Matthew 9:35-8

The Selection And Sending Out of The Apostles (9:35-10:8).

While the speech is clearly one whole, it is also divided up into smaller sections each of which forms a chiasmus. In this the first smaller section the Apostles are commissioned, given authority and named in the light of the needs of lost sheep of the house of Israel. This smaller section can be analysed as follows;

a Jesus goes throughout their towns preaching the Good News of the Kingly Rule of Heaven and (as the Servant - Matthew 8:17) healing the sick and diseased (Matthew 9:35).

b But when He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were distressed and scattered, as sheep not having a shepherd (Matthew 9:36).

c Then says He to His disciples, “The harvest indeed is plenteous, but the labourers are few. Pray you therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He send forth labourers into His harvest” (Matthew 9:37).

d And He called to Him His twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of disease and all manner of sickness (Matthew 10:1).

c Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the public servant; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him (Matthew 10:2).

b These twelve Jesus sent forth, and charged them, saying, “Go not into any way of the Gentiles, and enter not into any city of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matthew 10:5).

a “And as you go, preach, saying, The kingly rule of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give” (Matthew 10:6).

Note here how in ‘a' Jesus preaches the Good News of the Kingly Rule, and heals the sick and diseased, and in the parallel His disciples are commanded to do the same. In ‘b' the crowds are like sheep without a shepherd, and in the parallel His disciples are to go only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. In ‘c' we have the ‘sending out' commission, and in the parallel the names of the ‘sent out ones' (Apostles). Central in ‘d' is Jesus' vital giving of His own authority to the Apostles.