Matthew 10:8
Read Matthew 10:8 Using Other Translations
What does Matthew 10:8 mean?
Heal the sick
For so he had given them power to do, and this both for the
confirmation of their doctrine, and the recommendation of them to
men; for nothing could more evidently prove their mission to be
divine, and their doctrine from heaven, or be more acceptable to
men, than to "heal" their "sick" friends and relations, who were
given up by physicians, and incurable by the art of man; and to
do this without the use of medicines, either by a word speaking,
or by laying on of their hands, or by anointing with oil, joined
with prayer; and particularly to
cleanse the lepers,
of which there were many in Israel, who otherwise could not get
rid of that disorder, and by the law were deprived of many
privileges, and advantages, which others enjoyed: and especially
to
raise the dead,
which had never been done before the times of Christ, since the
days of Elijah and Elisha; and which must be allowed by all men
to be more than human, and to require the arm of almighty power:
and lastly, to
cast out devils,
the sworn enemies of mankind, and who had taken possession of the
bodies, as well as souls of multitudes in the Jewish nation; all
which they are ordered to do, without taking any thing of the
people, for so doing:
freely ye have received, freely give;
which refers both to the working of miracles, and preaching of
the Gospel. As they had these miraculous gifts freely imparted to
them by Christ, they had them not of themselves, nor did they
procure them at any charge, or expense of their's, or purchase
them with their money, as Simon Magus impiously proposed to the
apostles; so they were freely to make use of these wonderful
powers, they were possessed of, for the relief of the distressed,
without insisting upon, or receiving any thing for the same; a
practice which was formerly disapproved and condemned in Gehazi,
the servant of Elisha: and with respect to the Gospel, as the
knowledge of it was freely communicated to them by Christ, and
gifts qualifying them for the preaching of it, were of his mere
grace and goodness bestowed upon them, so they were to dispense
it without making a gain of godliness, or discovering in the
least an avaricious disposition. Our Lord seems to have respect
to a rule frequently inculcated by the Jews concerning teaching
their oral law F7; which is this;
``in the place where they teach the written law for a reward, it is lawful to teach it for a reward; but it is forbidden to teach the oral law for a reward, as it is said, "behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded me" ( Deuteronomy 4:5 ) . As I have (Mnxb) , "freely" learned, and ye have also (Mnxb) , "freely" learnt of me; so when ye learn posterity, (ynmm) (Mtdmlv wmk Mnxb wdml) , "teach them freely, as ye have learnt of me".''Now what the Jews say of their traditions, Christ applies to the Gospel: in dispensing of which he would not have his disciples come behind them; but as they had freely received the Gospel from his lips; so they would as freely, as well as faithfully, make it known to others; and which no ways contradicts the maintenance of the Gospel ministers by the people; only forbids amassing wealth and riches by it, or preaching for sordid gain, or filthy lucre's sake: for otherwise it is Christ's own ordinance, that the preachers of the Gospel should live by it; and which is confirmed in the following verses.
F7 Maimon. Talmud Tora, c. 1. sect. 7. T. Bab. Nedarim, fol. 36. 2. & 37. 1. & Becorat, fol. 29. 1. Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Nedarim, c. 4. sect. 3. & in Pirke Abot. c. 4. sect. 5.
