Scripture Study: Matthew 10

Matthew 10  •  6 min. read  •  grade level: 8
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Matthew 10:11And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. (Matthew 10:1). The Lord now, in compassion upon His people, calls His twelve disciples, and gives them authority and power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of disease and sickness. This is another proof to them that He was Emmanuel, who could not only heal and deliver, but could also confer on others the same power.
Matthew 10:77And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Matthew 10:7). It is the gospel of the kingdom, that is, the announcement that the King is to appear.
Matthew 10:88Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. (Matthew 10:8). These are the signs of a deliverer, coming to meet man’s deep need, confirming the Word as His message (Heb. 2:3-43How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; 4God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? (Hebrews 2:3‑4)). What mercy and grace are expressed in it: “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons: freely ye have received, freely give.” This power was given them; it was “the powers of the world to come” (Heb. 6:55And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, (Hebrews 6:5)), that is, the millennial kingdom will be characterized by this power; Satan will be bound and man delivered.
Matthew 10:9-109Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, 10Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat. (Matthew 10:9‑10). They were not to make provision for the way, they were to depend entirely on the One who sent them, Emmanuel was there. Miracles might prove this to the world. His care over His own proved it to their hearts, they “lacked nothing.”
From Matthew 10:1616Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. (Matthew 10:16), the teaching is more general, and looks on to the time when the Son of Man will come (Matt 10:23).
The rejection of Christ and consequent scattering of the Jews and destruction of Jerusalem, His atonement and glorification, the Holy Spirit sent down, the church gathered and caught up and the Jews gathered back to their own land (though not mentioned here), have all come in before the coming of the Son of Man.
Matthew 10:1616Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. (Matthew 10:16). The Lord sent these servants forth as “sheep in the midst of wolves.” They were to be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” Like the Lord Himself in this, wisdom from above it would surely be.
Matthew 10:1717But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; (Matthew 10:17). “Beware of men.” Alas! men are opposed to God and to His people, and under the power of Satan; so they persecute the saints of God.
Matthew 10:1818And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. (Matthew 10:18). The Lord had an object in allowing His servants to be brought before “men” for His sake, as a testimony that they had rejected Him.
Matthew 10:1919But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. (Matthew 10:19). They could therefore face their trials with the calm, quiet assurance that it would be given them what to say at the right time; “the Spirit of their Father” would speak in them.
Matthew 10:2121And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. (Matthew 10:21). Their brothers, fathers, children, would rise against them and cause them to be put to death; and they would be “hated of all men for My (His) name’s sake.” All this shows the terrible enmity of man’s heart against the Lord.
Matthew 10:2323But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. (Matthew 10:23). During the time when the Jews are back into their own land (but not now), this testimony will be carried from city to city of the land of Israel, and before they are finished, the Son of Man will have come. What a deliverance it will be for them!
Matthew 10:2828And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28). The enemy may be allowed to kill their body; but, if so, it was as a testimony for the truth. So they were to fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Gehenna—figurative of the place of eternal torments.)
Matthew 10:29-3129Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 30But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:29‑31). The comparatively worthless sparrow cannot fall to the ground without your Father, and He has numbered the very hairs of your head: “Fear not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.”
Matthew 10:32-3332Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 10:32‑33). “Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in Heaven. But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in Heaven.” Those who deny Him, deny His person and His work. Peter denied that he knew the Lord with oaths and curses; this was certainly very bad, but Peter did not deny that the Lord Jesus was the Son of God. He was a weak believer, but not a blasphemer; afterward he could say, “Ye have denied the holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you” (Acts 3:13-1513The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. 14But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; 15And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. (Acts 3:13‑15)).