Matthew 10:1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he
gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all
manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
This is the appointing of
the Apostles. In the appointing, Jesus
gave them what was needed to carry on their mission. He gives us what we need to do the job set
before us.
Church ordination is
wonderful, but unless we are God-ordained any effort on our part is useless.
Jesus gave them authority
over unclean spirits. They could cast
them out unclean spirits. They could
also heal all various sicknesses and diseases.
The authority to heal has
never been rescinded. But, that is not a
directive to reject medical advice and help.
Some say that God does not
heal today. Others go so far as to teach
that today’s spiritual healing is demonic.
God still heals! And, He has given medical practitioners the
knowledge to help the process. However,
no matter which area of healing is used, prayer is an important ingredient in
the healing process.
Matthew 10:2-4
2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his
brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the
publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;
4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also
betrayed him.
This is the list of
Apostles. They were as diverse
Christianity.
Matthew 10:5-6
5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them,
saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into
any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
6 But go rather to the lost
sheep of the house of
Jesus sent His Apostles out
to proclaim His message.
There is one thing that many
do not understand. The Apostles were
originally sent only to preach to physical
The Apostles were also not
sent to the Samaritans. Samaritans were
a mixed blood group in the area north of
After the resurrection, Paul
would be sent to Samaritans and other Gentiles.
The Apostles were originally
sent only to the lost (Gr. apoloolota-apolwlota) sheep of the house
of
The lost are not lost because
they woke up one morning and decided to become lost. They are lost because of sin that infects
humanity.
Matthew 10:7-8
7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The
kingdom of heaven is at hand.
8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received,
freely give.
He told the Apostles to go,
and preach. Christ told them to
proclaim, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Christ Jesus commanded the
Apostles to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out
devils. That admonishment has not
changed!
Freely we have received,
and freely we must give. Think about
that!
Matthew 10:9-10
9 Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your
purses,
10 Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats,
neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.
Jesus did not send His
Apostles on a mission to collect funds. He told them not to take the various
forms of commerce.
Purse (Gr. zoonas-zwnaV) is an ancient money belt.
Scrip (Gr. peeran-phran) is an ancient travel bag used to carry food.
The Apostles were not to
take extra coats, or sandals, or the ancient walking staff. God provided all they needed. Jesus said, “The
workman is worthy of his meat.” However,
they did not collect a tithe. That would
have been biblically illegal!
Matthew 10:11-15
11 And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter,
inquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.
12 And when ye come into an
house, salute it.
13 And if the house be worthy, let your peace come
upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.
14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your
words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your
feet.
15 Verily I say unto you, It
shall be more tolerable for the
When they entered a town,
they were to ask who in that town was “worthy” (Gr. axios-axioV), who is
praiseworthy. They were to stay with
that person.
When they came into that
home, they were to “salute” (Gr. aspasasthe-aspasasqe), or greet those in
that home.
If they found the Home
worthy, if they received the word of God, they were to bring peace to it. But, if they rejected the message, they were
to reject the household as those in it rejected the message.
We need to stop begging
people to accept Christ! Instead, we
need to present to gospel and let the Holy Spirit decide who will accept it and
who will reject it.
In the case of rejection, the
Apostles were to shake off the dust of your feet. That was a gesture of great disfavor.
Those who rejected the
message of the Apostles bring negative judgment upon themselves. John 3:18--- He that believeth on him
is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he
hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
All those that now reject
Christ are under condemnation. However
that situation changes daily as people come to Christ and are chosen to live in
His light.
Matthew 10:16-18
16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of
wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
17 But beware of men: for
they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their
synagogues;
18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings
for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
Christ calls on His followers
to be tender, but strong. We must understand
how to react to various situations.
He told the Apostles to be
cautious of others. He warned that
others may deliver them to the councils
(Gr. Sunedria-Sunedria), the Sanhedrins.
There were two Jewish bodies
that used the name Sanhedrin. The large body, or great Sanhedrin had seventy members. The small body, or lesser Sanhedrin has twelve members.
(Due to the timing, it was
probably the lesser Sanhedrin that judged Jesus.)
“They will scourge” (Gr. mastigoosousin-mastigwsousin) is not to be mistaken for the scourging Christ
received.
This whipping was 39 stripes
with a single lash whip was used when Jew punished
Jew. Sadistic Roman soldiers using as cat-of-nine-tails beat Christ
mercilessly.
Paul received 39 lashes on
five occasions. 2 Corinthians 11:24---Of
the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
Romans soldiers beat
prisoners until they were no longer amused.
Christ was whipped far more than a mere 39 times. That is evident to all who have read the
Bible, except those who have ignorantly
accepted the 39 stripes myth.
Romans used the
cat-of-nine-tails. Multiply 9 times 39 and you get 351 lashes. However, even that is far short of what they
did to Christ Jesus.
1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree,
that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes
(Gr. mooloopi- mwlwpi) ye were healed.
The Greek word translated
“stripes” in 1 Peter 2:24 is singular. That indicates that no stripes were evident. It was a single wound. That is enhanced by the use of the Greek
definite article to accentuate the inhumanity of Jesus’ beating.
Many Roman prisoners died
from the scourging and never were placed on a crucifixion cross. They were going to die, so there was no incentive
to keep them alive. Jesus lived through the scourging, because He had to be
crucified!
Verse 18 applies to Paul more
them the others. He preached the gospel
in his defense to Roman Prefects, Jewish Kings and Roman Judges.
Matthew 10:19-20
19 But when they deliver you
up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in
that same hour what ye shall speak.
