The calling of the Apostles is here described to us, not as on a former occasion, when the Lord Jesus Christ, intending to prepare them for their office, selected them for admission into his private circle. They are now called to immediate performance, are ordered to prepare themselves for the work,... [ Continue Reading ]
2._The first, Simon, who is called Peter _The Church of Rome displays extreme folly in drawing from this passage their doctrine of the primacy. That Simon Peter was the first among the apostles we readily allow, but what was true in reference to a few persons, cannot, on any proper grounds, be exten... [ Continue Reading ]
5._Into the tray of the Gentiles _This makes still more evident what I have lately hinted, that the office, which was then bestowed on the apostles, had no other object than to awaken in the Jews the hope of an approaching salvation, and thus to render them more attentive to hear Christ. On this acc... [ Continue Reading ]
6._But go rather to the lost sheep _The first rank, as we have said, is assigned to the Jews, because they were the firstborn; or rather, because at that time they alone were acknowledged by God to belong to his family, while others were excluded. (569) He calls them _lost sheep, _partly that the ap... [ Continue Reading ]
7._Preach, saying _This is the _preaching, _(571) I spoke of, by which Christ intended to arouse the minds of the nation to expect an approaching redemption. _The kingdom of heaven is at hand _For _the kingdom of heaven _Luke substitutes _the kingdom of God; _but the meaning is the same. It was to i... [ Continue Reading ]
8._Cure the diseased _As he has bestowed on them power, so he enjoins them to be faithful and liberal in dispensing it, and charges them not to suppress that power, which had been lodged with them for the common benefit of all. By those miracles he shows why he was sent by the Father, and what was t... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 10:9._Do not provide. _As the embassy (575) was of such a nature, that Christ wished the disciples to traverse the whole of Judea within a few days, and immediately to return to him, he forbids to carry luggage with them, by which this speed may be retarded. Some have ignorantly supposed tha... [ Continue Reading ]
10._For the laborer is worthy of his food. _Christ anticipates an objection that might be made: for it might appear to be a harsh condition to travel through the whole of Judea without any provisions. (576) Accordingly, Christ tells them, that they have no reason to dread that they will suffer hunge... [ Continue Reading ]
11._Inquire what person in it is worthy. _Again, they might object that they would be deprived of the food to which they were entitled, because nobody would acknowledge them as _laborers _But Christ meets this difficulty also by ordering them to make _inquiry what person _in each city is _worthy _of... [ Continue Reading ]
12._Salute it. _As they could not distinguish the devout worshippers of God from despisers, he enjoins them to address in a friendly manner any family which they may have occasion to meet. The act of _saluting _is a kind of opening to a conversation. They had already been warned to look out for pers... [ Continue Reading ]
13._If it be not worthy. _The import of this mode of expression may be thus stated, — “As their ingratitude makes them unworthy to enjoy the blessing of God which you have supplicated for them, break off every bond of communication.” The _word peace _refers to the mode of salutation which generally... [ Continue Reading ]
14._And whoever will not receive you. _This awful threatening of punishment against the despisers of the gospel was intended to animate his disciples, that they might not be retarded by the ingratitude of the world. He directs the apostles, indeed, what he wishes them to do if they meet with despise... [ Continue Reading ]
_Verily, I say to you _That they may not imagine this to be an idle bugbear, (578) Christ declares that those who reject the gospel, will receive more severe punishment than the inhabitants of Sodom. Some view the word _judgment _as referring to the destruction of Jerusalem. But this is foreign to o... [ Continue Reading ]
The injunctions which Matthew has hitherto related had no farther reference than to that former expedition or commission, which was to be terminated in a few days. But now Christ proceeds farther, and prepares them for a future period, by informing them, that they were not merely chosen for that bri... [ Continue Reading ]
17._But beware of men _Erasmus has inserted the word _these, (beware of these men,) _supposing that the article has the force of a demonstrative pronoun. (584) But in my opinion it is better to view it as indefinite, and as conveying a declaration of Christ, that caution ought to be exercised in dea... [ Continue Reading ]
19._Be not anxious _(585) A consolation is added: for in vain would Christ have given a hundred exhortations to the disciples, if he had not, at the same time, promised that God would be with them, and that through his power they would assuredly be victorious. Hence we infer, that Christ is very far... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 10:21._And the brother will deliver up the brother to death. _He first gives warning what heavy calamities await them, and then adds a remarkable consideration, which sweetens all their bitterness. First, he announces that those circumstances which other men find to be the means of protectio... [ Continue Reading ]
