Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What Does Matthew Chapter 10 Mean?

Matthew 10 begins with a listing of Jesus’ core group of hand-picked disciples. These men are often collectively referred to as the Twelve. Jesus had many followers, but this dozen was appointed to special roles. The word “apostle” is from the Greek term apolstolōn, literally referring to someone “sent out” by a master to carry a message. Jesus gives to them His own authority as His representatives to cast out demons and to heal diseases and afflictions. Eleven of these men will spend the rest of their lives preaching His message in His name to all who will hear. The other, sadly, will choose to reject Christ and suffer eternal consequences (Matthew 10:1–4).

Matthew provides a list of the twelve apostles, apparently grouped into the pairs by which Jesus will send them on their trip: Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon, and Judas Iscariot.

Jesus begins with instructions for a short-term trip, where the apostles will visit the towns and cities of Galilee preaching Jesus’ message, while also healing and casting out demons in His name. The apostles are not to enter into Gentile regions or Samaritan towns and focus, instead, only on preaching to Israelites. Their message will be that the kingdom of heaven is near. They are to encourage the people to repent and prepare themselves for its arrival. To demonstrate that their message is true, they will access Jesus’ power to heal the sick, raise the dead, and cast out demons—all miracles Jesus Himself had performed (Matthew 10:5–8).

Jesus insists that the apostles not take with them extra money, clothes, or supplies for this first journey. This is not a permanent restriction—Jesus is not forever prohibiting the apostles or Christians from owning property or making plans. Rather, on this initial mission, the apostles are to radically depend on the provision of God. When they come to a new town, they must find those who are worthy in the sense that they believe the message of Jesus. The apostles will stay with these worthy people, letting the peace given by Jesus rest on that house. If nobody in a town will receive the message of Jesus, the apostles will leave, shaking the dust of the town from their feet as a sign of the judgment that will come on it (Matthew 10:9–15).

Matthew’s report on Jesus’ instructions then jumps forward: to a prediction of the persecution the apostles will suffer after Christ’s death, resurrection, and return to heaven. They will be sheep in a land of wolves. Because they represent Jesus, they will be dragged before Jewish religious and secular courts, as well as before Gentile governors and kings. In that way, the Holy Spirit will speak through them about Jesus to every level of authority (Matthew 10:16–20).

The result of their teaching about Jesus will be division within the families of Israel. Jesus’ comment about bringing a sword does not mean He intends violence. Rather, it means that His message is inherently divisive in the eyes of a non-believing world. Christ’s messengers will be widely hated because they represent Jesus. They can—and will—move from one town to the next to escape persecution. In this way, they will spread the good news about Jesus to more and more places. Since Jesus has been and will be persecuted, His apostles should expect the same treatment (Matthew 10:21–25).

The apostles should not be afraid, however. They will be vindicated in the end when everything is revealed. Their job is not to obtain victory on earth. Instead, it is to broadcast far and wide what Jesus has told them in secret, no matter the consequences for themselves. The enemies of Jesus can only kill their bodies, after all. God can destroy both body and soul in hell. He cares for them as their Father, and they will not suffer or die without His knowing. Just as God notices when the smallest bird falls, He is aware when His children are hurting. Hardship is not a sign that God has abandoned a believer. Jesus will acknowledge to the Father those who acknowledge Him to the world (Matthew 10:26–33).

Because Jesus is God, He demands absolute love and loyalty of all His followers. His statement here is a claim of divinity: loving God comes before loving others in the ranking of great commandments (Matthew 22:34–40). To require love for Jesus above love for family is to suggest that He is on the same level as God. The command here is not that believers “not love” family, but that they must prioritize the will of God. Families will divide over whether Jesus is the Messiah. Those who don’t love Jesus more than family are not worthy of Him. Those who do not take up their cross, dying to themselves, and follow Him are not worthy of Him. Losing one’s life for the sake of Jesus results is finding true life for eternity (Matthew 10:34–39).

All who receive Jesus’ apostles will, in truth, be receiving Jesus Himself, along with the Father (Matthew 10:40–42).

Chapter Context
Jesus has recently expressed compassion for the people of Israel, who are spiritually lost. Matthew 10 is a record of Jesus’ instructions to His twelve core apostles, as He sends them on a short-term trip to the towns of Galilee. He also includes warnings and encouragements about the persecution they will eventually experience. In chapter 11, Jesus will continue to proclaim truth to the people of Israel, leading to further conflict with local religious leaders.

Verse By Verse

Verse 1 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.

The previous chapter concluded with Jesus’ expression of compassion for the people of Israel. Looking on the crowds following Him, Jesus saw vast fields ready to be harvested. He meant that the people were primed to believe in Jesus as the Messiah and be made ready to participate in the kingdom of heaven. The problem, though, is that not enough workers were available to go out and harvest them by bringing the good news about the Messiah (Matthew 9:36–37).

Christ will address this problem by sending out twelve laborers to do this harvesting work. These are specifically chosen men, also known as “the Twelve.” These are the twelve apostles, who form a special group that will represent Him both in this moment and after His death, resurrection, and return to heaven. A group of twelve carried significant symbolism, because of the connection to the twelve tribes of Israel.

Jesus will send them out in pairs to the towns of Israel. Matthew 10 contains Jesus’ very specific instructions about how to accomplish the mission He is giving them. Remarkably, Jesus is sending them out with the same authority He has been displaying during His ministry on earth. Matthew has made much of the word “authority.” The Romans centurion recognized Jesus’ authority over physical illness (Matthew 8:5–13). Jesus demonstrated to the scribes His authority to forgive sins on earth by healing a paralyzed man (Matthew 9:1–8).

Now Jesus gives to this core group of twelve disciples the authority to cast out unclean spirits—meaning demons—and to heal every disease and affliction. They will operate under the authority of Jesus and with His power.

Verse 2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

For the first time in his book, Matthew is listing the twelve men Jesus has called out to be His special disciples. Jesus has given them authority, as His representatives, to operate with His power in casting out demons and healing every kind of disease and affliction (Matthew 10:1).

Now Matthew uses a different word to identity this group. He calls them “apostles,” translated from the Greek word apolstolōn, which means a delegate or messenger. The term specifically implies someone “sent out” on behalf of their master. In the business world of the time, an apostolos might be given the authority to buy and sell on behalf of an owner or to give specific orders in his name. These apostles will do the same, casting out demons, healing the sick, and teaching about the kingdom of heaven—all in the name of Jesus. Their relationship to Jesus goes beyond that of mere disciples, or students, of the Master. Jesus has elevated this group as His official “sent ones.”

Matthew lists each of the apostles by name. Similar lists are found in Mark 3:16–19, Luke 6:13–16, and Acts 1:13. The gospel of John describes Jesus calling many of these men, but he does not compile them into a list.

Matthew’s list (Matthew 10:2–4) presents the Twelve in sets of two, probably because these were the pairs that were sent out by Jesus to the towns and cities of Israel. Matthew begins with the two sets of brothers: Simon, named Peter by Jesus (John 1:42), and his brother Andrew, followed by James and John, two sons of Zebedee.

Peter and Andrew were fishermen. They were in the act of fishing when Jesus called them (Mark 1:18–20). Peter would become the most vocal leader of the Twelve. Andrew had previously served as a disciple of John the Baptist before being called by Jesus (John 1:40).

Jesus called James and John to follow Him on the very same day as Peter and Andrew while they were in a fishing boat with their father Zebedee. They also followed immediately (Matthew 4:21–22). Peter, James, and John became Jesus’ most-trusted inner circle, which might be why they are mentioned first in most lists of disciples.

