MISSION OF THE TWELVE 1. Mission of the Twelve (Mark 6:7; Luke 9:1). This mission was intended partly to prepare the way for visits from Jesus Himself, and partly to train the apostles for their future ministry. He sent them out 'two and two' (Mk), for the sake of mutual encouragement. That is the t... [ Continue Reading ]
APOSTLES] An 'apostle' (lit. 'one sent') is more than a messenger; he is a messenger who represents the person who sends him, an 'ambassador' (2 Corinthians 5:20). The name is here introduced because this mission was the first occasion on which the Twelve began to act as apostles or ambassadors of J... [ Continue Reading ]
THE NAMES OF THE TWELVE (Mark 3:13; Luke 6:12; Acts 1:13). At an early period in His Galilean ministry, Jesus selected Twelve from among the disciples already called (Mk, Lk), after spending a night in prayer in 'the mountain' (Lk), as befitted so solemn and important an act. The 'Sermon on the Moun... [ Continue Reading ]
PHILIP] John 1:44; John 6:5; John 12:21; John 14:8. BARTHOLOMEW] i.e. Nathanael of Cana of Galilee: see John 1:45; John 21:2. THOMAS] see John 11:16; John 14:5; John 20:24;... [ Continue Reading ]
SIMON THE CANAANITE] RV 'the Cananæan,' RM 'the zealot.' 'The Zealots were a sect founded by Judas of Gamala (or of Galilee, Acts 5:37), who headed the opposition to the census of Quirinius 6 or 7 a.d. They bitterly resented the domination of Rome, and would fain have hastened with the sword the ful... [ Continue Reading ]
The charge delivered on the occasion of the mission. 5. Way of the Gentiles] i.e. a road which leads to a Gentile district or city. The restriction to the Jews was part of the divine purpose that the gospel should be offered to the Jew first, and afterwards to the Gentile. It was also a condescensio... [ Continue Reading ]
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 las... [ Continue Reading ]
They were also to preach 'that men should repent '(Mk).... [ Continue Reading ]
RAISE THE DEAD] to be taken literally. The clause is accepted by all recent editors. It is omitted by a few MSS, perhaps because there is no mention of raising the dead on this occasion. For the fulfilment see Acts 9:40; Acts 20:10. FREELY YE HAVE RECEIVED the gift of working miracles, FREELY exerci... [ Continue Reading ]
PURSES] i.e. 'girdles,' in which money was carried.... [ Continue Reading ]
SCRIP] RV 'wallet,' i.e. provisionbasket. TWO COATS] i.e. two shirts or undergarments. SHOES] were forbidden as too luxurious. The apostles were to wear only sandals. 'Shoes,' said Lightfoot, 'were of more delicate use. A shoe was of softer leather, a sandal of harder.' THE WORKMAN IS WORTHY OF HIS... [ Continue Reading ]
WORTHY] of the honour of receiving you.... [ Continue Reading ]
SALUTE IT] i.e. by saying 'Peace be to this house.'... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THE HOUSE BE WORTHY] or, as St. Luke expresses it, 'if the owner be a son of peace,' i.e. a peaceful man, worthy of the blessing.... [ Continue Reading ]
SHAKE OFF THE DUST] The rabbis taught that the dust of heathen lands defiled. They said, 'The dust of Syria defiles, as well as the dust of other heathen countries.' The act of the apostles, therefore, signified that the city that rejected them was no better than heathen: see on Acts 13:51.... [ Continue Reading ]
Why was the sin of Sodom less? Because the men of Sodom sinned largely in ignorance, but rejecters of the gospel sin against light.... [ Continue Reading ]
AS SHEEP (Lk 'lambs') IN THE MIDST OF WOLVES] This can only refer to the later persecutions of the apostles. According to a very early writer, Peter proceeded to ask, 'What, then, if the wolves rend the sheep?' Jesus replied that after death the lambs need not fear the wolves, for the wolves have no... [ Continue Reading ]
LATER CHARGES OF JESUS, REFERRING TO WORK AFTER THE ASCENSION. Matthew 10:16 were probably spoken in Holy Week: see Mark 13:9; Luke 21:12.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT BEWARE OF MEN] better, 'beware of the men,' viz. those wolves of whom I have been speaking. COUNCILS] i.e. courts of justice generally. SCOURGE YOU IN THEIR SYNAGOGUES] A synagogue was also a court of justice in which three Jewish elders sat to judge both secular and religious cases. 'Scourging,... [ Continue Reading ]
BEFORE GOVERNORS AND KINGS] 'Governors' were the Roman governors of the provinces, viz. proprætors, proconsuls, and procurators: cp. Paul before Felix and Pestus (Acts 24:1; Acts 25:6). 'Kings' were, (1) the emperor, who was generally so called in the East; (2) subject kings, tetrarchs, and ethnarch... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKE NO THOUGHT] RV 'be not anxious.' IT SHALL BE GIVEN YOU] cp. the courage of Peter and John (Acts 4:13) before the Sanhedrin.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BROTHER SHALL DELIVER UP, etc.] Actual examples of Christians being delivered up by their nearest relatives are found in the Martyrologies, but the saying is to be taken more generally to refer to the rupture of all ties of kindred and affection on account of the gospel.... [ Continue Reading ]