22._But he who endured to the end shall be saved _This single promise ought sufficiently to support the minds of the godly, though the whole world should rise against them: for they are assured that the result will be prosperous and happy. If those who fight under earthly commanders, and are uncerta... [ Continue Reading ]
23._And when they shall persecute you. _He anticipates an objection that might arise. If we must encounter the resentments of the whole world, what shall be the end of all this? (593) Though it may not be safe for them to remain in any place, yet Christ warns them not to despair, but, on the contrar... [ Continue Reading ]
24._The disciple is not above his master _By his own example he now exhorts them to perseverance; and, indeed, this consolation is enough to banish all sadness, if we consider that our lot is shared with the Son of God. To make us feel deeper shame, he borrows a twofold comparison from what is custo... [ Continue Reading ]
25._If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub _This is equivalent to calling himself Lord of the Church, as the apostle, when comparing him to Moses and the prophets, (Hebrews 3:1,) says, that they were _servants, _but that he is the Son and heir. Though he bestows on them the honor of _... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 10:26._Fear them not therefore _When the apostles saw the gospel so greatly despised, and recollected the small number of believers, they might be apt to throw away hope even for the future. Christ now meets this doubt, by declaring that the gospel would be widely spread, would at length ris... [ Continue Reading ]
28._And fear not those who kill the body _To excite his disciples to despise death, Christ employs the very powerful argument, that this frail and perishing lift ought to be little regarded by men who have been created for a heavenly immortality. The statement amounts to this, that if believers will... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 10:29._Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? _Christ proceeds farther, as I have already hinted, and declares that tyrants, whatever may be their madness, have no power whatever even over the body: and that therefore it is improper in any persons to dread the cruelty of men, as if they w... [ Continue Reading ]
31._You are of more value _This is true in general of all men, for the _sparrows _were created for their advantage. But this discourse relates peculiarly to the sons of God, who possess a far higher right than what they derive from creation. Now the rank which belongs to men arises solely from the u... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 10:32._Whosoever therefore shall confess me _He now applies to his present subject what he formerly said in a general manner about contempt of death: for we must struggle against the dread of death, that it may not _keep _us back from an open confession of faith, which God strictly demands,... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 10:35_To set a man at variance _Hence we see more clearly what was stated a little before, that wars and tumults arise, contrary to the nature of the Gospel, through the fault of wicked men. What Malachi says about John the Baptist, [Malachi 4:5 ] applies to all the ministers of Christ. They... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 10:37._He who loveth father or mother _As it is exceedingly harsh, and is contrary to natural feelings, to make enemies of those who ought to have been in closest alliance with us, so Christ now says that we cannot be his disciples on any other condition. He does not indeed enjoin us to lay... [ Continue Reading ]
38._He who doth not take up his cross _From particular cases he proceeds to general views, and informs us that we cannot be reckoned his disciples unless we are prepared to endure many afflictions. If we are vexed and tormented by the thought, that the gospel should set us at variance with our fathe... [ Continue Reading ]
39._He who findeth his life _Lest the former doctrine, which is very difficult and troublesome to the flesh, should have little weight with us, Christ confirms it in two ways by this statement. He affirms that persons of excessive caution and foresight, when they look upon themselves as having very... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 10:40._He who receiveth you, receiveth me_. A considerable portion of the world may be opposed to the disciples of Christ, and the confession of their faith may draw upon them universal hatred. Yet here is another consolation tending to excite a very great number of persons to treat them wit... [ Continue Reading ]
41._He who receiveth a prophet _He begins with the prophets, but at length comes down to the lowest rank, and embraces all his disciples. In this manner he commends all, without exception, who truly worship God and love the gospel. _To receive _a person _in the name of a prophet, _or _in the name of... [ Continue Reading ]