Verse 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;

Matthew is listing the Twelve: Jesus’ hand-picked group of apostles. The term “apostle” comes from a Greek word meaning someone who is sent out, on behalf of their master, with a certain message or mission. Jesus has given these men His authority to go to the towns and cities of Israel. They are to preach the gospel of the kingdom of heaven while also casting out demons and healing the sick (Matthew 10:1).

Matthew is listing them in pairs of two, perhaps as they were teamed up and sent out by Jesus after His instructions to them were completed. Matthew has already listed the two pairs of brothers: Peter and Andrew, as well as James and John, all fishermen before following Jesus.

Now he lists Philip and Bartholomew. Like Peter and Andrew, Philip was from the town of Bethsaida. Commentators think Bartholomew may also have been known as Nathanael, since Philip is the one who brought Nathanael to meet Jesus and they are listed here together (John 1:44–51). Many people in this era used more than one name.

Matthew next lists himself, along with Thomas. Thomas was also called “Didymus,” which means “twin” (John 11:16). He famously became known as “doubting Thomas” because he refused to believe without evidence that Jesus had been resurrected (John 20:24–29). Matthew, in apparent humility, describes himself as the “tax collector” (Matthew 9:9), something Mark and Luke do not mention in their lists.

Little is known about James, the son of Alphaeus. He is only mentioned in the lists of apostles. The James who wrote an epistle included in the New Testament (James 1:1; Galatians 2:9) is a different person. Thaddaeus was likely also known as Judas, the son of James, the name listed in Luke 6:16 and Acts 1:13 instead of Thaddaeus. He is not Judas Iscariot, who will betray Jesus. The betraying Judas is always mentioned last in the lists of the disciples.

Verse 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Matthew concludes his list of the Twelve disciples who became known as the apostles of Jesus. This is the group of men Jesus is instructing in preparation to send them out into Israel to represent Him to the people (Matthew 10:1). They will preach the gospel, the good news, of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus has also given them the authority and power to cast out demons and heal the sick.

Simon the Zealot is listed is some translations as Simon the Cananaean. This is an Aramaic term adapted into Greek as Kananaios. The word refers to a specific group within Jewish culture, known as the Zealots. This was an aggressive, violence-minded bloc plotting to overthrow Rome. Just as Matthew was once a tax collector (Matthew 9:9), Simon was once a radical revolutionary before beginning to follow Jesus.

The last of the Twelve mentioned is Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Jesus (Matthew 26:47–50). “Iscariot” might mean “from Kerioth,” a town in Judah.

Context Summary
Matthew 10:1–4 lists the twelve apostles, Jesus’ core group of hand-picked followers. These men are often collectively referred to as “the Twelve.” Jesus gives them His own authority to cast out unclean spirits and to heal every disease and affliction, the same miracles Jesus Himself has been doing up to this point. The apostles include brothers Peter and Andrew, brothers James and John, along with Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, another James, Thaddaeus, Simon, and Judas Iscariot. Judas is the one who will betray Jesus after the Last Supper.

Verse 5 These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans,

Jesus begins to give to His twelve apostles (Matthew 10:1–4) very specific instructions about the what, where, why, and how He is sending them out. His first direction is simple: they are not to take this message to Gentiles or Samaritans. That restriction only applies to this particular mission; later, Jesus will send His apostles out to the entire world (Matthew 28:19; Acts 1:8).

Christ was sending the Twelve out into the towns and cities of Galilee in northern Israel. Galilee was surrounded by Gentile territories. These were largely pagan in their belief systems, worshipping idols and false gods. Jesus’ first mission was to call Israel to repentance and faith in Himself (Matthew 15:24). Only after His death and resurrection would the disciples begin to preach to the Gentiles, as well.

Jesus also told the disciples to stay out of the Samaritan towns to the south. The Samaritans were a mixed-race people after intermarrying with Gentiles following the Assyrian invasion in 722 B.C. Intermarriage was forbidden by the law of Moses. In addition, the Samaritans had changed some specific parts of the Law, including where God should be worshiped (John 4:20). Jesus would later introduce the gospel to the Samaritans through the woman at the well (John 4:1–42), but He was sending His disciples only to the people of Israel.

Verse 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Jesus has begun giving instructions about what He wants His twelve hand-picked apostles to do when He sends them out on their own (Matthew 10:1–4). He began by defining where they should not go: to any Gentile areas or Samaritan towns (Matthew 10:5). Instead, Jesus now says, He is sending His representatives to the “lost sheep of Israel.”

At the end of the previous chapter, Matthew described Jesus as feeling compassion for the people as He looked out over the crowds. Jesus saw that they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Those are the “lost sheep” Jesus is sending His disciples to reach with the good news of the Messiah and the kingdom of heaven.

In saying this, Jesus was directing the good news to all the people of Israel, not just some. God’s plan was that the good news of Jesus would first be preached to Israel and then later to the rest of the nations (Romans 1:16).

Verse 7 And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’

This continues a very thorough set of instructions for the Twelve, the hand-picked apostles of Jesus Christ. He is sending them out into Galilee, and only to the people of Israel, for now (Matthew 10:1–6). There, they will do the work they have seen Him doing since each of them began to follow Him.

Now Jesus tells them what they should say to the people of Israel. The message He gives them is the same one proclaimed by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:2), and the lesson Jesus Himself declared (Matthew 4:17). Both John the Baptist and Jesus began that message with the word “repent,” and the same is implied here.

In short, the disciples were to go out and tell people that Jesus was the Messiah, the promised King of Israel. His kingdom was near, because He was on the earth now. The time had come for the people to put their faith in the Christ in order to be welcomed into His kingdom. Nobody understood, yet, that the kingdom would begin not with the overthrow of the Romans but with Jesus’ death for the sins of humanity and His defeat of death in the resurrection.

Verse 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.

The Twelve, Jesus’ hand-picked apostles, are being sent out to represent Him to the people of Israel (Matthew 10:1–6). He has directed them to preach the same message that He does: The kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew 10:7).

Now Jesus directs them to authenticate that the message is true by performing the same kinds of signs and wonders He has done: miracles of healing, casting out of demons, and raising the dead. In doing these things, Jesus’ apostles will demonstrate to all who witness them that they represent Him, since He did these things first. They will also demonstrate the absolute truth of their message. The disciples will not perform these miracles through their own power. They will act in Jesus’ name and by Jesus’ authority, doing the things they have seen Jesus do. They will be His representatives even in the miracles that are performed.

Christ specifies that the message of the kingdom is not something they should ever sell. The disciples had received it for free from Jesus, and they were to offer it freely to all who would come and hear and believe. The heart of the good news of Jesus is the grace of God, which is always a free gift (Ephesians 2:8–9). Connecting faith to material prosperity is a grave mistake; attempting to “sell” salvation is a despicable sin.

The meaning Jesus applies here, however, goes even further. He will make it clear that on this mission, the disciples are not to seek much in the way of support. They will travel, and preach, but they will not “work” or ask to be paid.

Verse 9 Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts,

Jesus is instructing the twelve apostles about how to carry out the mission He is giving to them. They are being sent to preach the gospel of Jesus and the kingdom of heaven. To do so, they will demonstrate its power with miracles of healing and casting out demons (Matthew 10:5–9).

