Matthew 10
10:1 a Jesus called his twelve disciples as workers in the harvest (9:37-38 b). The choice of twelve is not accidental—it recalls the twelve tribes of Israel. Jesus was appointing new leaders for the new people of God under his reign as Messiah (16:18-19 c; 18:18 d; 19:28 e; 21:43 f).• gave them authority (9:6-8 g; 28:18 h): Jesus enabled the Twelve to perform ministries that the Jewish leaders could not accomplish (9:32-34 i; 10:5-8 j). The authority to cast out evil spirits (8:28 k) and to heal are ascribed to Jesus (4:23 l; 8:1–9:35 m) in similar terms.
Summary for Matt 10:2-4: 10:2-4 n The four lists of the apostles (see also Mark 3:16-19 o; Luke 6:14-16 p; Acts 1:13 q) are all different, although the differences are minimal. The order within each list varies slightly, but only the names Thaddaeus (10:3 r; Mark 3:18 s) and Judas son of James (Luke 6:16 t; Acts 1:13 u) differ. They might be two names for the same man. 10:2 v The apostles are ambassadors or messengers, authorized and sent by an authority to represent and accomplish prescribed tasks (see 10:1-8 w, 40 x; 28:16-20 y). The term is also used for Paul (Gal 1:1 z).
• first, Simon (also called Peter): Peter had priority in time (Matt 4:18-22 aa; 16:17-19 ab) and position as the representative leader of the apostles (see 19:27 ac; 26:33 ad; Acts 2:14 ae).
10:3 af Matthew (the tax collector) (see 9:9 ag) is also called Levi (Mark 2:14 ah).
10:4 ai the zealot: Zealots were militant Jews who thought violence and war were capable of accomplishing the will of God. As a Jewish nationalist, Simon was probably zealous for the law (Acts 22:3-5 aj; Gal 1:14 ak; Phil 3:6 al). Josephus blamed the Zealot party for the great war with Rome in AD 66–70.
• Iscariot might refer to someone from Kerioth in southern Judea (Josh 15:25 am) or from Kerioth in Perea (Jer 48:24 an).
10:5 ao Don’t go to the Gentiles: Jesus’ mission was limited to Jews at this stage (15:24 ap). Through the Jews, God would reach the Gentiles (Isa 2:2-4 aq; 42:6-7 ar; 49:6 as; 60:3 at).
• Jews regarded Samaritans as impure Jews (Luke 17:18 au) because of their intermarriage with Gentiles during and after the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles (2 Kgs 17:24-41 av). Tension was provoked in 128 BC when the Jewish leader John Hyrcanus destroyed the Samaritan temple on Mount Gerizim (Josephus, Antiquities 13.9.1).
10:6 aw Being lost is the result of neglect by their shepherds (9:36 ax; 15:24 ay).
Summary for Matt 10:7-8: 10:7-8 az By doing these things in the name and authority of Jesus, the apostles demonstrated Jesus’ status as Messiah (see 11:2-6 ba).
10:8 bb Give as freely as you have received! While remuneration is not improper (1 Cor 9:3-19 bc; Gal 6:6 bd; 1 Tim 5:17 be), Jesus urged the apostles to avoid accusations of greed (see Acts 8:20 bf; 20:33 bg).
Summary for Matt 10:9-10: 10:9-10 bh Jesus’ disciples were to trust in God’s provision (6:11 bi, 25-34 bj; 7:7-11 bk), to avoid greed that would give others the opportunity to defame the Lord’s name, and to encourage the newly formed communities to provide for their leaders’ needs (see 1 Cor 9:3-19 bl).
10:12 bm give it your blessing: Greetings were more significant than a simple hello. Often, a greeting would convey a blessing for those who received it (cp. Ruth 2:4 bn).
10:13 bo A worthy home would embrace the message about Jesus and the Kingdom (10:37-38 bp; 22:8 bq).
• The disciples’ blessing was an offer of salvation; to take back the blessing was a sign of judgment as the offer was withdrawn.
10:14 br shake its dust from your feet: This prophet-like gesture is explained by the Israelite custom of expressing displeasure with ungodliness by shaking off Gentile dust whenever crossing the border into Israel. The gesture signifies the disciples’ rejection of those who oppose God’s work (see Acts 18:6 bs). Pronouncing judgment on those who reject the message is part of proclaiming the Good News about the Kingdom (see Matt 11:20-24 bt; 13:10-15 bu; 23:37-39 bv; 24:1-36 bw).
