ESV Study Bible | English Standard Version

Introduction to Matthew

Matt. 10:1 Jesus calls the disciples to him as an initial answer to the prayer for the Lord to send workers (9:38). twelve. Probably reflective of the 12 tribes of Israel and symbolic of the continuity of God's plan of salvation. The disciples will have authority . . . to heal every disease just as Jesus did (e.g., 4:23; 9:35).

Matt. 10:2 Apostles (plural of Gk. apostolos; used only here in Matthew; see note on Rom. 1:1) describes those commissioned to be Jesus' special representatives, while “disciples” (Matt. 10:1) was also used more broadly to refer to anyone who believed in Jesus. Peter heads all the lists of the Twelve (cf. Mark 3:16–19; Luke 6:13–16; Acts 1:13) and serves as their spokesman. Peter, along with James and John, made up Jesus' inner circle.

Matt. 10:3–4 There is remarkable diversity among the 12 apostles, including fishermen, a tax collector (Matthew), and a zealous revolutionary (Simon the Cananaean). Judas Iscariot is always listed last; “Iscariot” most likely denotes where he was from. He was the treasurer for the group (John 12:6) and the betrayer of Jesus. See notes on Luke 6:14; 6:15; 6:16 for additional information on the 12 disciples.

Matt. 10:5 Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans. The mission was restricted to Jewish Galilee, which was surrounded on all sides by Gentile territory except for Samaria to the south (see note on John 4:4). Though the gospel would later go to the whole world (see Acts 1:8), Jesus' initial ministry was to the Jewish people.

Matt. 10:6 Lost sheep of the house of Israel denotes the whole lost nation of Israel rather than just part of it. God's plan is that the gospel would be proclaimed first to the Jew, then to the Gentile (cf. Acts 1:8; Rom. 1:16; 2:9–10).

Matt. 10:7–8a And proclaim . . . “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Heal the sick . . . Jesus instructed the 12 disciples to minister to both the spiritual and the physical needs of the lost. Thus the apostles' message (the kingdom of heaven) is the same as that of Jesus (3:2; 10:1), and their power is an extension of Jesus' own power (“authority,” v. 1), enabling them to do the same works he has done.

Matt. 10:8b You received without paying; give without pay. The disciples have received the gift of the kingdom of heaven, and they are likewise to share this gospel freely. But see note on vv. 9–10.

Matt. 10:9–10 Acquire no gold nor silver . . . nor sandals nor a staff. Jesus is not prohibiting the Twelve from owning any of these items; rather, he is stressing the specific requirements of this particular mission. This is to be a relatively quick preaching journey, so they are not to spend time procuring extra supplies; those to whom they minister must support their mission (for the laborer deserves his food). Although some have seen a contradiction between the commissioning of the 12 disciples in Matthew (and Luke 9:3) as compared to a similar commissioning account in Mark 6:8–9, it seems best to understand the two accounts as being complementary—that is, that they report two different parts of a longer set of instructions, in which Jesus told the Twelve not to acquire new supplies, but that they could take the essential supplies needed for the journey, i.e., the staff and sandals that they already had. See also note on Luke 9:3.

Matt. 10:11 Worthy indicates someone who responds positively to the disciples' message.

Matt. 10:13 Individuals (v. 14), homes (v. 13), or cities (v. 11) that receive the greeting, “peace be to this house” (cf. Luke 10:5), show that they recognize the Twelve as God's emissaries.

Matt. 10:14 shake off the dust from your feet. A sign used by Jews after leaving a Gentile region. For the missionaries it is a sign of judgment on those rejecting the gospel (cf. Acts 13:51).

Matt. 10:15 it will be more bearable on the day of judgment. Increased understanding of God's revelation means increased responsibility.

Matt. 10:16 sheep in the midst of wolves. Jesus warns the disciples about the persecution that missionary disciples will endure. wise as serpents and innocent as doves. The serpent was the symbol of shrewdness and intellectual cunning (Gen. 3:1; Ps. 58:4–5), while the dove was emblematic of simple innocence (Hos. 7:11).

Matt. 10:17 Synagogues were not only places of worship but also places where discipline was carried out (flog).

