Matthew 10
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CHAPTER 10
The Twelve Disciples (10:1-4)
(Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-16)
1-4 See Mark 3:13-19 and comment.
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve (10:5-15)
(Mark 6:7-13; Luke 9:1-6; 10:4-12)
5-6 Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.43 It was God’s plan that Jesus and His twelve disciples should preach the Gospel first to Israel, that is, to the Jewish people (Matthew 15:24; Romans 1:16). The Jews were to be given the opportunity first of all to hear the Gospel and to believe in Christ and receive salvation. Then, the Jews themselves were to be the means of extending this blessing to all the other peoples of the earth (Genesis 12:3). But most of the Jews rejected Christ, and so in the end Christ sent His disciples out to proclaim the Gospel to all nations (Matthew 28:19).
The Jews themselves had become like lost sheep (Matthew 9:36), because of the false teaching of their own leaders.
7 See Mark 1:14-15 and comment.
8 Jesus gave these first disciples His power to heal and cast out demons. He even gave them power to raise the dead. They had freely received the mercy and grace of God; now they had to share those blessings with others. If we try to keep God’s gifts for ourselves, He will take them away. Because He forgave us, we must forgive others (Matthew 6:14-15). Because He loved us, we must love others (1 John 4:11).
This healing work of Jesus and His disciples was a sign of the love and power of God. It was one of the signs that the kingdom of heaven had indeed begun. As Jesus did, so did His disciples (see John 14:12). As the Father had sent Jesus, so Jesus sent them (John 17:18). And it is the same also with Jesus’ followers today.
9-15 See Mark 6:7-13 and comment.
Persecution To Be Expected (10:16-25)
(Mark 13:9-13; Luke 10:3; 12:11-12; 21:12-19)
16 When Jesus’ disciples went out to preach, they were, in the world’s eyes, defenseless like sheep. They carried no weapons; they did not even have money (verse 9). Therefore, they needed to be shrewd as snakes, that is, wary and wise. At the same time they had to remain innocent as doves, that is, pure and obedient, in order to receive God’s protection. God protects those who do His will.
17-20 See Mark 13:9-11 and comment.
21-22 See Mark 13:12-13 and comment.
23 Followers of Jesus must be ready to suffer persecution, but they must not look for trouble unnecessarily. Jesus taught His disciples that if persecution came to them in one village, they must flee and go to another village. They may flee from danger, but not from Christ’s service.
Jesus then said that the disciples will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man44 comes, that is, before Jesus’ RESURRECTION. After Jesus rose from the dead, He came to His disciples and told them that now they must go to all nations, not only to Israel (Matthew 28:18-20).
24-25 A student is not greater than his teacher. Therefore, if his teacher is persecuted, the student shall not escape persecution (see John 15:20 and comment). The same is true of a master and his servant. If a master or the head of a house is called Beelzebub45—that is, the devil, so shall the members of his household also be called devils (see Mark 3:22 and comment). So it will be with all Jesus’ followers. As He suffered abuse and persecution, so His followers will suffer in the same way (1 Peter 2:20-21).
No Need to Fear (10:26-33)
(Luke 12:2-9)
26 Jesus told His disciples not to fear; they were doing God’s work. No one can prevent the preaching of the Gospel. Through the disciples, the teaching of Christ and the way of salvation was being made known to all men (see Mark 4:22 and comment).
27 The main work of the disciples was to preach openly what they had heard from Christ. All Christians must be witnesses. We must not hide Christ’s light under a bowl (Matthew 5:15).
28 Let the disciples fear no man. Let them not even fear Satan. Let them fear God alone. Men and evil spirits can only destroy the body. But God alone can destroy a soul. Only God can give eternal life, and only He can take it away. Man’s soul is destroyed when it is cast into hell, because there it is separated from God. Believers in Christ need fear no man, nor any kind of persecution, because nothing can separate the believer from God (see Romans 8:35,38-39).
