Matthew 10 - The Blessings of Traveling Lightly!
Enduring Word Commentary (Guzik)
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. 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.
One thing that stands out right away when Jesus calls his disciples is the authority he gives them to do the things he did. Jesus never called them to do something he didn't give them the power and authority to carry out. The same is true today. Some people say that this kind of power and authority to cast out demons and heal diseases and sicknesses was only for the apostolic age. But that makes no sense, as we need Jesus' power and authority every bit as much today as back then.
The disciples are also called "apostles", which means those who are "sent out", or "messengers". The disciples are made up of two sets of brothers Simon (Peter) and Andrew, and James and John, the "sons of thunder". Also, there is Matthew, the tax collector, Simon who was a "Zealot", and the disciple who would eventually betray Jesus (Judas). You might say it was a "motley crew".
Jesus entrusted the mission the Father gave him to save the world to twelve ordinary men. In the flesh they didn't offer much, but once they were filled with the Holy Spirit great things happened for the kingdom.
5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,[a] drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
Jesus gave them a specific commission to go first to the Israelites to whom the covenant was given. Later the mission to the Gentiles would be established but not now. The basic message they were to proclaim was, "the kingdom of heaven has come near."
I have commented that this has been a recurrent theme in these first 10 chapters. Jesus proclaimed the kingdom and then showed them what it looked like. The kingdom of heaven comes on earth when the rule or reign of God is manifested. I.e. No more sickness, disease, or demonic strongholds. Remarkably it even says, "raise the dead". Now that's some power!
9 “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts— 10 no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. 11 Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. 12 As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.
Jesus instructs the disciples to travel lightly. They are to rely on people in the towns they go to who open their houses for them. Basically, they need to rely on the Lord for everything. There is a principle called, "a person of peace". This is when you look for someone who is a person of peace for you. These are often the people God has called us to do ministry with.
For those who welcomed them, they were to let their peace rest on them. But to those who would not welcome them or listen to them, they were to shake the dust off their feet, as a testimony against them. This meant they literally would not have anything to do with them, or take any little piece of them with them.
Jesus also warns that these people will be accountable on judgment day for their treatment of the disciples. One of the great ministries is to be a person of "hospitality". Whether it is putting up a missionary at your house, or maybe a youth worker, it is a great blessing offer hospitality. I have been a recipient of this many times in my ministry, and I will always remember those people and the hospitality they showed me.
16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Jesus made no bones about the fact that they would not be welcomed by all, and in fact would be persecuted by those in power. They would even suffer physical punishment (i.e. being flogged) for their testimony about Jesus. When they were brought before governing officials, God would use them to bring the message to those in power, both Jews and Gentiles.
Importantly when they were forced to speak, the Holy Spirit would speak through them. What an awesome promise that when we don'tt know what words to say or pray, the Holy Spirit takes over.
21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
As disciples of Jesus, even their families might turn against each other, including siblings and parents. Jesus says something very ominous when he tells them, "You will be hated by everyone because of me!" That's seems a little extreme. What did Jesus mean by that?
At times this has been true; when entire cultures have hated the followers of Jesus. It seems strange that people who live by the kingdom expectations of Matthew 5-7 should be so greatly hated, but it is the same paradox that inspired the world to condemn and crucify the only sinless man ever to live.
It must be painfully admitted that there are times when Christians, because of great unfaithfulness or false profession of faith, have been hated for good reason. Yet no one who is filled with the presence of Jesus and lives like He did can be hated for good reason. (Guzik)
24 “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!
The essence of becoming a disciple is becoming more like Jesus. Jesus is the teacher, and we are his student. You will hear this defintion of what it means to be a disciple from me a lot. To be a disciple of Jesus is "To become the type of person who would do and say what Jesus would do and say if he were you!"
We will never get it perfect, but our life's ambition is to become a little bit more like Jesus every day. This is only possible through the Holy Spirit, who has set us apart and given us the power to become a true Christ follower.
26 “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Despite the opposition they will face, they need to remember that God will protect and provide for them. There is no one who loves us as much as God does. If we fear anyone, we should fear God. If God is for us who can be against us. (Romans 8)
Jesus uses a phrase to teach us how much God cares about us. He says, "And even the very number of hairs on your head are numbered." It is estimated that we have between 80,000 and 120,000 hairs on our heads at various times in our lives. The point is not meant to be literal, but the fact is that God knows us better than anyone. He knows when we are in trouble and will rescue us in time of need.
32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.
Jesus makes it clear to them how important it is for them to stand up for Jesus before others. If they were ashamed of Jesus on earth, Jesus might be ashamed of them before the Father on judgment day.
Has there been a time in your life where you where you were challenged to either acknowledge Jesus or deny him? Not many of our lives threatened if we confessed Jesus as our Lord, but there are indirect ways we acknowledge or disown Jesus by the decisions we make.
34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— 36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’[c]
37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.
We would be remiss to think that Jesus is not "pro-family". After all honoring one's father or mother is the fourth commandment. But honoring a parent doesn't mean choosing them over God. If a parent ever asked you to choose between them and God, I think you know what the answer would be.
Jesus is asking for 100% allegiance of his followers. If there is something more important to us than Him, he is asking us to let go of it. As a parent of two children, I would hope to never have to pick between God and my kids, and I don't think that is his main point. His point is that following Him will require sacrifices of many types. But Jesus promises that whatever we give up will pale in comparison to abundant life we will find, as we give our lives to him.
40 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”
Jesus promises blessings and rewards for those who welcome in his disciples. By welcoming them, they are welcoming Jesus. The overall message in chapter 10 is that though being a disciple of Jesus will require all that we have, Jesus has given us everything he had on the cross, and we can never outgive God. There is nothing we have given up for God, for which we will not see in due time our reward, whether on this earth or in heaven.
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