HATED OF ALL _men_] cp. Tacitus the Roman historian: '(Nero) inflicted the most cruel punishments upon a sect of people who were holden in abhorrence for their crimes, and called by the vulgar “Christians.” The founder of that name was Christ, who suffered death in the reign of Tiberius, under his p... [ Continue Reading ]
FLEE YE INTO ANOTHER] The apostles are forbidden to court martyrdom, and the wisest leaders of the later Church, e.g. Polycarp and Cyprian, gave the same advice. It was often found that those who rushed eagerly forward to claim martyrdom contrary to our Lord's command, were denied the grace to attai... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DISCIPLE, etc.] A favourite saying of Jesus used in several different connexions. Here it means that the apostles are not to expect better treatment than their Master. In Luke 6:40 it means that the disciples of blind spiritual guides are as blind as their teachers. In John 13:16 it means that s... [ Continue Reading ]
BEELZEBUB] cp. Matthew 12:24; John 8:48; John 8:52. The true form here is _Beelzeboul,_ which is altered from _Baalzebub_ (2 Kings 1:2). 'Baalzebub' means 'Lord of flies,' and appears in OT. as a god of Ekron who gave oracles. 'Beelzeboul' in NT. is the devil. The NT. form perhaps means 'master of t... [ Continue Reading ]
FEAR THEM NOT THEREFORE] for the whole effect of their persecutions will be to publish abroad the gospel, which but for their action would have remained obscure: cp. Mark 4:22; Luke 8:17; Luke 12:2; Luke 12:3.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT I TELL YOU IN DARKNESS] A prophecy that the labours of the apostles will be more successful than those of Jesus Himself. He taught with indifferent success in the obscurity of an insignificant and remote province. They will teach successfully in the publicity of the great cities of the empire,... [ Continue Reading ]
HIM WHICH IS ABLE] i.e. God, not, as some strangely take it, the devil. IN HELL] i.e. Gehenna, the place of final punishment: see Matthew 5:22.... [ Continue Reading ]
SPARROWS] At the present day, in the markets of Jerusalem and Jaffa, long strings of little birds, sparrows and larks, are offered for sale, trussed on wooden skewers. FARTHING] (Lat. _assarius_) i.e. about a farthing and a third. 32, 33. The sense is that in the day of judgment men's fate will dep... [ Continue Reading ]
THINK NOT, etc.] Christ could not expect that His claim to absolute dominion over the soul of man and all human institutions, would be accepted without a bitter struggle. But knowing such a struggle to be necessary for the establishment of peace with God and of permanent peace on earth, He deliberat... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT LOVETH FATHER, etc.] This explains the stronger expression in Luke 14:26 about 'hating' father and mother. Observe here, again, the tremendous stress upon personal loyalty to Christ.... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKETH NOT HIS CROSS] i.e. he that is not willing to follow Me to martyrdom is not worthy of Me. The 'cross' stands here, not for trouble in general (though this is included), but for actual crucifixion, the most painful and degrading form of martyrdom. The condemned criminal was forced to 'take' or... [ Continue Reading ]
Cp. Luke 17:33, where the context is different. HE THAT FINDETH HIS LIFE] i.e. saves his life in time of persecution by denying Me, SHALL LOSE IT in the next world. HE THAT LOSETH HIS LIFE, i.e. by martyrdom, FOR MY SAKE SHALL FIND IT in the next world, i.e. shall enjoy immortal life. The passage ma... [ Continue Reading ]
Cp. Luke 10:16. HE THAT RECEIVETH YOU] Those who receive Christ's representatives, the apostles, and after them His ministers (i.e. those who believe their message spoken in His name), receive Him, and with Him His Father.... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT RECEIVETH A PROPHET, etc.] The meaning is that those who receive the apostles, because they recognise them to be prophets and righteous men and disciples, will receive the same reward as they, eternal life. IN THE NAME OF A PROPHET] i.e. simply because he is a prophet (a Hebraism).... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE LITTLE ONES] a tender name for the apostles themselves. Even those who only help on their mission by offering them a cup of cold water as they journey, will be rewarded: cp. Mark 9:41. Some think that 'little ones' was a standing title for pupils of the rabbis, but clear proof is wanting.... [ Continue Reading ]