Matthew 10

— Iscariot,] There have been various conjectures respecting the meaning of this word; the most probable is, that it implies him to have been born at Carioth, or Kerioth, a town in the tribe of Judah, mentioned at Josh. xv. 25. Bp. Pearce.

— who also betrayed him.] Such was the wise counsel of Christ in admitting Judas among His disciples, that the great purpose might be accomplished of redeeming the human race by His sufferings and death, and that the Scriptures might be fulfilled, Acts i. 16. Dr. Whitby.

— the Samaritans] The Samaritans were so named from Samaria, which was formerly the capital of the kingdom of the ten tribes. They were a mixture of such Jews as remained in the land when the ten tribes were carried into captivity, or of those who afterwards returned thither, and of those idolatrous people who were transplanted there by Shalmaneser. See the notes at 2 Kings xvii. The difference between the Jews and the Samaritans, in point of religion, may be reduced to these heads: first, that the Samaritans considered the temple of Gerizim as the centre of true religion, and the place for the proper worship of God; second, that they received, as of Divine authority, no other Scriptures but the five books of Moses; third, that their worship had some tincture of paganism, and of the opinions of the nations with whom they were connected. The Jews considered them as corrupters of true religion; and this cause of enmity being combined with many others, bore towards them an extreme aversion. Beansobre.

Matthew 10:2

2.— apostles] A name signifying “persons sent forth;” called also His disciples, because they learned from Him. Bp. Pearce.

— first, Simon,] He is called “first,” not as being so in dignity, but as being first called. See chap. iv. 18; Mark i. 16. Dr. Whitby.

— called Peter,] Our Lord gave him this name when he came to find Him the first time with Andrew his brother. See John i. 42, 43.

Matthew 10:3

3.— James the son of Alpheus,] Called “James the less,” at Mark xv. 40, either on account of his age or his height; and “the Lord’s brother” at Gal. i. 19. He is the author of the Catholic Epistle bearing the name of St. James. Beausobre.

— Lebbeus, whose surname was Thaddeus;] At Luke vi. 15, 16, he is called “Judas the brother of James,” who was the son of Alpheus. He is also called Jude at the end of his short Epistle. Probably Judas, and Thaddeus, or Theudas, were one and the same name. Bp. Pearce.

3.—Art thou he that should come,] As the Scriptures on all occasions inform us that the Baptist, through the whole course of his ministry, had borne constant and ample testimony to the blessed Jesus, (see Matt. iii. 16; Luke iii. 21; John i. 29—34; iii. 24—28,) and made it his business to dispose the Jews in general, and his own disciples, to believe, reverence, and obey Jesus; we should offer great injury to his character, if we were to suppose his constancy so shaken, or his opinion and behaviour so inconsistent with themselves, that, after such irrefragable evidence, such open and solemn declarations of his faith, he should admit any doubt whether this were He that should come, the long promised, the universally expected Messiah, or whether men were still to look for another, in whom these promises and expectations should receive their desired accomplishment. Hence we may safely conclude, that John did not send this message with a design to satisfy any scruples of his own, but entirely for the sake and conviction of those disciples who brought the message, in order to confirm them in the belief of Jesus, and in right notions respecting Him. This was the more necessary, because their intemperate zeal and partial respect for their master, John, had hitherto made them averse to Jesus, and envious at His honour and miracles; and John, in compassion to their infirmities, condescends to have their scruples propounded in his own name. Dean Stanhope.

—do we look for another?] Are we to look for another? Bp. Pearce.