The apostles have been ordered not to charge any money for this good news. In this case, this goes beyond the idea that the gospel, itself, is not “for sale.” This is a specific mission with a specific purpose, and to accomplish that purpose, the apostles must demonstrate a radical dependence on God (Matthew 6:25–34). For this task, they are not to acquire gold, silver, or copper. These either represented money or metals that could be traded for cash, goods, or services.

In short, they are to take no material preparations of any kind; their needs will be met by God’s provision through the people they serve.

Taken in context with Jesus’ other words, and the teachings of the New Testament, it’s clear this command applies only to this mission (Luke 22:35–41). Jesus’ does not intend us to believe neither the disciples, nor modern believers, should ever gather resources for another mission. It does not mean missionaries or church leaders should rely on those they serve to provide all their needs. Jesus wanted these twelve men to learn to rely on God for what was needed on this missional outing.

Verse 10 no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food.

Jesus is sending His core group of twelve apostles out into Galilee in Israel to preach that the kingdom of heaven in near. This likely includes teaching that Jesus is the Messiah, its King. He has told them not to stock up for the trip with extra money or precious metals (Matthew 10:5–9). This implies that they are not to even take money or the means to buy supplies.

Now He tells them not to take a bag. Some interpreters believe this is a reference to beggars holding up pouches into which others could drop coins. He tells them not to pack an extra tunic or extra sandals and staff. In other words, for this unique trip, they should make absolutely no provision for their own needs.

Why would Jesus say this? He answers here: The laborer deserves his food. Jesus wants to show these men that God can provide their needs through the hospitality and generosity of those they serve (Matthew 6:25–34). In this way, they will learn to become more comfortable with not knowing where every meal will come from along the way. Those who repent and prepare for the coming of the kingdom of heaven will demonstrate their faithfulness by providing for the messengers.

Having said that, this will not be Jesus’ instruction for every mission the disciples will face. In fact, in Luke 22:35–41, Jesus will give them nearly opposite instructions about preparing for a journey.

Verse 11 And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart.

This continues Jesus’ instructions to His twelve hand-picked disciples. Matthew has renamed them apostles, using a Greek term that refers to someone “sent out” with the message of their master. These men are transitioning from students to “sent ones.”

The Twelve will head out into the region of Galilee in pairs, travelling from town to town and preaching in the name of Jesus that the kingdom of heaven in near (Matthew 10:1–4). They will demonstrate that their message is true by displaying the power of Jesus to heal diseases and cast out demons (Matthew 10:5–8).

Jesus has told them not to take any extra provisions with them. God will provide all they need through the people they minister to in each town. They must not charge for their services of healing and preaching, but they should expect those who are helped to offer them hospitality and provision.

Now Jesus gets more specific. When they come into a new town or village, the disciples should find out who is “worthy” and stay with them until they leave town. In this case, worthy does not describe those who are most religious or the least sinful. By worthy, it will become clear, Jesus means those who are ready to repent and believe the message of Christ’s apostles.

Jesus implies that some among that group will gladly welcome a pair of Jesus’ representatives to stay with them while they’re in the area. In receiving them, they will be receiving Jesus Himself.

Verse 12 As you enter the house, greet it.

Jesus is sending out His hand-picked group of twelve apostles. In pairs, they will travel, town by town, throughout Galilee in northern Israel. They will preach His message that the kingdom of heaven is near and do miracles of healing and exorcism in His name (Mathew 10:5–10). He has told them that when they enter a new town, they should find someone worthy to stay with while they’re there (Matthew 10:11). The worthy ones will be those who receive the message of the nearness of heaven’s kingdom in the person of Jesus as the Messiah (Matthew 10:14).

Now Jesus tells them that when they enter their host’s home, they should “greet it.” Luke quotes Jesus more fully in this instruction as telling the apostles to say, “Peace be to this house!” (Luke 10:5). This was more than a polite greeting. As representatives of Jesus, the apostles carried His peace with them. By His power, they were, apparently, able to place that peace upon others and their homes, as the following verse shows.

Verse 13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.

The Twelve, Jesus’ core disciples, have been sent out in pairs into the region of Galilee. They will travel from town to town preaching the good news that the kingdom of heaven in near in the person of Jesus: He is the Messiah. To back this up, they will heal diseases and cast out demons as He has done. They will be His representatives to the people of Israel (Matthew 10:5–10).

Jesus has told them to find someone worthy when they come into a town or village and to stay with that person (Matthew 10:11–12). Hospitality was a high cultural value at this time and in this part of the world. Most people felt obligated to welcome those in need of a place to stay into their homes. Jesus, though, is telling the disciples that they are the ones who will be giving the greater gift by allowing others to host them.

By worthy, Jesus means those who receive the message of the disciples about the coming of the kingdom of heaven. In receiving Jesus’ representatives, they will be receiving Jesus (Matthew 10:14).

Now Jesus tells the disciples to let their peace be upon the house if it is worthy. Otherwise, they must let that peace return to them and move on. Jesus had given to these apostles the authority to heal and to cast out demons. Now we see they also have the authority to place His peace upon a place and to remove it. In a chaotic world, the Son of God carried the peace of heaven with Him. Those who hosted His “sent ones” would enjoy that peace during their stay.

Verse 14 And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town.

Jesus told the apostles to decide if a person or their home was worthy, as they traveled in pairs (Matthew 10:7–13). This verse clarifies how the disciples were meant to make that decision. Jesus wasn’t talking about religious stature or sinlessness or being well-regarded by their neighbors. Those who were worthy of hosting Jesus’ representatives were the ones who received them and listened to their words. The worthy ones would hear and, most likely, believe.

If they will not listen and will not receive the apostles, Jesus says they are not worthy of the apostles’ time, attention, and continued effort. Jesus tells them here to shake the dust off their feet when leaving that unworthy house. If nobody in the town will hear them, they must shake the dust off their feet on the way out of town. This gesture is connected to Jewish culture and carries heavy symbolism.

The Jewish people would shake the dust off their feet when leaving a Gentile place. They showed in doing this that they were carrying no part of that Gentile world with them, including the dust that might cling to their sandals. They saw it as symbolic of obeying God’s command to remain separate from their Gentile neighbors. Jesus claims this symbol for His disciples now, though, as a sign of God’s coming judgment on those left behind in such a way.

In a modern application, this verse reminds believers not to “carry” anything from those who reject the message of Christ. Earlier, Jesus commanded His followers not to waste time or effort on those who were clearly hostile (Matthew 7:6). Here, His words serve as a reminder that believers should be willing to let go, and move on, when their message is not accepted.

Verse 15 Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.

Jesus has given detailed instructions to His hand-picked group of twelve men. These are the “apostles,” from a Greek term that refers to those “sent out” by a master to carry His message. They will travel from town to town in Galilee, preaching Christ’s message that the kingdom of heaven in near, calling all to repent and follow the Messiah (Matthew 10:5–12).

Jesus knew that not everyone who heard the message would believe it. Some would reject the gift of this revelation from God through His Son and His Son’s apostles. When that happens, Jesus has told the apostles to shake the dust off their feet on the way out of the house or of the town, if all refuse the truth (Matthew 10:13–14).

Now Jesus declares that this symbolic action taken by the apostles will be a sign of God’s coming judgment on that place. Even though they are Israelites, those who reject the Messiah will experience great suffering. Jesus says that the day of judgment will be more unbearable for them than for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Every Israelite would have been familiar with God’s dramatic and terrible judgment on the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah in the time of Abraham (Genesis 19). Fire and sulfur rained from the sky and wiped everyone out. Jesus and other New Testament writers often used the judgment they faced as a point of comparison for God’s coming judgment on those who reject the gospel of Jesus and the kingdom of heaven. The day of that future judgment is often called the day of the Lord, when Christ returns to earth and the “Son of Man is revealed” (Luke 17:30).

