt. 10:5; Mark 3:14; 6:17; Luke 9:2; John 4:38; 17:18). (2) “to dispatch a message, send, have something done.” Here it could be translated as “commission,” if one wants to be officious.
Key point: the rabbinic text, the Mishnah, says, “the one sent by the man is as the man himself” (m.Ber. 5.5 in Darrell L. Bock, Luke 1:1-9:50. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament vol. 1, [Baker Academic, 1994] p. 542).
Jesus commanded them with instructions. These were not suggestions. His authority is built into his command. Where he commands, he will provide authority.
The reason he told them not (yet) to go towards the Gentiles or Samaritans is that he intends to reach only his fellow Jews (for now). He knew that as a nation they would reject him, though many individual Jews converted (Acts 2:41, 4:4, 6:7 [numerous priests] 21:20). He will soon send his followers to the ends of the earth (Matt. 28:18-20); there is a time for everything under heaven.
The lost sheep refers back to Ezek. 34, where the prophet denounces the bad shepherds; and the phrase “lost sheep” and the twelve’s mission to them refers to Jer. 23:4, where God promises to set good shepherds over his flock, Israel.
7-8:
I already looked at these verses in the previous pericope (pronounced puh-RIH-koh-pea) or section. We Renewalists believe that we can, by God’s grace and empowerment, do these signs and wonders even today. Jesus too commissions us and gives us this authority. The main thing is not to look for signs and wonders or to show off after they are done or to be boastful about them—and so many Renewalists have done this, and that’s a pity. Rather, the only goal is to confirm the message of the kingdom and to help people. They have needs, and it is a blessing that God still wants to meet their needs of healing, cleansing, and deliverance and even restoration back to life.
In this original commissioning, this was a short-term mission trip. They were going to report back very soon (when exactly is unknown to me, at least). Therefore, since the message they preach is freely received, likewise, they should give it freely.
“kingdom of heaven”: Matthew substitutes “heaven” (literally heavens or plural) nearly every time (except for 12:28; 19:24; 21:31, 43, where he uses kingdom of God). Why? Four possible reasons: (1) Maybe some extra-pious Jews preferred the circumlocution or the roundabout way of speaking, but this answer is not always the right one, for Matthew does use the phrase “kingdom of God” four times; (2) the phrase “kingdom of heaven” points to Christ’s post-resurrection authority; God’s sovereignty in heaven and earth (beginning with Jesus’s ministry) is now mediated through Jesus (28:18); (3) “kingdom of God” makes God the king (26:29) and leaves less room to ascribe the kingdom to Jesus (16:28; 25:31, 34, 40; 27:42), but the phrase “kingdom of heaven” leaves more room to say Jesus is the king Messiah. (4) It may be a stylistic variation that has no deeper reasoning behind it (France). In my view the third option shows the close connection to the doctrine of the Trinity; the Father and Son share authority, after the Father gives it to him during the Son’s incarnation. The kingdom of heaven is both the kingdom of the Father and the kingdom of the Messiah (Carson). And, since I like streamlined interpretations, the fourth one also appeals to me.
Now let’s go for a general consideration of the kingdom of heaven / God. As noted in other verses that mention the kingdom in this commentary, the kingdom is God’s power, authority, rule, reign and sovereignty. He exerts all those things over all the universe but more specifically over the lives of people. It is his invisible realm, and throughout the Gospels Jesus is explaining and demonstrating what it looks like before their very eyes and ears. It is gradually being manifested from the realm of faith to the visible realm, but it is not political in the human sense. It is a secret kingdom because it does not enter humanity with trumpets blaring and full power and glory. This grand display will happen when Jesus comes back. In his first coming, it woos people to surrender to it. We can enter God’s kingdom by being born again (John 3:3, 5), by repenting (Matt. 4:17; Mark 1:5), by having the faith of children (Matt. 18:4; Mark 10:14-15), by being transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of the Son whom God loves (Col. 1:13), and by seeing their own poverty and need for the kingdom (Matt. 5:3; Luke 6:20; Jas. 2:5). The kingdom has already come in part at his First Coming, but not yet with full manifestation and glory and power until his Second Coming.
