From Disciples to Apostles - Matthew 10:1-8

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve

10 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

These verses begin the movement from calling the Twelve "disciples" to calling them "apostles".  Jesus took the authority he had been divinely given by the Father and gave it to the twelve.  Twelve was a number Jesus chose which was reminiscent fo the 12 tribes of Israel. 

"The number twelve was the best number for these purposes that could be selected. It was sufficiently "large" to answer the purpose of testimony, and it was "so small" as not to tend to disorder, or that they could easily be divided into parties or factions." (Barnes) 

2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: 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.

Now Matthew calls them "apostles".  The word "apostle" means the one who is "sent".  It also means "ambassador" or "envoy".  They were learners before and now they were ready to be sent to do what they had learned.  In each of the gospels, the list of apostles always starts with Peter and ends with Judas.  

"There are four different lists of the twelve in the New Testament. Here in Matthew 10:2-4, and also in Mark 3:16-19, Luke 6:13-16, and Acts 1:13. In these lists, Peter is always listed first and Judas is always last. The two pairs of brothers (Peter and Andrew; James and John) are always listed first. In the lists they are arranged in a way that suggests that they were arranged in three groups of four, each with a leader. In each list Peter is first mentioned, followed by Andrew, James, and John.  In each list Philip is fifth mentioned, followed by Bartholomew, Thomas, and Matthew. In each list James the son of Alphaeus is ninth mentioned, followed by Thaddaeus/Judas brother of James, Simon the Zealot, and Judas." (Guzik)

5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 

This was the pattern of the preaching the gospel, to go first to the Jew and then to the Gentile. It wasn't that the gospel would not go into all the nations at some point, but it went to the Jews first. The Jews were the original ones who received the covenant of God.  Jesus was the fulfillment of all of the Old Testament prophecies given to them about their future Messiah.  Sadly, most of them would not respond to the Good News. 

6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 

Not only had the Jews not heard from a prophet in like 400 years, but they also had no temple.  

"Who were the lost sheep of Israel? In a sense, all of them were. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way. (Isaiah 53:6). Yet in another sense, there were also lost sheep that were abused and neglected by their spiritual shepherds, the scribes, priests, and Pharisees. This is the sense of Jeremiah 50:6: My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray." (Guzik)

7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 

As "messengers" or "envoys", they were preparing the way for Jesus' kingdom to come at once.  The kingdom of heaven represented what things looked like when God was completely ruling.  

"The two envoys of the King were to enter into town or village, and there, standing in the gate, to announce that His kingdom had come near, and then, when this had drawn crowds to listen, to call men to the repentance without which they could not enter it." Ellicot

8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

This is what things look like when the kingdom of God is at hand or in the now.  There is no sickness, death, disease, or demonic possession.  This is what we can look forward to in heaven.  And these were the exact things that Jesus had already done among them.  They were simply going to be doing the things he had already showed them.  

How would you feel if Jesus commanded you to go out and do the same things the apostles did?  It what way to you think we are sent out as Jesus' apostles today?  Do you think these things only applied to the first 12 apostles or to us today as well?  If you don't think they apply to us, why do you think this?