Matthew 10:5-15

THE FIRST PREACHING OF THE TWELVE. The locality from which the Twelve were sent out, and the length of their tour are unknown. But Galilee, where our Lord had Himself labored so long, was doubtless the scene of this first mission, which probably covered some time. The instruction given, though directly applicable to the Twelve on that occasion, ‘may be taken as the type of all the commissions given by Christ to His servants.' (Lange.) We divide the discourse into two sections. The second one is peculiar to Matthew, and more general in its character. The present one was more immediately applicable to the first preaching tour.

Both Mark (Mark 6:7-11) and Luke (Luke 9:2-5; comp. Matthew 5:3-16) record the substance of this section, but Matthew, himself an Apostle, gives a fuller statement, appending much that is not found in the other Evangelists. Matthew 10:5-6 tell where they were to go; Matthew 10:7-8 what they were to do (preach and heal); Matthew 10:9-10 describe their outfit or want of outfit; Matthew 10:11-14 their conduct in cases of reception and rejection, while Matthew 10:15 adds a solemn warning in reference to the latter case. ‘In these first verses (5, 6) we have the location; in Matthew 10:7-8 the purpose; in Matthew 10:9-10 the fitting out; and in Matthew 10:11-14 the manner of proceedings of their mission; Matthew 10:15 concluding with a prophetic denouncement, tending to impress them with a deep sense of the importance of the office entrusted to them' (Alford).