5 The Kingdom of God: Already Here, But Not Yet Fully
Bible Basics about the Kingdom of God
Questions and Answers about Kingdom of God
Basic Definition of Kingdom of God
1 Introducing the Kingdom of God (begin a ten-part series)
9-10:
Jesus lists the things they should not acquire or bring. They simply go into houses and trust God. Should we send out missionaries with the same faith? Remember that this is their home country. There is no language or ethnic barriers. True, they may meet up with hostile or unworthy listeners, but at least they were close by to the epicenter of Jesus himself. He was their lifeline. In contrast, sending someone out across the globe today, where there are all kinds of language and cultural barriers, may require much more sustenance and monetary support. We need to be careful about transferring the details of these two verses to our modern missions. Maybe we can, and if so, we should; or maybe it would be unwise to copy the ancient details and context here.
“no sandals” surely means no extra sandals.
What about freely receiving and freely giving? Blomberg is again balanced, on the topic:
As texts such as 1 Cor 9:12b, 15–18 make more explicit, there are times when Christian ministers should refuse remuneration for the sake of the gospel. When Christians accept money for ministry, they ought never view it as a wage but as a gift. D. A. Carson comments, “The church does not pay its ministers; rather, it provides them with resources so that they are able to serve freely.” (Comment on 10:8b-10)
11-14:
“words”: as I note in many places in this commentary, it is the Greek noun logos (pronounced loh-goss and is used 330 times in the NT). Since it is so important, let’s explore the noun more deeply.
It is rich and full of meaning. It always has built into it rationality and reason. It has spawned all sorts of English words that end in –log-, like theology or biology, or have the log– stem in them, like logic.
Though certain Renewalists may not like to hear it, there is a rational side to the Word of God, and a moment’s thought proves it. The words you’re reading right now are placed in meaningful and logical and rational order. The Bible is also written in that way. If it weren’t, then it would be nonsense and confusing, and we couldn’t understand the gibberish. (Even your prophecies have to make logical and rational sense on some level.) Your Bible studies and Sunday morning sermons have to make sense, also. Jesus’s words also have Bible-based logic and rational argumentation built into it. People need to be ministered to in this way. God gave us minds and brains and expects us to use them. Your preaching cannot always be flashy and shrieky and so outlandishly entertaining that people are not fed in the long term. Movements like that don’t last over the years without the Word. I have observed this from firsthand experience in certain sectors of the Renewal Movement.
People have the deepest need to receive solid teaching. Never become so outlandishly supernatural and entertaining that you neglect the reasonable and rational and logical side of preaching the gospel and teaching the Bible. The Sermon on the Mount was very orderly and logical and, yes, rational, for a God-centered point of view.
On the other side of the word logos, people get so intellectual that they build up an exclusive Christian caste of intelligentsia that believe they alone can teach and understand the Word. Not true. Just study Scripture with Bible helps and walk in the Spirit, as they did in Acts. Combining Word and Spirit is the balanced life.
Hospitality was important back then. The missionaries are called to inquire for someone who is “worthy” of hosting them. This implies that hostile people may be lurking in the new town or village. Be careful. Examine and look into the people. Just don’t be silly and scattered brain about these things. Then once you find the house, remain there until you leave. Don’t look around for the richer house that offers better food and accommodations.
“Greet the house” means greet the people in the house. I translated it literally.
I really like how Jesus’s authority carries over to the greeting, “Shalom!” Renewalists like this idea of speaking peace and blessing on to people, and then their speech remaining on them. Speaking out is important to Renewalists. There is power in speech (see Prov. 15:4; 18:21).
But be warned about decreeing:
Is ‘Decreeing’ Biblical for Christians?