Matthew 10:4

4. Simon the Canaanite,] He is called at Luke vi. 15, and Acts i. 13, “Simon Zelotes.” Zelotes signifies, full of zeal; and hence many persons consider the term Canaanite to be a word with the same meaning, and derive it from a Hebrew word of this signification. Others suppose the word to be properly written Canaiie, and to import that Simon belonged to the village of Cana in Galilee. Bp. Pearce.

to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

4.—Go and shew John &c.] He desires only that a faithful report of what themselves saw and heard might be made, and leaves them to their own master for the

Matthew 10:5

5. These twelve Jesus sent forth,] We should pause to consider who were the men singled out by our blessed Lord for the purpose of diffusing His religion through the world; that is, for the singular purpose of persuading men to relinquish the religion of their ancestors, the principles they had imbibed from their infancy, the customs, prejudices, and habits, the ways of thinking which they had for a long course of years indulged, and to adopt in their room a system of thinking and acting, in many respects directly opposite to them; a religion exposing them to many present hardships and severe trials, and referring them for their reward to a distant period and an invisible world. Would not a change such as this require agents of a superior class, of considerable influence from birth, wealth, and station in life, men of profound erudition, of the brightest talents, the most consummate knowledge of the world and the human heart, and the most commanding eloquence? Were then the Apostles of this description? Quite the contrary. They were plain, humble, unpretending men, of low birth and low occupations, without learning, education, or any extraordinary endowments natural or acquired; without any thing in short to recommend them, but their simplicity, integrity, and purity of manners. With what hopes of success could men such as these set about the most difficult of all enterprises, the reformation of a corrupt world, and the conversion of it to a new faith? Yet we all know that they actually did accomplish these two most arduous things, and that, on the foundations they laid, the whole superstructure of the Christian church has been raised, and the Divine truths of the Gospel spread through all parts of the civilized world. How then is this to be accounted for? It is utterly impossible to account for it in any way but that which Christ Himself points out in His charge to the Apostles, ver. 8, “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils.” Here is the explanation of the whole mys-

Anno DOMINI 31. Christ giveth them their charge, and teacheth them. Anno DOMINI 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

b Acts 13.46. 7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

e Luke 10.9. 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

tery: it was by the powers with which they were invested, the miracles they were enabled to perform, that they made such multitudes of converts. The people saw that God was with them, and that therefore every thing they taught must be true. Bp. Porteus.

The persons whom our Lord chose for His partners and companions in establishing the Gospel were of the lowest class, as well in station as in abilities. Such persons were in many respects most difficult to be dealt with, but no unfit instruments for the purpose for which they were then designed; namely, to testify what they had so often seen and heard; and on all accounts most proper to afford the best and most unexceptionable evidence to futurity. They were persons who could by no means be supposed able either to conceive a scheme so great as that of reforming a world, of altering all its customs and opinions; or to entertain the least hope of accomplishing it whenever suggested to them: persons who wanted both courage and conduct to attempt this vast and truly original design, with any prospect of success: persons, too, who were to be suffered often to doubt and dispute with our Lord; to distrust, desert, and even deny Him; in order to convince after-ages that they were such as could not, with the least shew of reason, be suspected of having at first concerted all this of themselves, or carried it on afterwards among themselves, or effected what they did of it by any methods merely human.

With such as these did Christ hold conversation during the whole course of His ministry, affectionately complying with their weakness, patiently enduring their perverseness, in order to cure them both; to strengthen and increase their faith by degrees, and free them from all superstitious fears; to open their eyes and enlarge their understanding so far, that at length they might even of themselves judge what was right, and teach the same to others. To these, and by them to the world, He sets a perfect pattern of true heroism, namely, humility and resignation to the will of God; of meekness and the most extensive benevolence to man; demonstrating to what height virtue may be carried under the most disadvantageous circumstances, and shewing the practicableness of each part of our duty in the greatest difficulties. Bp. Law.

By an usual historical anticipation, St. Matthew connects the mission of the twelve Apostles with their selection and appointment, as if it followed immediately after. There was probably, however, an interval of half a year or more from their appointment before they were sent forth; and accordingly St. Mark and St. Luke separate these two events, and interpose several occurrences between them. Dr. Hales.

— Go not into the way &c.] Go not, in this your present mission, among any of the Gentiles or Samaritans; for the salvation of the Gospel must first be offered to God’s peculiar people. Dr. S. Clarke.