Matt. 10:18 to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. As Jesus foretold, the early church leaders would be called before Jewish officials (Acts 4:1–22), the secular authorities of Israel (Acts 12:1–4), and Rome (Acts 14:5).

Matt. 10:19–20 Jesus encourages the disciples not to be anxious because the same Spirit who has guided and empowered Jesus (4:1; cf. 1:18, 20; 3:1) will speak through his disciples amid their most difficult challenges.

Matt. 10:22 hated by all for my name's sake. Jesus' disciples have the privilege of carrying his name, but the antagonism and hatred that is directed toward him will naturally shift to them (cf. 24:9). endures . . . will be saved. Cf. notes on 2 Tim. 2:11–13 and Jude 21.

Matt. 10:23 you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. Several interpretations have been suggested: the coming of the Son of Man may refer to (1) Jesus' resurrection, when he came back from the dead, (2) his sending of the Spirit at Pentecost, (3) his coming in judgment on Jerusalem when it was destroyed in a.d. 70, or (4) the second coming of Christ at the end of the age. Option (4) helps make sense of the larger fact: that the mission to Israel must continue alongside the mission to the nations until Jesus returns. But interpretations (1) and (3) also have significant arguments to support them, and they give a more natural explanation for the need for haste in reaching “all the towns of Israel.” In the case of (4), v. 23 is understood in light of the preceding verses (vv. 16–22), as a reference to the widespread persecution that occurred prior to the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Jewish temple in a.d. 70. In this case, the judgment on Israel reflected in these events is pictured as a foreshadowing of the final judgment that will come upon all who reject Christ as their Savior, when Christ comes in power and great glory at the end of the age.

Matt. 10:24 A disciple is not above his teacher. The ultimate goal of a disciple is to be like his master—a well-established belief in Judaism and the Greco-Roman world.

Matt. 10:25 Beelzebul (cf. 12:24, 27) means “master of the house” and refers to Satan. The accusation that Jesus (the real “master of all”) was really Satan is shockingly perverse; how much more, then, should Jesus' own disciples expect to be falsely accused and maligned.

Matt. 10:27 proclaim on the housetops. Up to now Jesus has consistently called for secrecy (see note on 8:4), but the time is approaching when the secret will be proclaimed universally.

Matt. 10:29 Sparrows were customarily thought of as the smallest of creatures, and the penny was one of the least valuable Roman coins (cf. 5:26). apart from your Father. God is sovereign over even the most insignificant events.

Matt. 10:30–31 Fear not, therefore. Since the heavenly Father gives constant sovereign supervision even to seemingly insignificant creatures, surely he will also care for his disciples in their mission to proclaim the good news of the kingdom. more value. See note on 6:26.

Matt. 10:32–33 everyone who acknowledges me before men. A Christian can easily avoid persecution by denying that he or she is Jesus' disciple. But the true disciple does not fear death (v. 28) and will publicly acknowledge and confess Jesus. whoever denies me. The eternal consequences for those who deny Christ, in fact, will be far worse than the persecution that they sought to avoid.

Matt. 10:34–37 Sword is a metaphor for the inevitable separation between those who believe in Christ and those who do not, even within a family (i.e., faith in Christ may set a man against his father). Jesus' own family opposed him before they came to recognize his true identity (13:53–58; Mark 3:21; John 7:3–5). Thus, whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. Jesus asked for unqualified allegiance, something even the most esteemed rabbi did not demand. The central point of Matt. 10:34–37 is that love of God and his kingdom must take precedence over every other human relationship.

Matt. 10:38 take his cross (cf. 16:24). Crucifixion is a shocking metaphor for discipleship. A disciple must deny himself (die to self-will), take up his cross (embrace God's will, no matter the cost), and follow Christ.

Matt. 10:40 Whoever receives you receives me. Christ's disciples bear his message and his authority (cf. v. 1), so to receive them is to receive Jesus.

Matt. 10:41–42 prophet. One who speaks for God. will receive a prophet's reward. Will share in the reward God gives the prophet, for the helper also played a part in the prophet's work. righteous person. One who has the righteousness that comes from obeying Jesus. one of these little ones. That is, anyone in need, especially those of “little” standing, who may be overlooked as leaders focus on those more prominent in the community (cf. James 2:1–7).