This mission trip was a faith journey. When they arrived in a new town, the custom of hospitality demanded the inhabitants of the town welcome strangers, something like this:
The missionary arrives and goes to the well to draw up water. Then someone in the town sees him. “Hey! You’re a traveler? New?” “Yes.” “Come into our house.” He enters and says at the very start, “Peace [shalom] be on this house.” If a worthy person lives there, then the missionary’s greeting of peace will remain or rest on the house. Now what if the household is resistant to him, once the head of household learns of their mission? Then the greeting of peace will return on the missionary.
Let’s explore the peace that God brings.
It speaks of more than just the absence of war. It can mean prosperity and well-being. It can mean peace in your heart and peace with your neighbor. Best of all, it means peace with God, because he reconciled us to him.
This word in Hebrew is shalom and means well being, both in the soul and in circumstances, and it means, yes, prosperity, because the farm in an agricultural society would experience well being and harmony and growth. The crops would not fail and the livestock would reproduce. Society and the individual would live in peace and contentment and harmony. Deut. 28:1-14 describes the blessings for obedience, a man and his family and business enjoying divine goodness and benefits and material benefits.
Do I Really Know God? He Is the God of Peace
What happens when the town or household does not welcome the apostolic missionary? He is supposed to go out into the street—probably the central street going through the middle of the town—and proclaim that the town’s people’s judgment is their own responsibility, by the custom of wiping or shaking off their dust clinging to the disciples’ feet.
Wiping or shaking the dust off of their feet is what Jews did when they left pagan territory, so they could remove the ceremonial uncleanness. But the ceremonial uncleanness is not the point here because the twelve disciples were going into Jewish towns and villages. Instead, it means “you—not we—take responsibility for your decision!” It signifies that rejecting the kingdom of God is deadly serious. Nehemiah shook the dust out of the fold of his garments when he made the returning Israelites give back the property and children who were sold into slavery, in a promise that apparently required the shaking. “In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied! (Neh. 5:13, NIV). Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet to the Jews in Pisidian Antioch when they rejected the kingdom, and then the pair left for Iconium (Acts 13:51). In Macedonia Paul spoke to the Jews about Jesus the Messiah, but they rejected and mocked him. “When they resisted and blasphemed, he shook out his clothing and said to them: ‘Your blood be upon your head! I am clear! From now on I shall go to the Gentiles!’ (Acts 18:6, my tentative translation).
Then the missionaries are supposed to make it clear that, despite the town’s rejection of them, the kingdom of God has come near. Nothing will stop the kingdom, even when this or that town rejects the missionaries.
However, no one today has to follow the ancient custom of shaking or wiping off dust from the feet. But I have heard of Christians who do this when they are street witnessing, but away from the person who just rejected the gospel.
15:
“I tell you the truth”:Jesus’s faith in his own words is remarkable and points to his unique calling. In the OT and later Jewish writings is indicates a solemn pronouncement, but Jesus’ “introductory uses of amēn to confirm his own words is unique” (France at his comment on 5:18). The authoritative formula emphasizes pronouncements which are noteworthy and will be surprising or uncomfortable to the listener.
This verse brings up some theology of rewards and punishment at judgment. There will be degrees of punishment on the day of judgment. Those who are especially wicked will receive severe punishment, while those who are socially righteous (good to their neighbors and do acts of charity and hospitality and so on) will receive a lenient punishment.
Are There Degrees of Punishment, Rewards after Final Judgment?
Everyone Shall Be Judged by Their Works and Words
GrowApp for Matt. 10:1-15
1. Jesus knows your name and has a mission for you. Do you know what it is? If not, how do you find it? If you do know, how are you accomplishing it?
2. Where is your heart in regards to possessions? You may not be sent to the mission field, but should Christians accumulate lots of possessions or live a streamlined life? Which is better?
RELATED
9. Authoritative Testimony in Matthew’s Gospel
1. Church Fathers and Matthew’s Gospel
2. Archaeology and the Synoptic Gospels
14. Similarities among John’s Gospel and the Synoptic Gospels
1. The Historical Reliability of the Gospels: Introduction to Series
SOURCES
To see the bibliography, please click on this link and scroll down to the bottom.
Dr. Jim's Essential Bible Teaching 