— into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:] He does not absolutely forbid them to enter into their cities, (see Luke ix. 52; John iv. 4, 5,) but to preach the Gospel there in their present mission. The Jews

Matthew 10:6

6. But go rather to the lost sheep &c.] To whom this doctrine of salvation is first sent, and is first to be preached, Acts iii. 26. He calls them lost sheep, because they were in great peril of being lost and ruined by the ignorance and wickedness of their guides. Dr. Whitby.

Matthew 10:8

8.—[freely ye have received, freely give.] Freely ye have received this power from Me; freely give the benefit of it to others. Dr. Whitby.

Matthew 10:9

9. Provide neither gold, &c.] Encumber not yourselves with much provision of money, victuals or apparel: but trust to the special providences of God on this extraordinary occasion. Bp. Mann.

— gold, nor silver, nor brass] Alluding to coins of these three metals, then in common use. Dr. Hammond.

Matthew 10:10

10. Nor scrip] By “scrip” is meant a travelling bag, or wallet, in which food was carried. Dr. Campbell.

The instructions here given concern only the first mission of the Apostles; they are revoked at Luke xxii. 36. Beansobre.

— for the workman is worthy of his meat.] For ye may reasonably expect to be supplied with all necessaries by those who derive benefit from your labours. Dr. Hammond.

The Apostles were to take a long journey without making any other provision for it, than the staff in their hands, and the clothes they wore; “for” says our Lord, “the workman is worthy of his meat;” an intimation that the providence of God would watch over and supply their wants. This required no small confidence in their Master: and, unless they had good grounds for thinking that it was in His power to gain Providence on their side, or, in other words, that He was actually the Son of God, they would scarcely have run the risk of so unpromising an expedition. Bp. Porteus.

Matthew 10:11

11. — who in it is worthy:] Worthy of having the He forewarneth his apostles of persecutions. Anno DOMINI 31. it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.

Matthew 10:12

12. — salute it.] By wishing the blessing of peace upon it, which was the usual salutation among the Jews. Bp. Mann. This salutation is expressed at Luke x. 5. Beausobre.

Matthew 10:13

13. — let your peace return to you.] That is, they shall not obtain the peace you wish them, nor receive any benefit from your wishes. See a similar expression at Ps. xxxv. 13. Dr. Whitby.

Matthew 10:14

14. — shake off the dust &c.] The Jews held the dust of heathen lands to be polluted. The meaning therefore of the phrase is, When ye depart from them, shake off the dust from your feet, as a proof that you consider them in the light of heathens. Dr. Whitby. With the same view St. Paul “shook his raiment,” Acts xviii. 6. Bp. Pearce.

Matthew 10:16

16. — as sheep in the midst of wolves:] That is, on an employment full of peril from the men of the world. Dr. Whitby.

The character of the Christian mission is denoted in these words, “Behold, I send you forth as sheep;” and the condition of an unbelieving world in the following, “I send you in the midst of wolves.” Though the faith was to be propagated only by the mild measures of persuasion, yet even this would provoke the wolfish dispositions of the powers of darkness to employ all the iniquitous contrivance of fraud and violence for its suppression. Bp. Warburton.

— wise as serpents, &c.] Be wise and prudent, that you may give your opponents no just occasion of reproaching you or your doctrine. Serpents were reckoned by the ancients remarkable for their sagacity: it is certain they have a peculiar vivacity in their eyes; so that to be sharp-sighted as a serpent was a proverb among the Greeks and Romans. Dr. Doddridge.

— harmless] Meek and gentle. Dr. S. Clarke.

Matthew 10:17

17. — beware of men.] Of those men whom I have described as wolves. Bp. Mann.

— councils.] By “councils” are meant not only the great Sanhedrim, but inferior tribunals.

— scourge you in their synagogues;] It appears that the Jews caused to be chastised in some part of the synagogue those whom they judged guilty of any laresy. See Acts xxii. 19. According to some learned

men, there was in every synagogue a council consisting of three judges, who had the power of ordering the punishment of scourging. Beausobre.

