MATTHEW 9:36 TO MATTHEW 10:4. THE SENDING OF THE TWELVE. Jesus sees the people distressed and scattered better, mishandled and lying helpless utterly unprepared, through lack of spiritual guidance and succour, for the Advent of the Kingdom. It was the hour of opportunity, and if there were enough he... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CHARGE TO THE TWELVE. The section forms the second of five passages into which Mt. col lected the sayings of Jesus. The Markan account (Matthew 6:7) is followed by Luke 9:1, but Luke 10:2 (the Seventy) is from Q; Matthew 10:5 combines the two sources. The mission is limited to Jews, hardly, in v... [ Continue Reading ]
The apostles are to put up at the houses of the worthy, _i.e._ such as are ready to welcome them and their message. The house in Matthew 10:13 is perhaps best understood of that at which they make the inquiry; the peace or salutation is thought of as an objective blessing settling upon the worthy ho... [ Continue Reading ]
FURTHER SAYINGS ON PERSECUTION. Matthew 10:24_ a_ would hardly be intelligible to the disciples till after Matthew 16:21; Matthew 10:25_ b_ connects with Matthew 12:22. BEELZEBUB: Mark 3:22 *. Matthew 10:26. From Q (_cf._ Luke 12:2): Matthew 10:26 is f [ Continue Reading ]
FAMILY FEUDS (Luke 12:51), _cf. Matthew 10:21 supra._ Family and social strife is a portent of the end in apocalyptic literature (_cf._ the mission of Elijah, Malachi 4:5 f.). So the Rabbis interpreted Micah 7:6. History, both in the early Church and on the modern mission field, has abundantly illus... [ Continue Reading ]
CONDITIONS OF DISCIPLESHIP. Luke 14:25 to the crowds; Mark 8:34 to crowd and disciples; Mt. to disciples. The highest good must be clung to at all costs, though cases of its conflict with the fifth commandment are happily comparatively rare (Matthew 15:4 *). If we keep Matthew 10:38 before Matthew 1... [ Continue Reading ]
END OF THE CHARGE. Matthew 10:40 connects with Matthew 10:11 (_cf._ also Matthew 25:35, and note Matthew 18:5). The second clause gives a Synoptic root for John 12:44; John 13:20; John 20:21 etc. (_cf._ Hebrews 3:1. and Clem., _Cor._ 42f.).... [ Continue Reading ]