20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.
Jesus told His followers to not
become anxious about what to say when an evil society puts us on trial. God will tell us what to say. In fact, the words will not be ours, but the
Holy Spirit will speak through us.
That was true then and is
now.
Many of our brothers in
Christ are now facing tribulation at the hands of evil men.
Matthew 10:21-22
21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to
death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their
parents, and cause them to be put to death.
22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's
sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
Families shall be separated
and already are being separated on the issue of Christ Jesus. His Sonship is a stumbling block even to many
that attend Church.
Christians are already hated
within the nation they birthed,
We shall be persecuted
because of the name of Christ Jesus!
In the world today, God is
not an offensive title. There are many
so-called gods. However, the name Jesus
is offensive to all Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and most Jews.
The bible is blunt. He that endures to the end shall be
saved. How do we do that?
Enduring to the end is not
accomplished in “our’ strength. It is
accomplished by faith in Christ Jesus.
Matthew 10:23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into
another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of
Israel, till the Son of man be come.
Jesus said, “When they
persecute you in one city, flee to another.”
Then, preach the word there.
Christ continued, “You shall not
have traveled through the cities of
What do you think Jesus
meant?
Matthew 10:24-25
24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the
servant above his lord.
25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have
called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of
his household?
Then, Jesus spoke a proverb.
“The disciple is not greater than his master, nor the servant (Gr. doulos-douloV), a slave greater than his owner.”
Jesus told them, “It is
enough for the disciple (Gr. matheetee-maqhth) to be as (Gr. hoos-wV), like his {the (Gr. ho-o) Greek definite article} master, and the slave as
(Gr. hoos-wV), like his {the (Gr. ho-o) Greek definite article} owner.”
The definite article is
overlooked in many commentaries. It
points to a specific Master and Owner, Christ Jesus.
Jesus said. “If they have
called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much worse shall they call those
of his household?”
In ancient times slaves
often ran households, and were given great power within the home.
Jesus was telling the
Apostles that if they say slanderous things against Him, they will do the same
and worse to His followers. Jesus was
not noted for His flowery compliments.
Matthew 10:26-27
26 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing
covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
27 What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach
ye upon the housetops.
Christians are not to live in
fear. Death is not a valid concept among
Christians!
All evil shall be revealed
and so shall all righteousness!
Those things Christ taught in
private to His followers are to be taught openly by them!
Matthew 10:28-31
28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not
able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul
and body in hell.
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your
Father.
30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than
many sparrows.
We are not to fear or revere
those whose power is temporal. We are to
respect God, who has power over all.
Destroy (Gr. apolesai-apolesai) speaks of ruin.
Hell (Gr. geennee-geennh) indicates the
The fire has gone out! If the
Revelation 20:14 tells us
that death will be cast into the lake of fire.
However, Revelation 21:4-5 tells us that there will be no more death,
and that ALL things will be
made new.
Theses verses are not
contradictory; instead they show a continuation or progression of God’s plan
for the ages.
Most of what we think we k
now about hell comes from Dante’s Inferno, not the Bible.
Again, death is not eternal!
Your birthday,
and the date of your physical death are fixed.
The hairs on your head are numbered.
You are precious in His sight!
32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men,
him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
33 But whosoever shall deny
me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
“Shall confess me” literally
means “shall confess in Me.” It means to come into agreement with Christ.
If we, in the presence of men
come into agreement with Christ, He will, in the presence of the Father come
into agreement with us. And the reverse is also true.
Deny (Gr. arneeseetai-arnhshtai) means to
contradict.
If we contradict Jesus before
men, He will contradict us before the Father. How will he do that?
22 Many will say to me in
that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and
in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done
many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess
unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Just because men seem to be
doing the work of God does not mean they are.
Their hearts are the only standards by which to judge the value of their
work, and only God can see that.
Matthew 10:34-42
34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I
came not to send peace, but a sword.
35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his
father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against
her mother in law.
36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own
household.
37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me:
and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is
not worthy of me.
38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth
after me, is not worthy of me.
39 He that findeth his life
shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my
sake shall find it.
40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth
me receiveth him that sent me.
41 He that receiveth a
prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man
shall receive a righteous man's reward.
42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these
little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say
unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
Christ came to do radical
social surgery! The sword of the Spirit
will cut away the ungodly no matter where they are.
Emotion
does not indicate spiritual condition.
The
cross (Gr. stauron-stauron) was not invented by the Romans. Greeks and Phoenicians used variations. Some
had cross bars, others did not. This
minor point is a bone of contention to the immature.
Christ
does not call us to lives of luxury. He
calls us to lives of service.
In verse
38, we find that each Christian must take up the cross.
That has
been falsely taught as taking up a burden to follow
Christ each day.
The
cross is not a sign of burden or weakness!
Instead,
the cross is the sign of victory over Satan and the effects of sin!
Christians
are called to victory, not defeat!
To the
lost, the cross is a sign of terrible burdens!
To the
saved it is a sign of the victory Christ gave us as the result of the
crucifixion and resurrection!
Without
the crucifixion there could be no resurrection!
Without the resurrection, there could be no victory over Satan and the
sin he brings!
Verse 39
appears to be a contradiction. It is
not! The key to understanding is found
in the phrase, “for my sake.”
Receiveth (Gr. dechomenos-decomenoV) speaks of
learning. Whoever receives or learns the
teaching (of the gospel) receives Christ.
All people are judged by
our actions toward Christ. What have
been your actions toward Him?
The question is not---Do
you know Christ? The question is---Does
Christ know you?