Matthew 10:18

18. — for a testimony against them] That they, hearing of your doctrines and miracles, and seeing your simplicity, sincerity, and innocence, may either embrace the truth, or be left without excuse. Dr. S. Clarke. Or perhaps it should be rendered, “for a testimony to them,” meaning that this shall be a means of proclaiming and testifying the Gospel to Gentiles and Jews. Drs. Hammond and Whitby.

Matthew 10:19

19. — take no thought] Rather, Be not anxious. Bp. Pearce. See notes on chap. vi. 25. Christ promising here to His Apostles immediate assistance from the Holy Spirit, forbids them to meditate beforehand what they should say, Luke xxi. 14. Dr. Whitby. In ordinary cases men are left to the due use and improvement of their natural powers; but, you (Christ says to the Apostles) being engaged on an extraordinary mission from God, He will grant you the immediate assistance of His Holy Spirit, and enable you to defend the cause of truth against all opposition. Bp. Mann.

Matthew 10:20

20. For it is not ye that speak, &c.] It is not so much ye that speak, as the Holy Spirit speaking by you. Grotius. How distrustful soever, He says, ye may be of your own abilities, let not this trouble you; for God will enable you to speak that which is most suitable and proper. Dr. Hammond.

Matthew 10:21

21. And the brother &c.] The persecution which will be raised against you for preaching the Gospel will be very great and unnatural: the purity and holiness of your doctrine being utterly inconsistent with the covetousness, and contrary to the passions and lusts of the world, will provoke men, incorrigibly enslaved to these vices, to break through all the bonds, not only of virtue and humanity, but even of relation and natural affection, to persecute and destroy you; so that even fathers, and sons, and brethren shall kill one another in fierceness against the truth. Dr. S. Clarke.

Matthew 10:22

22. — ye shall be hated of all men] Of the generality of men. Dr. S. Clarke.

— he that endureth to the end &c.] He that maintains a constant persevering adherence to Christ, in spite of all the persecutions that shall befall him for the

Christ suggesteth motives of comfort and constancy. Anno DOMINI 51. that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Matthew 10:23

23.—Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel.] Meaning, according to the sense of the margin, Ye shall not have finished your visitation of the cities of Israel, till &c. Bp. Pearce.

—till the Son of man be come.] Till He come to take vengeance on the Jews, by means of the Roman armies. See Matt. xxiv. 27, &c. Dr. Whitby. Till the kingdom of Christ shall be gloriously manifested in the final destruction of the nation. Dr. S. Clarke.

Matthew 10:24

24. The disciple is not above &c.] This was a proverbial or known saying among the Hebrews. Our Saviour seems frequently to have purposely applied, and made allusion to, expressions that were current among them. Dr. Hammond. He means, if I, the Master, endure all manner of reproaches and persecutions, you, the disci-

ples and servants, have no reason to expect to escape better. Dr. S. Clarke.

Matthew 10:25

25.—If they have called &c.] If they have not scrupled to compare the Son of God to the chief of devils, what reason have ye to expect that they will not deal as ill with you? Dr. S. Clarke.

—Beelzebub.] Beelzebub was the great idol of the Ekronites, 2 Kings i. 2; the name signifies properly the lord or master of flies; from this it would appear that the Ekronites considered him as having power over the various insects, with which in those warm climates they were infested, and which often gathered into such swarms, as to prove a noisome and deadly plague. As the Ekronites were near neighbours to the Jews, the great veneration which they had for this idol made him the object both of horror and detestation to the devout worshippers of the true God. Accordingly, it seems probable that the Jews, to express their detestation of him, appropriated his name to the most hateful being in the universe, calling the devil, or the prince of the evil angels, Beelzebub. Dr. Macknight.

Matthew 10:26

26. Fear them not—for there is &c.] These words are capable of two senses; they either convey to them a warning not to be frightened from preaching the Gospel by despair of its success; for though at present it seemed hidden from the world, He would cause it to dissipate all clouds, and to shine through all countries; or else, not to be alarmed by the calumnies with which men would load them, for that He would make their integrity and the excellence of their doctrine to appear clear as the light. Dr. Whitby.

