AND WHEN HE HAD CALLED TO HIM HIS TWELVE DISCIPLES,.... These persons had been for some time called by the grace of God, and were already the disciples of Christ, and such as were more familiar and intimate with him, than others, that went by that name. They had sat down at his feet, and had receive... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THE NAMES OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES ARE THESE,.... This is the first time these disciples are called "apostles", they were learners before; now being instructed, they are sent forth to preach publicly, and therefore are called apostles, or messengers, persons that were sent: so the elders of the pr... [ Continue Reading ]
PHILIP AND BARTHOLOMEW,.... The first of these was called next; his name is a Greek one, which his parents, though Jews, might take from the Greeks that dwelt among them, see John 12:20 mention is made of one R. Phelipi, and Phulipa, in the Jewish writings q. The latter of these, Bartholomew, is con... [ Continue Reading ]
SIMON THE CANAANITE, AND JUDAS ISCARIOT,.... This is the last couple, for they are all mentioned by pairs, because they were sent forth "by two and two", as the Evangelist Mark says, Mark 6:7. The former of these is called Simon the Canaanite, to distinguish him from Simon Peter, before mentioned; n... [ Continue Reading ]
THESE TWELVE JESUS SENT FORTH,.... And no other but them, under the character of apostles. These had been with him a considerable time, to whom he had been gradually communicating spiritual knowledge; and by the benefit of private conference with him, and the observation they had made upon his doctr... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT GO RATHER TO THE LOST SHEEP OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL. To whom he himself was sent, Matthew 15:24. By "the house of Israel" is meant the whole Jewish nation; for though this phrase, when distinguished from the house of Judah, designs only the ten tribes; yet here it intends all the Jews, then livin... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AS YE GO,.... Through the cities of Judea, and the streets thereof, from one city to another, from place to place; for these were itinerant preachers, who were not to abide long in any place, but to move about, that the Gospel might be spread all over the land, and the lost sheep in every corner... [ Continue Reading ]
HEAL THE SICK,.... For so he had given them power to do, and this both for the confirmation of their doctrine, and the recommendation of them to men; for nothing could more evidently prove their mission to be divine, and their doctrine from heaven, or be more acceptable to men, than to "heal" their... [ Continue Reading ]
PROVIDE NEITHER GOLD, NOR SILVER, NOR BRASS,.... That is, not any sort of "money", as both Mark and Luke express it: for money was then coined, as now, of these three sorts of metals, and which include all kind of money; so that they were not to provide, get, prepare, or take along with them for the... [ Continue Reading ]
NOR SCRIP FOR YOUR JOURNEY,.... This the Jews call תרמיל, "tarmil": and which their commentators n say, is a large leathern bag, in which shepherds and travellers put their food, and other things, and carried with them, hanging it about their necks; so that the disciples were neither to carry money... [ Continue Reading ]
AND INTO WHATSOEVER CITY OR TOWN YE SHALL ENTER,.... As Christ had instructed them in what manner they were to travel, so he directs them where to go, and who to ask for, and take up their abode with, in the several towns and villages to which they should come; that as soon as they had entered any t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN YE COME INTO AN HOUSE,.... Or the "house"; that is, the house of an hospitable man, when, upon inquiry, found out: SALUTE IT; meaning the inhabitants of it; or, as the Persic version reads, those of the household, especially the master of the family. Some copies add, saying, peace be to th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF THE HOUSE BE WORTHY,.... If the family, and particularly the master of it, appeared to be civil, courteous, friendly, and hospitable, upon such a salutation, and ready to receive and embrace them, and provide for them, LET YOUR PEACE COME UPON IT, or it shall come upon it; the imperative for... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHOSOEVER SHALL NOT RECEIVE YOU,.... Into their houses, and refuse to entertain them and provide for them in a friendly manner; NOR HEAR YOUR WORDS, slight their salutations, make no account of, but despise their good wishes for their welfare; and also treat with contempt the doctrines of the G... [ Continue Reading ]
VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU,.... This was not all the punishment that should be inflicted on such despisers of the Gospel of Christ, and the ministers of it; as not to enjoy that peace and prosperity wished for by the apostles, and to be declared to be on an equal foot with Heathen cities and countries:... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, I SEND YOU FORTH, AS SHEEP AMONG WOLVES,.... This, and the following verses, chiefly respect the troubles, afflictions, persecutions, and sufferings which should befall the apostles after the death and resurrection of Christ; when their commission was enlarged, and they afresh sent out by Ch... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT BEWARE OF MEN,.... Of these men, comparable to wolves, before spoken of: the phrase is somewhat uncommon and emphatical, and designs not merely wicked men in common, the men of the world, and enemies of the Gospel; but chiefly such of them as were men of note and authority, ecclesiastical and ci... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YE SHALL BE BROUGHT BEFORE GOVERNORS,.... Meaning Roman governors; so Paul was had before Gallio, Felix, and Festas; for judgments relating to life and death were to be taken away, and were taken away from the Jewish sanhedrim; and as they themselves say f, forty years before the destruction of... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHEN THEY DELIVER YOU UP,.... The apostles hearing that they should be delivered up to councils, and brought before governors and kings, might be under some concern how they should behave, and what they should be able to say in vindication of themselves and truth, before such great persons; they... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IT IS NOT YE THAT SPEAK,.... Not but that they were to speak the words, and did; but then both the things they spoke, and the very words in which they spoke them, were not of themselves, but were suggested and dictated by the Spirit of God; for as "the preparation of the heart" in them, so "the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE BROTHER SHALL DELIVER UP THE BROTHER TO DEATH,.... Christ having fortified the minds of his disciples by the foregoing promises of divine influence and assistance, proceeds to open more largely and particularly the sorrows, troubles, and afflictions they must expect would attend the faithful... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YE SHALL BE HATED OF ALL MEN FOR MY NAME'S SAKE,..... This is more particularly directed to the apostles themselves, as what is said before regards the followers of Christ in general; for this was to be the lot of the apostles, that they should not only be ill treated in common with others, by t... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHEN THEY PERSECUTE YOU IN THIS CITY,.... Or any city into which they went, and preached the Gospel; and would not suffer them to go on in their work, they were not to desist, but to go elsewhere, where they might hope for a better reception, and a longer continuance, and so of doing more good:... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DISCIPLE IS NOT ABOVE HIS MASTER,.... So far from it, that he is inferior to him; as in knowledge, so in reputation and character; and cannot expect the same honour to be given him, and the same respect shown to him, as to his master; and therefore if his master is not used with that decency, an... [ Continue Reading ]
IT IS ENOUGH FOR THE DISCIPLE THAT HE BE AS HIS MASTER,.... A disciple should think himself very well off, be entirely satisfied, yea, abundantly thankful, if he meets with no worse treatment than his master; if he has the same honour done him his master has, this is more than could be expected by h... [ Continue Reading ]
FEAR THEM NOT, THEREFORE,.... That is, be not afraid of men, and of their reproaches and revilings; which our Lord intimates would do them no more hurt, than they did him, and which in a little while would be all wiped away: time would bring all things to light, when the wickedness of these men woul... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT I TELL YOU IN DARKNESS,.... Hence Christ proceeds to encourage his disciples to an open, plain, and faithful ministration of the Gospel, not fearing the faces and frowns of men. For with respect to the Gospel, his meaning is, that what was hid and covered should not remain so, but should be rev... [ Continue Reading ]
AND FEAR NOT THEM WHICH KILL THE BODY,.... This is a "periphrasis" of bloody persecutors, who, not content to revile, scourge, and imprison, put the faithful ministers of Christ to death, in the most cruel and torturing manner; and yet are not so to be feared and dreaded by them, as to discourage an... [ Continue Reading ]