10:15 bx God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness (Gen 18:16–19:29 by). Now, with a more complete revelation in Jesus Christ, a town that rejected the disciples’ preaching would receive a more complete judgment.
• such a town: An entire village or city is culpable when a significant majority rejects the message (see Acts 13:45-47 bz, 50-51 ca; 14:1-7 cb). However, individuals who respond in faith are saved (e.g., Lot; see Gen 19:1-29 cc; 2 Pet 2:6-9 cd).
10:16 ce False leaders who prey upon people’s spiritual vulnerability rather than exercise appropriate pastoral care are often called wolves (Ezek 22:27 cf; Zeph 3:3 cg; cp. Prov 28:15 ch).
• be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves: The proverb calls for being astute but not deceitful.
Summary for Matt 10:19-20: 10:19-20 ci As God gave Moses a spokesman in Aaron (Exod 4:10-17 cj), so God would give Jesus’ disciples the right words at the right time through the Spirit (John 14:26 ck; Acts 4:8 cl).
Summary for Matt 10:21-22: 10:21-22 cm Jews regularly associated family strife with the last times (see 24:9-10 cn). Jesus experienced such conflicts as well (12:46-50 co).
• Everyone who endures to the end refers to those who remain faithful to Jesus, to the point of death or until his return (10:23 cp).
• will be saved: Though some have taken this phrase to mean temporal deliverance from persecution (such as release from prison), the idea here is eternal salvation for those who remain faithful.
10:23 cq will return: Scholars are divided as to whether this refers to the second coming of Christ for his church or an earlier coming in judgment—namely, the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 (see 16:28 cr).
• before you have reached: Jesus meant either “before you have fled through all the towns” or “before you have evangelized all the towns.” The focus on persecution in the context (see 10:17-39 cs) favors the former, suggesting that the towns were like cities of refuge (Num 35:9-32 ct). The emphasis is on how widespread the rejection of the message will be—i.e., “not until the whole nation has run you out of town.”
10:25 cu In Jesus’ day, Satan was often called prince of demons. The Greek term is Beelzeboul, from the name of an Old Testament pagan deity, Baal-zebul (“lord, the prince”). The Latin version reads Beelzebub, which is a transliteration of a Hebrew phrase meaning “lord of flies,” which was most likely a Jewish insult of Baal-zebul (see 2 Kgs 1:2 cv).
10:28 cw Jesus’ disciples are to fear only God by obeying him and testifying of him; in contrast to human authorities, God’s authority and judgment are unlimited.
• hell: See study note on 5:29.
Summary for Matt 10:29-31: 10:29-31 cx Because God cares about every sparrow, and because Jesus’ disciples are much more valuable, certainly the disciples need not fear—God will providentially care for them.
Summary for Matt 10:32-33: 10:32-33 cy God accepts the one who acknowledges Jesus publicly in the context of trial and persecution (10:16-25 cz). These verses pertain to a person’s pattern of life (see 7:13-27 da) and not to a single confession or a single denial. For example, Judas acknowledged Jesus in individual instances yet was damned (26:23-24 db), whereas Peter denied Jesus (see 26:69-75 dc) yet was saved.
Summary for Matt 10:34-39: 10:34-39 dd Allegiance to Jesus has priority over allegiance to family. 10:34 de Jesus did bring peace (John 14:27 df), but not of a social and political kind. Instead, Jesus calls humans to make a decision about him, which brings a sword—i.e., division (see Matt 8:21-22 dg; 12:46-50 dh; Luke 12:51 di).
Summary for Matt 10:37-39: 10:37-39 dj The cross was a Roman instrument of torture and execution (27:27-55 dk). To take up your cross and follow Jesus involves loving him above all other things and being willing to follow him regardless of the physical or social consequences.
10:41 dl The same reward as a prophet (literally A prophet’s reward) means either the same reward a prophet would receive or the benefit of the prophet’s ministry.
• Righteous people are those who conform their behavior to God’s law as taught by both John the Baptist (21:32 dm) and Jesus (see 3:15 dn), and therefore are approved by God (13:43 do, 49 dp; 25:37-46 dq).
10:42 dr The least of my followers probably refers to the low social standing of most of Jesus’ followers (cp. 5:3 ds; 18:1-5 dt and 6:5 du; 23:5-12 dv).
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