Matthew 10:27

27.—in the ear.] That is, in a more private manner. Dr. Whitby.

—upon the housetops.] The houses of the Jews having flat roofs, (see notes on Deut. xxii. 8; 2 Sam. xi. 2; Dan. iv. 26,) is was usual and convenient, when any thing was to be proclaimed to the people, to do it from thence. Dr. Hammond.

Matthew 10:28

28.—fear not them &c.] This passage refers the Apostles to a future life, in which all their views, their hopes and fears, were to centre, and by which their conduct in this world was entirely to be regulated. The worst their enemies could do to them in this life was to kill the body, which must some time or other be destroyed by age or disease. But God was able to kill the soul, which was formed for immortality, to annihilate it at once, or to condemn it to everlasting punishment. It was therefore of infinitely more consequence to avoid His displeasure, and to secure His approbation by performing their duty, than shamefully to desert their duty for the purpose of escaping the infliction of the bitterest evils that their fellow creatures could bring upon them. Bp. Porteus.

He comforteth his disciples. They must expect persecution. Anno DOMINI 31. It is in value halfpenny forthing to the original, as being the truth part of the Roman penny. q 2 Sam. 14. 11. Acts 27. 34.

Matthew 10:29

29.—for a farthing? &c.] The Greek word means the tenth part of a Roman penny or denarius, about three farthings of English money.

Matthew 10:30

30. But the very hairs &c.] How magnificent is this idea of God’s government! That He inspects the whole and every part of his universe every moment; and orders it according to the counsels of His infinite wisdom and goodness, by His omnipotent will! Whose thought is power; and His acts ten thousand times quicker than

the light, unconfused in a multiplicity exceeding number, and unwearied through eternity. How much comfort and encouragement to all good and devout persons

are contained in this thought! That Almighty God, as

He has His eye continually upon them, so He is employed constantly in directing, in doing, what is best

for them. Thus they may be sure indeed that all things work together for their good. The Lord is truly their Shepherd; not leaving them to chance or fate, but watching over them Himself; and therefore can they lack nothing. Dr. Ogden.

Matthew 10:31

31. Fear ye not therefore, &c.] Here (ver. 29—31,) we have that most important and consolatory doctrine of a particular Providence plainly and clearly laid down. This doctrine is one of the many instances in which we can have no certain ground of confidence but in the Gospel of Christ. It is Scripture only which on this momentous point can give rest to our souls. There we are assured that every individual being, even the least and most contemptible, even the sparrow that is sold for a farthing, is under the eye of the Almighty; that so far from man being too inconsiderable for the notice of his Maker, the minutest parts of his body, the very hairs of his head, are all numbered. These very strong instances are plainly chosen on purpose to quiet all our fears, and to banish from our minds every idea of our being too small and insignificant for the care and protection of Almighty God. Bp. Porteus.

Matthew 10:32

32. Whosoever therefore shall confess &c.] Our Saviour means, that His disciples, whensoever the occasion

demands, should unaffectedly own their religion, and

stand by it. In such a case, dissimulation, or even reserve, is a meanspirited desertion of the worthiest cause

in the world; and the words of the holy Jesus on another occasion are justly applicable to this, that he who is not for Him, is against Him. Whosoever is unwilling to be taken for a pious and good man, runs a great risk of soon becoming a profane and bad one. Abp. Secker.

— him will I confess also before my Father] Meaning that He will own him for His true disciple and servant, and will confess him to be of His body and family.

And how truly happy are all they who have the only begotten Son of God to confess them before His Father, and to intercede with Him in their behalf! They, on repeating for their past sins, are perfectly absolved from them by the merits of His death, and are accounted righteous in and through Him before Almighty God Himself. They are led by His Holy Spirit unto all truth and goodness, and sanctified throughout in body, soul, and spirit: they have to fear no evil, for He gives His angels charge over them to keep them in all their ways; they can want nothing that is good, for all things work together for their lasting welfare. Bp. Beveridge.