ARE NOT TWO SPARROWS SOLD FOR A FARTHING?.... A farthing, with the Jews, was a very small coin; according to them it contained four grains of silver b; was the ninety sixth part of a "sela", or shilling c; and sometimes they make it to be of the same value with an Italian farthing: for they say d, i... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE VERY HAIRS OF YOUR HEAD ARE ALL NUMBERED. A proverbial expression, showing the perfect knowledge God has, and the exquisite care he takes, in providence, of all his creatures, particularly men, and especially his dear children and faithful ministers; as not a sparrow, so not a single hair of... [ Continue Reading ]
FEAR YE NOT THEREFORE,.... Neither be afraid of men, nor distrust the providence of God; for if that reaches to the meanest of creatures, sparrows, and to that which is of the least account with men, the single hair of a man's head; much more must it regard the lives of men, and still more such usef... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSOEVER THEREFORE SHALL CONFESS ME BEFORE MEN,.... The confession of Christ here, more especially designed, does not so much intend, though it may include, that which is less public, and is necessary to be made by every believer in Christ: for it is not enough to believe in him, with the heart, bu... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHOSOEVER SHALL DENY ME BEFORE MEN,.... Deny that he is a disciple of Christ, and that Christ is his Lord and master, act contrary to him, deliver things repugnant to his mind and will; which for a disciple to do to his master was a very heinous crime with the Jews: "if (say they n) Rabbi Jocha... [ Continue Reading ]
THINK NOT YE THAT I AM COME TO SEND PEACE ON EARTH,.... The Jews had a notion of great outward peace and prosperity in the days of the Messiah; which was grounded on several prophecies of the Old Testament, not rightly understood by them; and the disciples of Christ had imbibed the same notion: wher... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR I AM COME TO SET A MAN AT VARIANCE AGAINST,.... Or "to divide a man from his father". Here our Lord opens and explains what he means by the sword, intestine divisions, domestic broils, family differences, as well as such as appear in towns, cities, and kingdoms, which are exemplified by other in... [ Continue Reading ]
AND A MAN'S FOES SHALL BE THEY OF HIS OWN HOUSEHOLD. His children, and his servants, such that he has either begotten and brought up, or are daily fed at his table, and maintained by him. This, with the former instances, are borrowed from Micah 7:6 and the times of the Gospel are set forth in the sa... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT LOVETH FATHER OR MOTHER MORE THAN ME,.... The design of these words, is not at all to lessen the due affection of children to their parents; or to detract from the respect and esteem, in which they ought to be had by them: it is the duty of children, to love, honour, and, obey them; who have... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE THAT TAKETH NOT HIS CROSS,.... By the "cross", which was a Roman punishment, whereby malefactors were put to death, are meant all sorts of afflictions, reproaches, persecutions, and death itself; and particularly the ill will, hatred, and persecution, of near relations and friends, which must... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT FINDETH HIS LIFE SHALL LOSE IT,.... That man that seeks to preserve his life, and the temporal enjoyments of it, by a sinful compliance with his friends and the world, and by a denial of Christ, or non-confession of him; if he is not, by the providence of God, deprived of the good things of... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT RECEIVETH YOU, RECEIVETH ME,.... This is said to comfort the disciples, lest they should conclude from this account of the sorrows, afflictions, and persecutions they were to meet with, that there would be none that would receive them and their message; Christ therefore suggests, that there... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT RECEIVETH A PROPHET IN THE NAME OF A PROPHET,.... By "a prophet" is meant, not one that foretells things to come, but a preacher of the Gospel; for as prophesying sometimes signifies preaching, so a prophet designs a minister of the word: and to "receive" him, is not only to embrace his doct... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHOSOEVER SHALL GIVE TO DRINK UNTO ONE OF THESE LITTLE ONES,.... Our Lord gradually descends from prophets to righteous men, and from righteous men, to those of the lowest form and class among them; who have the least measure of grace, and share of spiritual light, and knowledge; who are outward... [ Continue Reading ]