Mat 10:11-13 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 11. Who in it is worthy . That is, who fix it sustains a fair character will be able and disposed to show you hospitality, and will treat you kindly. This shows that they were not suddenly and needlessly to throw themselves in the way of insult or want. And there abide . There remain; as Luke adds, "Go not from house to house." They were to content themselves with one house; not to wander about in the manner of vagrants and mendicants; not to appear to be men of idleness, and fond of change; not to seem dissatisfied with the hospitality of the people; but to show that they had regular, important business; to show that they valued their time, were disposed to give themselves to labour, prayer, and meditation; and to be intent only on the business for which he had sent them. If ministers of the gospel are useful, it will be by not spending their time in idle chitchat, and wandering about as if they had nothing to do; but in an honest and laborious improvement of every moment in study, prayer, preaching, and religious visiting their people.

Matthew 10:11-13

Verse 11. Who in it is worthy. That is, who fix it sustains a fair character will be able and disposed to show you hospitality, and will treat you kindly. This shows that they were not suddenly and needlessly to throw themselves in the way of insult or want.

And there abide. There remain; as Luke adds, "Go not from house to house." They were to content themselves with one house; not to wander about in the manner of vagrants and mendicants; not to appear to be men of idleness, and fond of change; not to seem dissatisfied with the hospitality of the people; but to show that they had regular, important business; to show that they valued their time, were disposed to give themselves to labour, prayer, and meditation; and to be intent only on the business for which he had sent them. If ministers of the gospel are useful, it will be by not spending their time in idle chitchat, and wandering about as if they had nothing to do; but in an honest and laborious improvement of every moment in study, prayer, preaching, and religious visiting their people. Verse 12. And when ye come into an house, salute it. The word house, here, evidently means family, as it does in the following verse. See also Mt 12:25, Jn 4:53, "And himself believed and his whole house." The apostles were directed to salute the family, to show them the customary tokens of respect, and to treat them with civility. Religion never requires or permits its friends to outrage the common rules of social intercourse. It demands of them to exhibit to all the customary and proper tokens of respect, according to their age and station, 1Pet 2:12-25, 3:8-11, Php 4:8. For the mode of salutation, Lk 10:4, Lk 10:5. Verse 13. If the house be worthy. That is, if the family be worthy, or be willing to receive you as my disciples.

Let your peace come upon it. That is, let the peace or happiness which you seek, or for which you pray, in saluting it, Lu 10:5 come upon it; or seek their peace and happiness by prayer, instruction, by remaining with them, and imparting to them the blessings of the gospel.

But if it be not worthy, etc. If the family be unwilling to receive you; if they show themselves unfriendly to you and your message, let your peace return to you. This is a Hebrew mode of saying that your peace should not come upon it, Ps 35:13. It is a mode of speaking derived from bestowing a gift. If people were willing to receive it, they derived the benefit from it; if not, then of course the present came back, or remained in the hand of the giver. So Christ figuratively speaks of the peace which their labour would confer. If received kindly and hospitably by the people, they would confer on them most valuable blessings. If rejected and persecuted, the blessings which they sought for others would come upon themselves. They would reap the benefit of being cast out and persecuted for their Master's sake, Mt 5:10.