Matthew 10:34

34.—I came not to send peace, &c.] Our Lord’s meaning is to convey to His disciples right notions of that peace which He was to bring. It is not, He says, immediate temporal peace, but peace in a spiritual sense,

peace in your own minds, and peace with God. Ultimately, indeed, I shall establish peace in every sense of

the word; but at present, and for many years to come, I shall not bring peace, but a sword upon earth. The promulgation of My religion will be productive of much dissension, cruelty, and persecution, not only to you, but to all those who, for many ages afterwards, shall preach the Gospel in purity and truth. The true cause of this will be the wickedness and ferocious passions of men; but the occasion and the pretence for it will be the holy religion which you are to promulgate. In this sense, and this only, it is that I may be said to bring a sword upon earth; but they, who really bring it, are the open enemies or pretended friends of the Gospel. Bp. Porteus. If, through human depravity, Christ has been made to send “a sword on earth,” let it be now our care to shew Him in a more amiable light, as “the

Prince of peace.” Men have sufficiently made the Gospel minister unto sin: let each of us, by our individual

practice, endeavour to bring forth fruit by it unto holiness. Abp. Secker.

Matthew 10:35

35.—I am come to set &c.] Our Saviour’s meaning is, that the religion which He taught would meet with

most violent opposition from the world, and would expose His Apostles and disciples to the most unjust and

inhuman treatment, even sometimes from their nearest relations. Bp. Porteus. He warns His faithful followers that they must soon expect the dreadful effects of fiery zeal, even from their nearest friends and relations. Bp. Mann.

Matthew 10:37

37. He that loveth &c.] That is, when our nearest and dearest relations come in competition with our belief in Christ, our affection to them and our deference to

their opinions must give way to our love of our Redeemer, and our attachment to our Maker. Bp. Porteus.

Matthew 10:38

38.—that taketh not his cross,] To take up the cross, John sendeth his disciples to Christ. Anne DOMINI 31. cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

a John 12. 23. 39 a He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

a Luke 10. 16. 40 a He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

John 12. 20. 41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.

b Mark 2. 41. 42 b And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, He shall in no wise lose his reward.

CHAP. XI.

Matthew 10:39

39. He that findeth] He that to save his life is an apostate from his faith, shall be punished with the loss of that life which alone deserves the name, the life everlasting; but he who sacrifices his life to his religion in this world, shall be rewarded with eternal life in the world to come. Bp. Porteus.

Matthew 10:40

40.—receiveth me,] Receiveth in effect Me, whose ministers ye are; “and he that receiveth Me, receiveth Him that sent Me;” that is, My heavenly Father will consider the kindness as shewn directly unto Himself. Dr. Doddridge.

Matthew 10:41

41.—a prophet in the name of a prophet] A teacher of Christianity, on account of his office, and out of regard to it. Bp. Pearce.

—in the name of a righteous man] That is, out of true love to his righteousness. Dr. Whitby. He that hospitably entertains a Prophet, with a pious regard to the office which he bears, shall receive the reward of a Prophet himself, or a reward proportionable to the worth of the person he shelters and accommodates in a time of danger and difficulty; and he that entertains any righ-

Christ’s testimony concerning John. 18 The opinion of the people, both concerning John and Christ. 20 Christ upbraideth the unthankfulness and unrepentance of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum: 25 and praising his Father’s wisdom in revealing the gospel to the simple, 28 he calleth to him all such as feel the burden of their sins.

Anne DOMINI 31.

AND it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.

Matthew 10:42

42.—one of these little ones] One of the meanest of My disciples. Dr. Whitby. “Little ones,” not small in stature or age, but young in the knowledge of the Gospel. Such are called “babes,” chap. xi. 25; 1 Cor. iii. 1, &c. Bp. Pearce.

Chap. XI. ver. 1.—in their cities.] In the cities of the Jews in Galilee. Bp. Pearce.