Rejecting Jesus’ representatives on this mission would come with a high price. He was trusting them with great responsibility to hold their countrymen accountable for accepting or rejecting the Messiah.

Context Summary
Matthew 10:5–15 contains Jesus’ instructions for His twelve apostles, for their missionary trip to the towns of Galilee, in northern Israel. Their mission will be to preach His message that the kingdom of heaven is near, while also healing people and casting out demons. The apostles must not take with them extra money or clothes. Instead, they will stay with those who are worthy in each town they visit. If nobody in a town believes their message, the disciples are to shake the dust of that town from their feet. Jesus will follow these instructions with a series of warnings and encouragements.

Verse 16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

Jesus is sending His twelve hand-picked disciples out to be apostles; this word literally means “sent ones.” They have a specific mission: proclaim the coming of the kingdom of heaven from town to town in the region of Galilee (Matthew 10:5–8).

Here, Jesus begins to describe a longer-term mission. Most likely, in this moment, the disciples would not likely have fully understood that. What Christ refers to here will mostly happen after His death, resurrection, and return to heaven. During the Last Supper, Jesus will provide similar warnings and encouragements (John 15:18–20; 16:1–4).

The metaphor Christ uses here is a striking picture. Elsewhere, Jesus spoke of Himself as the “Good Shepherd” who would die to protect His flock (John 10:11), specifically from attacking wolves (John 10:12–14). The radical difference between believers in Christ and the rest of the world is captured in the symbolism of being sheep “sent” into the midst of wolves. At first, this may seem contradictory: a literal shepherd’s job is to keep sheep away from danger. Jesus, though, has empowered this group of twelve men to act on His behalf; they will be equipped to face the dangers that come with such actions.

Jewish people would have been used to thinking of themselves as sheep surrounded by Gentile wolves. Jesus, though, is claiming this metaphor for His followers. They will face both Jewish and Gentile wolves as they do the dangerous work of declaring Jesus and His kingdom to the world.

In the culture of this time, snakes were symbolic of shrewdness and cunning. Doves were so innocent as to often seem completely clueless to danger. Jesus tells His followers to exercise whatever wise shrewdness they can to avoid conflict and danger without losing the dove-like innocence that will allow them to continue to proclaim the truth without fear. It will be a hard balance to keep, but it will be necessary for the mission to be successful.

While these words are spoken to a unique group of men, they still have meaning for Christian believers, today. Jesus does not endorse naïve, shallow belief. Nor does He allow believers to be bitter cynics or spiritual brawlers. Other passages of Scripture reemphasize the need for Christians to be both informed and sensible in their spiritual lives (1 Peter 3:15–16; Colossians 2:8).

Verse 17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues,

Before sending His core twelve disciples out as His representatives to preach the gospel of His kingdom, Jesus has given them very specific instructions (Matthew 10:5–15). Now, He is telling them to expect danger and hardship along the way. In order to properly meet that challenge, He calls on His followers to be careful, and informed, and also gentle and peaceful (Matthew 10:16).

The warning given here, at first, would have seemed routine to an audience of Jewish men. They were used to alerts about Gentiles, especially the Romans. However, Jesus now indicates that substantial persecution will come from the Jewish religious leaders. He is describing a time after His death, resurrection, and return to heaven during which His apostles will be persecuted as Christians by Jewish rulers.

Jesus tells them to beware of men who will deliver them over to courts to flog them in their synagogues. The Jewish people had the authority, even under Roman rule, to carry out limited punishments within the context of their religious practice. These punishments for heresy and other serious sins could be quite harsh. Against Christians, eventually, these attacks would become severe to the point of death (John 16:2–4).

The apostle Paul both administered floggings against Jewish Christians (Acts 22:19) and received floggings after he became a Christian and started preaching about Jesus (2 Corinthians 11:24–25). Jesus is warning these men, His disciples, what it will cost them to preach His message to the people of Israel.

Verse 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles.

Jesus is preparing His hand-picked group of twelve disciples to go out on their own into the world and preach His message about the coming of His kingdom (Matthew 10:1). He is warning them that it will be dangerous. They may not know it yet, but Jesus is pointing forward to a time of great persecution of Christians after His death, resurrection, and return to heaven. He said in the previous verse that persecution will include being flogged in the synagogues by the Jewish religious leaders after being tried before a Jewish court (Matthew 10:17).

Now Jesus adds that substantial persecution will come from the Gentiles, as well. His followers will be “dragged” before governors and kings for His sake. These would include Jewish religious leaders (Acts 4:1–22), but also secular Jewish government authorities (Acts 12:1–4) and, eventually, Roman rulers (Acts 14:5).

This persecution before these authorities would serve a specific purpose, however. When standing trial, Jesus said His followers would continue to represent Him. In this way, they would have the opportunity to tell the message of Jesus to those at the highest levels of power, both Jews and Gentiles. The coming persecution would allow the good news of salvation through faith in Christ to reach even those who were doing the persecuting.

Verse 19 When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour.

This core group of disciples (Matthew 10:5–6), sent out on Christ’s behalf, are being warned they will eventually face great persecution for His sake. Most of these trials will come after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and return to heaven. That mistreatment will come from every level of authority in their lives, both Jewish and Gentile. It will include trials before religious Jewish authorities, secular Jewish leaders, and Roman/Gentile authorities.

Encouragement, in this case, comes from Jesus telling His disciples that persecution is not a failure of God to protect them. Instead, this is exactly God’s plan. When they are “dragged” before these courts, they will have the opportunity to tell all these powerful people about the gospel of Jesus, about salvation through faith in Christ. This is what God intends to happen. Paul, notably, will take advantage of this very idea when he is brought before a Roman court (Acts 26:1–3).

In prior passages, Jesus instructed this group of men not to make material preparations for their journey (Matthew 10:9–10). Here, He gives reassurance that they ought not be worried about what to say when they are confronted. This verse does not explicitly forbid the disciples from thinking about what they will say in those moments. However, the tone of Jesus’ comments strongly suggests He wants the Twelve to simply leave those moments in the hands of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 10:20). Rather than worrying (Matthew 6:34), they should trust that proper words will come to them when needed.

Verse 20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Jesus is authorizing His core group of twelve disciples to be apostles (Matthew 10:5–6); the Greek term literally means “sent ones.” They will carry His message to the people of Israel and, later, far beyond Israel (Acts 1:8). He has guaranteed them that this will be difficult, describing a time of persecution. They cannot yet know that this season will come after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and return to heaven. During this persecution, these twelve men can count on being dragged before every level of authority, including the courts of the Jewish religious leaders, secular Jewish leaders, and Gentile leaders. Some will speak before governors and kings, even, because they represent Jesus (Matthew 10:17–19; Acts 26:1–3).

These arrests and trials will not be a sign of the failure of their mission. Instead, Jesus has said this is the way God will use them to “bear witness” to high-ranking people. This is part of God’s plan to carry the gospel to every level of society. Jesus insists that His disciples should not be anxious about what they will say when these moments to speak arrive. Now He says why.

When the moment comes, it will not be the apostles speaking. It will the Holy Spirit speaking through them. Jesus calls Him the “Spirit of your Father,” which is a beautiful picture that God the Father will be with them, connected to them, and speaking through them through the Holy Spirit. The disciples cannot yet in this moment likely imagine the great power that will become available to them in Christ through the Holy Spirit after Jesus leaves the earth (Acts 1:8; Acts 2).

Verse 21 Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death,

A hand-picked group of twelve men are being sent by Jesus, into Galilee, to work miracles and preach His message (Matthew 10:5–8). He began by giving them specific instructions for an immediate mission to the towns of Israel (Matthew 10:9–15). Now, He is describing a future season after His own death, resurrection, and return to heaven. In that time, these twelve apostles will be arrested for speaking on His behalf. They will appear before courts and tribunals and kings and governors. This will give them the opportunity to tell Jesus’ story and preach the gospel to people at every level of society (Matthew 10:16–20).

Now Jesus is emphasizing how fierce the opposition to Him and His message will become. It will not just create conflict with those in authority; the gospel message of Jesus will also bitterly divide families. In some places, men will turn over their own brothers to the authorities to carry out their death sentence against Christians. Fathers will do the same to their children. Children will do likewise to parents.

To be clear, it will not be the Jesus followers turning their family members over to be killed. It will be family members who are so deeply opposed to the teaching of Jesus’ kingdom that they will turn on family members who express faith in Christ. This happened during the time of the apostles and the early church, and it continues to happen today in many parts of the world. Sadly, the unbelieving world will often respond to the gospel with hate and anger (John 15:18–20; 1 Peter 4:3–4; Matthew 5:11–12).

Verse 22 and you will be hated by all for my name ‘s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Jesus is describing to His twelve chosen apostles just how costly it will be for them to take His message into the world. He is describing a time after His death, resurrection, and return to heaven. He has said that the apostles will be arrested, flogged, and dragged before various courts. Worse, they can expect family members to turn against them or to turn against those who believe their message (Matthew 10:17–21).

Now Jesus says it even more bluntly: because of their association with Christ, these men will experience widespread, open hatred. This does not mean the apostles—or Christians—will be hated by literally every single non-believing person. Some would come to faith in Jesus in response to the gospel of His kingdom. Most, though, would not. It does mean that all kinds of people would hate the apostles: some for the content of their teaching about Jesus and others for the trouble that teaching stirred up wherever the apostles went (1 Peter 4:3–4; John 15:18–20).

History and tradition tell us that each of the apostles sent out by Jesus was persecuted and jailed. Most were killed for bearing His name. Still, Jesus now says that those of them who endure to the end will be saved. He does not mean that they will escape death at the hands of the persecutors. He means that by enduring all the way to the end of their lives in faithfulness to this mission He is giving them, they will enter immediately into salvation in His kingdom.

Verse 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

Jesus’ group of twelve hand-picked disciples will soon embark on a short mission trip to preach and do miracles in His name in Israel (Matthew 10:5–8). Much later, after His death, resurrection, and return to heaven, they will represent Him far and wide for the rest of their lives. That long-term mission seems to be what He is describing in this section. They can expect to be arrested, persecuted, and hated because of their association with Him (Matthew 10:17–22).

A common misunderstanding of Christ’s teaching on violence and persecution is that believers are to passively and meekly do nothing while they are being assaulted or murdered. While revenge and violence are not, at all, part of a biblical response (Romans 12:19; John 18:36), that does not mean believers cannot seek to avoid harm when possible. Here, for instance, Jesus tells His apostles to flee persecution in one town by moving to another town. In this way, the message of the good news about faith in Jesus will spread throughout the towns of Israel.

Christ also adds a comment which is controversial, and difficult to understand that these men will not have made it through “all of the towns in Israel before the Son of Man comes.” Scholars are divided about exactly what Jesus means in this remark.

Some understand that Jesus has returned to talking about the more immediate mission of the Twelve to the towns of Israel while He is still alive. In that case, He is saying that He, as the “Son of Man,” will come to them before they finish preaching and healing in all the towns of Israel. The problem with that idea is that we don’t know of any persecution of the apostles before Jesus’ death.

Other scholars believe Jesus was talking about the coming of the Son of Man—meaning Himself—in judgment against Israel, and that this was fulfilled in AD 70, when Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans. In that case, Jesus pictures these apostles experiencing persecution until that moment, as they carried the gospel from town to town in Israel.

Another view is that Jesus is describing His own return to earth to establish His physical kingdom, what is often described as the Second Coming or the day of the Lord. The question with this view is why Jesus seems to say that it will happen before the apostles can finish taking the gospel to each town in Israel when, in fact, it has still not taken place long after the apostles have died.

Other views and variations on those views exist, as well. None of them is held too strongly by a majority of scholars. All easily agree, however, that Jesus is clearly communicating that the persecution of His followers will serve the purpose of moving them from place to place, spreading the preaching of the gospel far and wide. This is exactly what happened during the century following Jesus’ death, resurrection, and return to the Father.

Verse 24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.

Jesus is warning His disciples that they will experience persecution as they carry out their mission (Matthew 10:5–8; 10:16–22). In the short term, He is sending them out to the towns of Israel to preach His message that the kingdom of heaven is near and to perform miraculous healings to verify that this message is true. The persecution of the apostles, however, won’t begin in full until after Jesus returns to heaven following His death and resurrection.

Now Jesus declares the proverb that a disciple is not above his teacher and a servant is not above his master. Established rabbis in Israel would take on disciples as a way of educating and training them in law and ministry. This is how they would pass on their own learning and wisdom. The student, or disciple, would often live with the teacher as his servant, performing whatever tasks he required, as the price for being trained. It was common sense to assume that the student could not expect to be treated with more honor than their master, nor could they demand special treatment above and beyond their teacher.

Jesus is making it clear that His disciples should not expect better treatment than He has received. In fact, a disciple should expect to follow closely to the path of the master. If the path of the master leads to hatred, persecution, and being lied about, the servant should expect the same to happen for him (John 13:15–17; 15:18–20).

Verse 25 It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.

In warning His apostles of impending persecution, Jesus has declared to them that a disciple is not above his teacher or a servant above his master (Matthew 10:24). This is a theme Jesus will also mention during the Last Supper, referring both to humble service (John 13:15–17) and the expectation of harassment (John 15:18–20).

Success for a disciple or student involves becoming like his teacher or master. In the case of these disciples, the persecution of their master had already begun. Though Jesus is “the master,” Jewish religious leaders have associated Him with evil and evil spirits. Jesus is using a play on words grounded in the original language of His era. Matthew recorded a specific instance of this after Jesus had cast out a demon (Matthew 9:34), and another is mentioned later (Matthew 12:24).

The Greek Beelzeboul is a deliberately distorted reference to Baal, sometimes called Ba’al Zabuwb. Baal was a common name used for a Philistine deity; Ba’al Zebuwb most literally means “lord of the fly.” Transitioning into Greek, the term “beelzebul” means “master of the house” or “lord of the high places,” still with the implication of a reference to Satan. In Matthew 9:34, religious leaders accused Jesus of being enabled by Satan: by “beelzebub” (Matthew 12:24). They ironically recognize that Jesus acts with authority, but ascribe that power to the Devil, rather than to God. Jesus now brings His point to a logical conclusion. If hostile non-believers think the master is evil, and persecute Him, how much more will they malign and persecute His disciples? Common sense says Christ’s disciples should not be surprised when the Jewish religious leaders later reject Jesus as the Messiah and persecute those who proclaim Him.

Context Summary
Matthew 10:16–25 follows Jesus’ instructions to His twelve apostles, giving them guidance for their impending missionary journey. Here, He begins to describe events that will follow His own resurrection and return to heaven. When that time comes, the apostles will be arrested and dragged before various courts and officials because they represent Christ and insist that He is the Son of God. The Holy Spirit will speak through them about Jesus. They will run from one town to another to avoid persecution, spreading the good news about Christ as they go. Jesus was persecuted, so they will be, as well. Much as Jesus will do during the Last Supper (John 16:25–33), He will encourage these men to stand firm in their faith.

Verse 26 “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.

Jesus has been warning His disciples of great persecution that will happen to them as they represent Him and His teaching in the world. After all, a servant should expect to get the same as his master. Since Jesus has been lied about and will be persecuted, the disciples should expect the same (Matthew 10:24–25). He has referred to one source of that persecution: the Jewish religious leaders. They have already called Jesus Satan (Matthew 9:34; 12:24), He told them. How much more will they malign and mistreat His disciples when they begin declaring that Jesus is, in truth, the Son of God?

Now Christ insists that the apostle’s response to the coming persecution must not be fear. Jesus is not warning them so they can evade persecution. He is warning them so they can endure persecution: to be ready for it and keep going. In the end, Christ-followers will be proved right and the true motives of Jesus’ opponents will be brought to light. Everything that is “covered” and “hidden” will become known. In the very end, all will agree that Jesus is Lord, the Son of God, the Messiah (Philippians 2:9–11). The Jewish religious leaders may label Jesus’ disciples as heretics and may even kill them for it, but they will be proved right and faithful before everyone.

Verse 27 What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.

Jesus is warning His disciples about the persecution that will come to them when they preach His message to the world (Matthew 10:22–26). The Jewish religious leaders, for one, will call them heretics for saying that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. They have already said that Jesus’ undeniable power comes from Satan (Matthew 9:34).

Jesus doesn’t want His followers to respond to this persecution in misplaced fear—He wants them to expect it, but to do so with confidence. He has promised them they will be vindicated for preaching the truth about Him. Every hidden and covered thing about Him will come to light, and all will know that they were faithful to the truth (Philippians 2:9–11).

Now He tells them to be the ones to start declaring that truth. Jesus has not fully revealed to Israel and the world that He is the Christ, the Son of the living God. In fact, He has told many of the people He has healed not to tell anyone about what happened in order to keep that truth from being fully understood until the time was right. Instead, He has revealed these truths to His disciples about things they likely will not understand until after His resurrection from the dead.

When the time comes, though, Jesus wants His disciples to broadcast those truths far and wide in a fully public way. He wants them to proclaim the truth that He is the Messiah, the Son of God, from the housetops. The flat rooftops of Palestinian houses provided excellent platforms for speakers to large groups of people. The disciples’ work would include declaring previously hidden truths.

Verse 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

The apostles have been given direct warning from Jesus about the persecution and hatred they will face. That hatred will come as they proclaim the truth about Christ. Those who represent Him will receive persecution from Jewish religious leaders and Gentile authorities, as well (Matthew 10:22–27).

Again, now, He urges His disciples not to respond to this persecution with misplaced fear. More specifically, he tells them to respond with proper fear. He tells them not to waste their concern on those in authority who can only kill their bodies but cannot kill their souls. Instead, they should reserve their fear for the one can kill both body and soul in hell.

Jesus is describing what the Old Testament often calls the “fear of the Lord.” This is not intended to be abject terror, or panic. Rather, this is the healthy kind of “fear” for which a solider has for his weapon, or a cook has for the fire on a stove. Godly fear involves great and profound respect—and, at the same time, it does demand we acknowledge that God can utterly destroy those who are against Him. This is a right and proper fear.

Here, Jesus insists that death should not be avoided at all costs. The death of the body is not the ultimate loss. The death of body and soul together in hell is the ultimate loss. The message His apostles preach of salvation through faith in Jesus will bring the promise of eternal life in body and soul to many people, as well as to themselves.

In the following verses, Jesus balances this proper fear with the truth that this same God also cares deeply for His own people.

Verse 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.

Jesus has just declared to the apostles that they should fear most of all the one who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell (Matthew 10:28). The main thrust of His point was that we ought to be more concerned with God, and His will, than with the opinions or attacks of worldly people.

Now, Christ adds that a proper relationship with God does not rest solely on fear of God’s power to destroy. It also springs from confidence in God’s care. Christians should trust Him because He is watching and aware of them and will provide for them—even up to and through the point of death.

Jesus illustrates this by describing God’s care for sparrows. God created every form of life on earth, including the lowly sparrow. In Israel at this time, one could buy two sparrows for a penny. Luke’s gospel mentions a volume discount of five sparrows for two pennies (Luke 12:6). The poorest of Israelites consumed sparrows for food. They had very little value in the culture. Still, not a single sparrow dies without God knowing it. He is ever and always aware of all He has created.

The point is that if God cares about sparrows, He obviously cares about His own people more. They surely will not fall to the ground without the Father knowing and caring. This does not mean God will always prevent harm from coming to His children (Matthew 5:3–12). Confidence comes to believers in knowing that nothing happens without God’s knowledge and care: hard times are not a sign that God has forgotten us.

Jesus refers to God here as “your Father,” making clear to His apostles that God sees them as children who are in a personal relationship with Him. They need not fear the wrath of the persecutors, because their Father God is watching and will be there for them, even if they die.

Verse 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.

As part of preparing them for a short-term mission (Matthew 10:5–8), Jesus has warned His disciples about the persecution they will experience as they represent Him in the world (Matthew 10:22–27). He has also told them not to be afraid—or, at least, to fear God more than those who can only kill their bodies. God can destroy both body and soul in hell (Matthew 10:28). He quickly added, however, that God is their Father, and He cares about all He has created. He knows even when a single sparrow falls (Matthew 10:29).

Now Jesus declares that their Father God even knows the number of hairs on each of their heads. God cares about the smallest details of our lives. Contrary to what we sometimes imagine, God is not only concerned with the big issues we face or our victories and failures. He is aware of and involved with the tiniest matters of His children’s lives. This does not mean God will always, in all cases, prevent harm or hardship from coming to faithful believers (Matthew 5:3–12). It does mean that we should not interpret difficult times as abandonment by God.

Jesus completes the comparison between God’s children and sparrows in the following verse.

Verse 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Jesus has been telling His apostles both that they will face terrible persecution as they preach His message to the world and that they should not be afraid (Matthew 10:22–28). One reason they should not fear is that their powerful Father, God, knows them, is paying attention to them, and cares about them. God knows when even a single sparrow falls, despite that sparrows seem to be of so little value. Now Christ tells His disciples not to be afraid: they are clearly more precious to God than birds are.

It’s important to notice that Jesus never promises His disciples will avoid suffering, or even death, for preaching the good news about Him to the world. In fact, they are given explicit warnings that persecution will come (John 16:1–3). Jesus’ point is that the same God who notices when a sparrow dies will be paying attention to the struggles of His people. He will see, as well, when they die, and He will be ready to welcome them into eternity. Hardships are not a sign that God has forgotten us—they are moments to remember that He knows and is in control.

Verse 32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven,

This statement by Jesus to His twelve hand-picked apostles is a clear and straightforward description of the gospel.

He has told the twelve to expect suffering and persecution as they preach His message to the world. That persecution may even include death at the hands of those opposed to the truth that Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus has added, though, that the God who knows when sparrows die will also be watching them. They will not suffer and die in vain. As His representatives, they will be welcomed into eternity (Matthew 10:22–31).

Now He makes the point with clarity: Jesus will acknowledge to God everyone who acknowledges Christ to other people in this life. The disciples will acknowledge Jesus in the sense that they will affirm Him as the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God. They will point to faith in Jesus as the only way any person can come to the Father (John 14:6).

Jesus will acknowledge them to the Father by declaring them as His own and, in that way, guaranteeing their place in eternity with God. The picture is of a righteous witness at a trial vouching for the accused to the judge. The judge will take the word of His Son over the accusations of His enemies. In this way, being acknowledged by Jesus will be the difference between life and death, as the following verse makes clear (John 3:16–18; 3:36).

Verse 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

Christ will acknowledge to His Father everyone who acknowledges to others that He is the Son of God (Matthew 10:32; John 3:16–18). In other words, when the time of judgment before God comes, Jesus will vouch for everyone who embraced Him as their Savior. He will stand alongside them, before God the Father, as a righteous witness to vouch for those who are His. The implication is that those who are His will be welcomed into eternity with the Father.

Now Jesus adds that the opposite is also true. He will refuse to acknowledge to God anyone who denies Christ to other men. Because human beings can only be declared righteous by faith in Jesus (John 14:6), those He denies will be denied by the Father, as well. The consequences will be eternal (John 3:36).

This statement inspires a great deal of fear, since it seems to suggest that anyone who denies their faith, on earth, will be lost. However, there are reasons to expect denying Christ to be a real temptation. For the apostles and early Christians, a simple denial that Jesus was the Son of God could have been the difference between life and death, between arrest or freedom, between feeding one’s family or not. The stakes that come with being associated with Him will be high for these twelve apostles and for many others. Jesus, though, wants His followers to understand that the stakes of denying Him will be much higher than merely death on this side of eternity.

The full context of Scripture strongly suggests that a single, panic-driven denial of Jesus will not necessarily end a believer’s opportunity to spend eternity with the Father. Christians are saved by God’s grace through faith in Jesus, not by perfect performance in acknowledging Him (Ephesians 2:8–9). Peter will most famously deny Christ at a crucial moment because of his own fear of being arrested and killed (Matthew 26:69–74). After Jesus’ resurrection and the arrival of the Holy Spirit, though, Peter will spend the rest of his life powerfully acknowledging Jesus to others (Acts 2).

Where this warning becomes more dire is in the lives of those who consistently, or easily, dissociate themselves from Christ for the sake of health, wealth, popularity, or freedom. Those who aren’t willing to be associated with Jesus on earth won’t be allowed to claim association with Him in eternity (Matthew 10:37; Mark 8:36).

Context Summary
Matthew 10:26–33 continues Jesus’ encouragement, as He sends the Twelve out with His authority. He commands the apostles to proclaim far and wide what He whispers to them now. Persecution will come to them, but they must not be afraid. Their enemies can only kill their bodies. They should fear God, instead, and understand that their Father cares for them. He will see if they fall. Jesus declares that He, too, will acknowledge to His Father everyone who acknowledges Him to others. Those who deny His identity as God’s Son, however, He will also deny.

Verse 34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.

In the years leading up to Christ’s birth, many Israelites believed the arrival of the Messiah would immediately bring a time of great peace and prosperity to Israel. Even Jesus’ disciples may have believed this. Jesus has shown through His teaching and miracles that He is, in fact, the Messiah. Now, though, He wants to help His followers understand that the season of political peace will not come soon.

Instead, His arrival will bring great division to the world. He has come to bring a sword. Jesus is not describing the sword of God’s judgment, nor one of military action, or of personal violence. The item Jesus refers to here is the Greek term machairan, most often used for large knives such as those used by fisherman. The main purpose of those blades was to separate different parts of a cut of meat—this is the same term used in the book of Hebrews to depict Scripture’s ability to separate truth and error (Hebrews 4:12).

In other words, Jesus’ message will naturally create division; this “sword” will divide the world into those who believe in Him and those who do not. His arrival will bring great conflict as those who reject Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God will turn in hatred against those who hear and believe (1 Peter 4:3–4; John 15:18–21), including the members of one’s own family.

Verse 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

Many Jewish people believed the Messiah’s arrival would immediately bring a new age of peace and prosperity to Israel. Jesus, though, never taught this. Instead, He warned that His arrival on earth would bring a new era of division between Israelites. Later, belief in Him would become a dividing line between Gentiles, as well. In the prior verse, He referred to the effect of His ministry as bringing a “sword.” The specific Greek term He used is the same as found in Hebrews 4:12: a reference to a razor-sharp blade used to trim meat.

He now tells His disciples He has come to set fathers and sons against each other. The same will be true for mothers and daughters, as well as mothers-in-law and their daughters-in-law. Those who do not believe in Jesus will turn on those in their families who do (1 Peter 4:3–4; John 15:18–21).

This language would have been very familiar to Israelites who had grown up hearing the Old Testament Scriptures. Micah wrote about a time in Israel’s history, under the rule of King Ahaz, when Israelites distrusted and turned on each other, even those in their own families (Micah 7:6). Jesus now reveals that the same will happen again in response to the coming of the Messiah, Himself. This may have begun during Jesus’ ministry on earth, but it took root and expanded after His death, resurrection, and return to heaven.

Verse 36 And a person ‘s enemies will be those of his own household.

It’s hard to imagine a more terrible scenario than families turning on each other. To share a living space with one’s worst enemy creates the worst kind of strife. It cannot go on. If it continues on a wide scale, the society will break down.

What could possibly cause this kind of separation within Israel’s families? Jesus says it is Him. His arrival, and the challenge of truth, will provoke exactly this kind of friction within and between the families of Israel (Matthew 10:34–35). Those families will divide over the issue of whether Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God. Those who reject such belief as blasphemy will turn on those of their own household who acknowledge Jesus as the Lord.

Jesus is warning His apostles that this will happen within their own families and those of the people they preach the truth to. After all, Jesus’ claim to be the Messiah caused division in His own hometown (Matthew 13:53–58) and with His immediate family members (Mark 3:21). He makes clear in the following verses that if it becomes a choice between family and faith in Him, His followers must choose Him or be found unworthy of Him.

Verse 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

Jesus has warned His disciples that He has come to bring a sword of division in Israel. This is not a reference to violence or revolution, but to the schism that the gospel can cause. Those who refuse to accept Christ will hate and persecute those who believe (John 15:18–21). The division will take place even between immediate family members. Fathers and sons will turn on each other, as well mothers and daughters. The issue will be belief in Jesus Himself. Is He the Messiah, the Son of God? Those who refuse to acknowledge Him will reject those of their own family who put their faith in Jesus and begin to follow His ways (1 Peter 4:3–4).

This will force many of Jesus’ followers to make a difficult choice. Will they keep peace with their parents and/or children by denying faith in Jesus? Or will they be willing to lose connection to their family members in order to continue to follow Jesus and acknowledge to others that He is the Christ?

Jesus is demanding His rightful place in the hearts of His people. They must love Him more than all others and demonstrate that is true if forced to make a choice. This does not change Scripture’s demand that children honor their parents (Ephesians 6:2) and that parents provide for their children (Ephesians 6:4; 1 Timothy 5:8). Jesus does not say “do not love” those other people—what He says is that we ought to love God more.

Loving others is the second greatest commandment, but it is behind the first: to love God with everything we have (Matthew 22:34–40). In making this statement, Jesus continues to make the claim that He is God. Love and obedience to Him must come before obedience to any other person or group (Acts 5:29).

Verse 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

Who is worthy to follow Jesus? He has made clear to His disciples that He demands to be loved above all other relationships, including parents and children (Matthew 10:37). Only God could make such a demand. To love God is the greatest commandment. Those who refuse to choose Jesus first make themselves unworthy of being His disciples. They disobey God’s command to love Him with everything they have.

Now Jesus deepens the power of this teaching. Most people living in the Roman Empire at this time would have had a vivid picture in mind of condemned criminals carrying the beam of their own cross toward the place of their execution. The Romans forced prisoners to do this as a kind of confession. By participating in their own execution, they were admitting—or, at least, submitting to the claim—that the Roman government was right to put them to death. Christ said this before His own death on the cross. What could He possibly mean when He says that those who do not take up their cross and follow Him are not worthy of Him?

Jesus said to those who would follow Him that they must also participate in putting themselves to death. His meaning, in the context of His other teachings, is that a believer must die to themselves. They must be willing to let go of their own agendas and personal dreams and ways of living. They must willingly submit to walking the difficult path of Christ all the way to the end of their lives. Nobody can call himself or herself a follower of Jesus and, at the same time, follow their own path, do things their own way, ignore the righteous life God has called them to. Those who will not die to themselves and live for Jesus are not worthy to follow Him.

Notice that this issue of worthiness to live as a disciple of Jesus is one of self-selection. That is, all must choose to love Jesus more than everyone else—or not. All must choose to die to themselves and live for Him alone—or not. To choose “not” is to become unworthy of following Him. Jesus does not declare them unworthy for following Him badly. Those who will “not,” who refuse, make themselves unworthy because of their lack of complete and total commitment to Him.

Verse 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Jesus has said a startling thing: Those who will not take up their cross and follow Him are not worthy of Him. He had not yet died on the cross, so the disciples would not have associated this with His death, at least not yet. Still, the cross was always about death. Jesus was teaching them to willingly participate in dying to themselves, freely giving up their own lives to follow His difficult path (Matthew 10:38).

Scripture teaches that Christ’s path is the path to finding true life (John 10:10). Dying to self is about finding the best possible life, both on earth and especially in eternity. Some will refuse to believe in Jesus; they will not follow Him. Such people may find “their” lives: their own worldly definitions of success or achievement or getting what they want. In truth, though, they will lose “true” life. They will forfeit eternity. Whatever life they find in the here and now will come at the cost of losing the life that is abundant forever.

Those who do willingly lose their lives by dying to themselves for His sake, however, will find eternal life. In fact, following Jesus is the path to the life that is true and lasting.

Context Summary
Matthew 10:34–39 contains some of Jesus’ most challenging words. As usual, they can be easily misinterpreted when taken out of context. Christ’s arrival in the world will bring division to Israel, as even family members turn on each other over the issue of whether He is the Messiah. Jesus says those who love family more than Him are not worthy of Him. He further heightens this idea of radical loyalty by comparing it to carrying one’s own cross: a metaphor for death. Those who do follow Him, though, will find the life that is true. Those who go their own way will lose their lives, no matter what they find on earth. This passage follows Jesus’ instructions to the Twelve as they prepare to spread the gospel (Matthew 10:5–7).

Verse 40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.

Matthew is coming to the close of his report on Jesus’ mission briefing to His core group of twelve hand-picked apostles (Matthew 10:1–4). In the short term, He is sending them out in pairs to the towns and cities of Galilee in northern Israel (Matthew 10:5–8). In the long term, He is sending them out on a lifelong mission to represent Him to the world after His death, resurrection, and return to heaven. Jesus is giving the Twelve great authority. The apostles—named with a Greek term meaning “sent ones”—will teach and heal and cast out demons in His name and in the power of His authority as the Son of God. Jesus has made it painfully clear that this great privilege comes with enormous risk and responsibility.

Because they will go out into the world in the name of Jesus and under His specific authority, those who receive the apostles will, in truth, be receiving Him, as well. Because Jesus also acts on earth under the authority of the Father, whoever receives the apostles will also be receiving God the Father.

What does it mean to “receive” an apostle of Jesus? It includes the idea of gracious hospitality, but it’s more than that. Those who received the apostles would also believe and accept their teaching that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. In that way, they would be coming to faith in Christ through the teaching of His official representatives.

Verse 41 The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet ‘s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person ‘s reward.

Jesus is sending out the Twelve, His core group of hand-picked apostles (Matthew 10:1–4). Their current mission is to represent Him by teaching His message and performing His miracles in His name (Matthew 10:5–8). Christ has said that anyone who receives the apostles by believing in Jesus and offering hospitality also receives Jesus and the one who sent Jesus, God the Father (Matthew 10:40).

In addition, Jesus states that someone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet or a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a prophet or righteous person’s reward. Put another way, someone who believes and helps a prophet or righteous person will have a share in the reward God will give to that prophet or righteous one.

This seems to put Christ’s apostles on the same level as the prophets and righteous men of Israel’s Old Testament history. A prophet was someone who was given a message by God to deliver to the people. Righteous people obeyed God by doing the specific work He assigned to them. The apostles, sent out by Jesus, both delivered God’s message to the people and performed the righteous work of healing and casting out demons that He gave them to do.

The reward Jesus mentions includes eternal life in God’s kingdom as well, perhaps, as special rewards that will be given to the apostles in that eternal home. The apostles will share those rewards with those who believed their message and offered hospitality to help them accomplish their work in Jesus’ name.

Verse 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”

Jesus is sending out His twelve apostles to carry His message to the people of Israel and, eventually, to the world. They will teach and do miracles in Jesus’ name and under His power and authority. They will represent Jesus so thoroughly that any who receives an apostle will be receiving both Jesus and the one who sent Him. Such people will share in the rewards to be given to the apostles.

Now Jesus describes part of what it means to receive one of His disciples, whom He calls “little ones.” The person who gives one of them a cup of cold water—because he is a disciple of Jesus—will not lose his or her reward of being included in the kingdom of heaven. The implication is that those who serve Jesus’ disciples because they believe in Jesus and want to help the mission succeed will be rewarded.

Even in Jesus’ time, people preferred to drink cold water. A cup of cold water, if available, was not expensive. Even a very poor person could help the mission of Jesus by offering His workers some cold water along the way. Wealth and status are no barrier to serving Jesus’ mission by giving assistance to His laborers.

Context Summary
Matthew 10:40–42 closes out Jesus’ instructions to the apostles, as He sends them first to the people of Israel. He says any who receive the apostles, believing their message about Jesus, will also be receiving Him and the One who sent Him. They will share in the apostles’ reward, as those who receive a prophet or righteous person share in their rewards. Those who give a cup of cold water to one of “these little ones,” in this case meaning the apostles, will not lose their reward of eternity in the kingdom of heaven.

Chapter Summary
Jesus gives His authority over disease, demons, and even death to His twelve hand-picked apostles. He gives them instructions in preparation both for a short-term trip to the towns of Galilee and their ministry after He has left the earth. First, they will preach His message of the kingdom in Israelite towns as they heal and cast out demons to demonstrate His power. Later, they will suffer great persecution as they represent Him before both Jews and Gentiles. They should not be afraid, though, and trust their Father to be with them and to reward them.