29-31 God has the power to destroy man’s soul and every other kind of power as well. But God isn’t only an all-powerful Creator; He is also our loving Father. He cares for every bird, even though their value is small. He knows how many hairs we have on our heads. He cares for every detail of our lives. And if He cares so much for these small things like birds and the hairs of our head, He will surely care for us who are His children.
32-33 According to Jesus’ teaching in these verses, we must understand that in God’s sight there can be no such thing as a “secret believer.” He who follows Christ secretly is no Christian.46 We must acknowledge Jesus before men. Otherwise, on the day of judgment Jesus will say to God, “I do not know this person.” To be saved we must confess Christ with our mouth (see Romans 10:9-10 and comment).
Jesus is our advocate before God (1 John 2:1). He is our intercessor (see Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25 and comments). If He speaks in our favor, God will accept us and save us. If Jesus does not acknowledge us, neither will God. To the extent that we speak on Jesus’ behalf before men, to that extent Jesus will speak on our behalf before God and His angels (see Luke 12:8-9; Revelation 3:5). But if we are afraid or ashamed to confess we are followers of Christ, Christ will not acknowledge us on the day of judgment (see Mark 8:38 and comment).
Being Worthy of Christ (10:34-42)
(Mark 8:34-35; 9:41; Luke 9:23-24; 12:51-53; 14:26-27)
34 Jesus was a peacemaker. But He did not come primarily to make peace between men; He came primarily to make peace between man and God.
But not all men believe Jesus. Not all men make peace with God; that is, not all men repent and receive forgiveness from God. Those that do not repent and do not believe always oppose those who do. Those that remain in Satan’s kingdom always oppose those who enter the kingdom of God. There can be no peace between the kingdom of Satan and the kingdom of God. That is why Jesus said, “I did not come to bring peace, but a sword,” or “division,” as Luke says (Luke 12:51). Jesus has divided those who believe from those who don’t believe. Jesus said to His disciples: “I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you” (John 15:19). As a sword divides things into two, so Jesus’ word divides believers from non-believers (Hebrews 4:12).
35-36 Jesus here quotes from Micah 7:6 to show that even within one’s own family, non-believers will oppose believers in Jesus (see Matthew 10:21-22; Mark 13:12-13 and comments).
37 Many believers in Jesus have to face the opposition of their non-believing family members. Jesus says, “You must love me more than your father and mother. If you don’t, you are not worthy to be my disciple.”
To follow Jesus, we must often give up worldly advantage. We may suffer loss of our property, our inheritance, our job. Such disadvantages will fall upon our children also. But we must put love for Jesus above our love for our children. Jesus said this in an even stronger way in Luke 14:26: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.” When Jesus uses the word “hate” here, He means that we must be ready to leave even our parents and wife and children for His sake. Not only that, to be a disciple we must “hate” our own life (see John 12:25 and comment). That is, we must deny ourselves. Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself” (Mark 8:34). To “come after” Jesus means to be His disciple. All Christians are called to be disciples. Jesus said, “… anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27). A person who does not carry his cross is not worthy to be a disciple (verse 38).
38-39 See Mark 8:34-35 and comment.
40 Just as those who persecute Jesus also persecute His disciples, so will those who accept Jesus also accept His disciples. Whatever happens to the teacher happens also to the student (see Mark 9:37; Luke 10:16; John 15:20).
41 In this verse, to receive a prophet or a righteous man means to receive one of
Christ’s disciples. Those who receive Jesus’ disciples will receive a great reward. They will share in the blessings of the disciples. People share in the blessings of whomever they accept and believe. We who have received Christ also receive the blessings of Christ. When we welcome a disciple, we welcome Christ Himself. When we welcome Christ, we welcome God. The smallest act of service rendered to a disciple of Christ will be counted as a service to Christ Himself (see Matthew 10:42; 25:40).
42 See Mark 9:41 and comment.