at 10{
Matt 10:1. The Lord now, in compassion upon His people, calls His twelve disciples, and gives them authority and power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of disease and sickness. This is another proof to them that He was Emmanuel, who could not only heal and deliver, but could also confer on others the same power.
Matt 10:2-4. The names of the twelve are given; Matthew does not forget that he had been a publican; grace teaches him to acknowledge it, as Paul did in 1 Tim. 1:15.
Matt 10:5-6. This mission is to the lost sheep of the house of Israel only; Gentiles and Samaritans were as yet left out, but a Gentile centurion and a Canaanitish woman, exercising faith in the Lord, were not shut out. Needy ones always found a refuge in the Savior, but as yet the message was sent to Israel only. (See John 12:20-24.)
Matt 10:7. It is the gospel of the kingdom, that is, the announcement that the King is to appear.
The gospel of the grace of God is to all, and could not be preached till atonement was accomplished (Acts 20:21-24): "How am I straitened till it be accomplished!" (Luke 12:50.) His heart of love desired to flow out unhinderedly to all.
Matt 10:8. These are the signs of a deliverer, coming to meet man's deep need, confirming the Word as His message. (Heb. 2:3-4.) What mercy and grace are expressed in it: "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons: freely ye have received, freely give." This power was given them; it was "the powers of the world to come" (Heb. 6:5), that is, the millennial kingdom will be characterized by this power; Satan will be bound and man delivered.
But we see how the disciples through lack of faith failed to exercise this power as they should. (Matt. 17:19-21.)
Matt 10:9-10. They were not to make provision for the way, they were to depend entirely on the One who sent them, Emmanuel was there. Miracles might prove this to the world. His care over His own proved it to their hearts, they "lacked nothing".
This was during the time of His presence on earth; see the difference when the Lord is away. (Luke 22:35-37.)
Matt 10:11-15. These were as ambassadors, and serious indeed it was for those who did not receive them; it would be worse for them than for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment.
From Matt 10:16, the teaching is more general, and looks on to the time when the Son of man will come. (Matt 10:23.)
The rejection of Christ and consequent scattering of the Jews and destruction of Jerusalem, His atonement and glorification, the Holy Spirit sent down, the Church gathered and caught up and the Jews gathered back to their own land (though not mentioned here), have all come in before the coming of the Son of man.
Matt 10:16. The Lord sent these servants forth as "sheep in the midst of wolves". They were to be "wise as serpents and harmless as doves". Like the Lord Himself in this, wisdom from above it would surely be.
Matt 10:17. "Beware of men." Alas! men are opposed to God and to His people, and under the power of Satan; so they persecute the saints of God.
Matt 10:18. The Lord had an object in allowing His servants to be brought before "men" for His sake, as a testimony that they had rejected Him.
Matt 10:19. They could therefore face their trials with the calm, quiet assurance that it would be given them what to say at the right time; "the Spirit of their Father" would speak in them.
Matt 10:21. Their brothers, fathers, children, would rise against them and cause them to be put to death; and they would be "hated of all men for My (His) name's sake". All this shows the terrible enmity of man's heart against the Lord.
Matt 10:22. "But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved." Notice, the end is the coming of the Son of man. This is the endurance of the saints at the time of the great tribulation, when Satan tries to get them to worship the beast. (Rev. 14:9-12.)
We cannot rightly apply this verse to Christians. (See for our guidance, 1 Cor. 1:8, 9; Phil. 1:6; 1 Thess. 5:23-24.)
Matt 10:23. During the time when the Jews are back into their own land (but not now), this testimony will be carried from city to city of the land of Israel, and before they are finished, the Son of Man will have come. What a deliverance it will be for them!
Matt 10:24-25. The disciples and servants were to be as their Master, that is, rejected and spoken against. It was their privilege; it is ours also. (Phil. 1:29.)
Matt 10:26-27. Fear them not, proclaim the truth. They are to make known the things which the Lord has communicated to them. He will charge Himself with their care.
Matt 10:28. The enemy may be allowed to kill their body; but, if so, it was as a testimony for the truth. So they were to fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Gehenna-figurative of the place of eternal torments.)
Matt 10:29-31. The comparatively worthless sparrow cannot fall to the ground without your Father, and He has numbered the very hairs of your head: "Fear not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows".
Matt 10:32-33. "Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in Heaven. But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in Heaven." Those who deny Him, deny His person and His work. Peter denied that he knew the Lord with oaths and curses; this was certainly very bad, but Peter did not deny that the Lord Jesus was the Son of God. He was a weak believer, but not a blasphemer; afterward he could say, "Ye have denied the holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you." (Acts 3:13-15.)
Matt 10:34-36. Here again the state of man's heart is seen as enmity against God and all that is His, and is stronger than all the ties of nature. The love of Christ in the believer is also to prove stronger than all human love.
Matt 10:37-39. The Lord challenges their hearts to find a worthy object in Himself, dearer than all earthly ties, dearer than life itself. To put self first, is to fall and lose much spiritually.
Matt 10:40-42. In receiving these witnesses, they received Him, and His Father also, who sent Him. And receiving them (in spite of an opposing world), even to the giving a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, would bring them a sure reward. God takes knowledge of how each one acts toward His Son, and judges or rewards accordingly.