1.
And 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.
2.
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;
apostles = those sent forth. See note on Mark 3:14 .
Zebedee. See note on Matthew 4:21 .
3.
Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;
Bartholomew, Thomas, and Matthew . . . Alphaeus . . . Thaddaeus. These are all Aramaic words. See App-94 .
the publican = the tax-gatherer. Note the Figure of speech Ampliatio. App-6 .
Alphaeus. Hebrew. halphah. Same root as Cleophas; and probably the same name, if not the same person, as John 19:25 .
4.
Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
Canaanite. The Aramaic word for the Greek Zelotes (Luke 6:15 .Acts 1:13; Acts 1:13 ) = