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These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: “Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (NASB) Matt. 10:5-6 They were instructed to avoid Samaria and those regions belonging to
the Gentiles. That left only Galilee in the north and Judea in the south.
This was consistent with the directions that Jesus gave the apostles
just before He returned to heaven (Acts 1:8). In Acts 1:8 Jesus told
the apostles to witness first in Jerusalem, then in Judea, then in Samaria,
and finally throughout the rest of the world. The biblical principle
was to present the gospel to the Jews first and then to others (Matt.
28:18-20; Acts 13:46; Rom. 1:16). Jesus called the Jews the lost sheep
of Israel because their spiritual leaders, the Pharisees and Sadducees,
were lost themselves and were leading the Jews astray.
As the disciples went on their mission, they were to preach and heal
just as Jesus did. They were able to do so because Jesus empowered them
for ministry. Their message and actions were simple. Jesus told them,
And as you go, preach, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (NASB) Matt. 10:7 In Mark 6:12 we discover that in addition to warning others that the
kingdom of heaven was “at hand,” they were to call them to
repent. The expression “at hand” comes from a Greek word
that means the kingdom of heaven had been and was approaching. It had
been coming nearer and it was now closer to them. The kingdom was approaching,
and they were to get ready by repenting of their sins. That was their
message. It is still the message today. Jesus is returning, and people
need to repent and make their peace with God.
The disciples were to heal the sick, raise the dead, and
cast out demons.
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give. (NASB) Matt. 10:8 The disciples were in training, They were mimicking Jesus. They had
been watching Him heal, raise the dead, cast out demons, and preach.
Now it was their turn. This is true discipleship. They had reached a
certain level of spiritual maturity. Discipleship always includes some
form of instruction; it must include the opportunity to practice skills
and use what one has learned. Discipleship making involves rebuke, admonition,
praise, and encouragement. Unfortunately, some men and women will not
accept admonition. This lack of humility and submission makes true discipleship
very difficult.
Just imagine the reports that the religious and political
leaders must have heard. It was no longer just Jesus who was performing
miracles, but now also His disciples. We will discover later that the
news about their mission spread throughout Judea and Galilee like wild
fire and was even heard by King Herod (Luke 9:7).
Their Belongings. Jesus also told them
what to take on their mission.
Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts, or a bag for your journey, or even two coats, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is worthy of his support. (NASB) Matt. 10:9-10 By comparing Matthew 10:9-10 with Mark 6:8-9 and Luke 9:3, we discover
that Jesus had directed them to not take any extra clothes. Mark and
Luke tell us that Jesus told them to not take a bag, bread, or money.
They could not take an extra pair of sandals, a second staff, or a set
of underwear (also called a tunic). Matthew makes it clear that they
could not buy anything during their mission except bread.
Contradiction? If one examines the three
gospels closely, we discover what appears to be a contradiction between
Mark and Luke about the staff. Luke seems to imply that Jesus told them
that they could not take along a staff. But Mark says they could not
take an extra. In fact, Mark says that the disciples could not take an
extra pair of sandals, another staff, or extra underwear. Luke says nothing
about the sandals and agrees that no extra underwear could be taken.
Some have suggested that the staff Luke referred to was different from
the one mentioned in Mark. It has been reported that it was customary
for two staffs to be taken on a trip - one for walking and another was
carried over the shoulder. However, there is insufficient information
to resolve the issue either way. What is clear is that they were to travel
with very little. They were to trust God and go!
Base Of Operations. It should be noted
that it was customary for the Jews to show hospitality to religious leaders
such as priests and rabbis. The people had been taught that God grants
a blessing upon those who show such kindness. So it was common for devout
Jews to give religious leaders food, clothes, money, and a place to sleep.
This helps us understand the following statement from Jesus,
And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it, and stay at his house until you leave that city. (NASB) Matt. 10:11 The first part of Jesus’ directions told them to enter a village
and stay in the home of one who was considered to be “worthy.” Recently
I was asked what does “worthy” mean in this passage. We can
be sure that Jesus was not referring to a wealthy man, politician, a
Pharisee, or Sadducee. Jesus had strong words for most rich people and
the religious leaders of the day. So it is doubtful that He was referring
to either one. The worthy man was most likely someone who had a great
reputation for being a godly, God-fearing, spiritually mature man. Having
been told who was worthy, they were to approach the home and inquire
about staying. If permitted, they were to stay in the home while they
ministered in the village. They were not to seek better accommodations.
The home was the base of operations in the village as they
were to go from home to home sharing the gospel.
As you enter the house, give it your greeting. If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if it is not worthy, take back your blessing of peace. Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet. (NASB) Matt. 10:12-14
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| Life & Heart of Jesus | |||||||
