Matthew 10

Notes on the verses

Chap. X. Ver. 1—23. Jesus chooses twelve Apostles, and gives them their commission.—‘The distinguishing feature of the Christian church, (says Ward,) as it came from the forming hand of its founder, was unquestionably missionary.” Jesus was the sent of the Father; and he sent forth Apostles, or Missionaries, to evangelize Judea. These primitive missionaries were endowed with the power of working miracles.

Ver. 33. The dumb spake.—(It seems evident that this man was dumb, not from any natural defect, but from the power of an evil spirit; for when the evil spirit was expelled, he was immediately capable of speaking. The spectators were justly surprised at these multiplied and astonishing miracles; for in one afternoon our Lord had raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead, healed a woman with an issue of blood, restored two blind men to sight, and cured this dumb demoniac; and all this in Capernaum, one of the places which the Saviour so fearfully denounced for continuing impenitent sinners after beholding his miracles.)—Bagster.

Ver. 37. The harvest… is plenteous.—‘Five hundred millions of souls,” exclaims a missionary, “are represented as being unenlightened! I cannot, if I would, give up the idea of being a missionary, while I reflect upon this vast number of my fellow-sinners, who are perishing for lack of knowledge. Five hundred millions! intrudes itself upon my mind wherever I go, and however I am employed. When I go to bed, it is the last thing that recurs to my memory; if I awake in the night, it is to meditate on it alone; and in the morning, it is generally the first thing that occupies my thoughts.”

Chap. X. Ver. 2. Twelve apostles.—The term Apostle literally means, a person sent upon some errand, and is in its derivation equal to Missionary: the Apostles, however, if Missionaries, were in the first instance, Home-missionaries.

But the sacred writers usually confine the term to the twelve, and to St. Paul. They are probably coupled together as Christ sent them forth. Mark tells us that the Lord sent them forth by two and two.—Peter—commonly called Simon Peter.—James.—This name in Greek is Jacob, the same as that [of the patriarch]. [The rest of the sentence is too mangled to restore with confidence.]

Ver. 10. Neither two coats, &c.—Perhaps the most correct English version would be, “No change of coats, or shoes, or staves;” that is, nothing unnecessary for their journey, which was to be short, and in haste. Compare (Exodus 12:11).—Worthy of his meat—Campbell, “Of his maintenance.”

Ver. 12. Salute it.—The usual salutation was a salam: i. e. “peace be unto this house!” Such is the custom in the East to this day.

Ver. 18. Against them.—Hammond and Doddridge, “To them.”

Ver. 23. Son of man be come.—This coming of the Son of man, or the Messiah, seems to refer to the subversion of the Jewish state by the Romans.—Bagster.

Ver. 25. Beelzebub—(Or Baalzebub) primarily the idol worshipped at Ekron, (2 Kings 1:2), but afterwards applied to Satan by the Jews; and applied by Jews also to the Son of God himself. See ch. xii. 24.

Ver. 27. In darkness—i. e. privately:—in light—i. e. publicly. “In open day,” as we say.

Ver. 33. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

[The following passage is fragmentary and appears to be a summary or paraphrase:]

The very proclamation of mercy to mankind, enkindles all the evil passions of wicked men and “unclean spirits.” When Jesus holds out the sceptre of mercy, Satan draws the sword of persecution; and it is in vain to hope, by trimming and prevarication, to avoid it: for, 6. He that thus attempts to preserve his life, risks the salvation of his soul; while, on the other hand, whosoever loses his life in this world for Christ’s sake, shall surely find it in the world to come. 7. Persecution, in one form or other, is necessary to the completion of the Christian character: for he that “doth not take up his cross and follow me, (says the Saviour,) is not worthy of me,” or fit to be ranked among my disciples. Lastly, whatever is done to Christ’s disciples in his name, is done to himself, and will as such be recompensed at the last great day, when “every man shall be rewarded according to his works;” and when “a cup of cold water,” trifling as the boon may seem to us, if given in Christian charity, shall by no means be forgotten.