Matthew 10:5-42

Charge to the Twelve (Mark 6:7 Luke 9:1 : cp. also Luke 10:2, charge to the Seventy). The first eleven vv. of this great charge (Matthew 10:5) represent Christ's words actually spoken to the Twelve on the occasion of this mission. The rest of the charge (Matthew 10:16), with the exception of the last three vv., represents instructions given by Christ at other times to His apostles with reference to their missionary work after His ascension. St. Matthew adds them to the charge in accordance with his custom of grouping our Lord's sayings of a similar character together. Specially to be noticed are, (1) the limitation of the mission to Israel, and (2) the extraordinary authority over the whole human race which Christ claims for Himself throughout the charge.

The charge to the Seventy (Luke 10:2) is almost the same as the charge to the Twelve. Our Lord probably repeated to the Seventy much of what He bad said to the Twelve, because their missions were so similar.