What disciples of Jesus should expect.
Jesus had found that the Temple had become a marketplace, that the clergy could not recognize Him from the writings by God’s authors, and that the people were being abused by satan; see my lesson for September 11, 2011: Conditions Jesus found when He began His ministry. Thus, Jesus went about to strip away the deceptive philosophies that weakened the people and to promote the truth about God and life that was originally given; see my lesson for September 18, 2011: Changing Cultures.
From among those who followed Jesus, God had instructed Him which twelve to invest time and experience with to train them to change the world after He returned to His Father in Heaven. Matthew chapter ten identifies these men, gives the results Jesus tasked them with, and presents His discussion of the environments they could expect to encourage and to challenge them. You, too, should expect the same.
The Twelve and their task – Matthew 10.1-10
- Verses 2-4 identify them.
- Verse 7 would be their teaching.
- Verse 8 would confirm the teaching and result from the power that Jesus gave to them, in verse 1. (Apostle Paul refers to the same in 1 Corinthians 2.4-5. It is what you should expect.) This would change what Jesus saw in Matthew 9.35-36 and solicited in 9.37-38.
- Verses 9-10 instructed them to depend upon God’s provisions, as is especially implied in the last clause of verse 10. God rewards obedience!
- Note what people would be their focus and who they must avoid, in verses 5-6. Their ‘prospects’ had become like the nations around them, like their ancestors, whom God said would be like thorns and briers to them. See Numbers 33.55, Joshua 23.13, Judges 2.3, and Ezekiel 2.6. [Apostle Paul complained about this in 2 Corinthians 12.7-10, referring to the Jews who resisted his message and evidence in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra (Acts 13-14, note 14.19-20, especially). He recounts this experience to his protégé in 2 Timothy 3.10-11.]
Some would receive the Gospel, some would not – Matthew 10.11-42
- In verse 11, Jesus instructed them about the cities they were to enter and for how long they were to stay. The number of ‘worthy’ households would determine the length of their stay. Who was ‘worthy’? Not the ‘casual’ followers of the Law, but those who were serious in their practice. Two illustrations: Apostle Paul was met by ‘brethren’ while on his way to Rome; see Acts 28.13-15. Saul, while looking for his father’s donkeys, asked directions to the ‘seer’s’ house to get his advice; see 1 Samuel 9.18.
- Jesus told them to ‘greet’ the ‘worthy’ household that welcomed them; verse 12. ‘Let your peace come upon the house’, verse 13a. That is, ‘freedom from all the distresses that are experienced as a result of sin’ (Hermann Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon). Thus, the apostles would preach verse 7 and manifest verse 8 among that household. See Romans 1.16-17 too.
- Note Jesus’ encouraging words to the apostles in verses 40, 32-33, and 16.
- But, ‘let your peace return to you’ (verse 13.b) if the household would not receive verse 7. He reminded them that rejection was of Him, not them, in verses 24-25 and 22.
- Jesus discussed the acceptance of Himself by some but denial by others in verses 34-39 and 21. Each member of the family must decide for himself! Consider Jesus’ words in John 3.16-21.
- Note Jesus’ caution in verse 17-18. Sometimes the householder would call the authorities and have the apostle arrested. However, Jesus had what purpose for this? Paul was chosen for similar appearances; see Acts 9.15.
- If this happened, remembering verses 26-31 would reassure them and verses 19-20 would embolden them.
- Not only let your peace return to you (verse 13b), perform the symbol of verse 14 when you leave house or town! How severe was Jesus’ comparison of the punishment awaiting such households or cities, in verse 15?
- Verse 23 ends with an interesting thought. Some theologians have said this refers to Jesus’ Second Coming, implying that apostles’ task would take a long time. Implicit, also, is encouragement for us to continue, despite the obstacles with which satan challenges us.
Your job: verse 22b! Some will accept Jesus, others will not. Be faithful!
Praise God!!! Copyright © by Maurice L. Painter 2011.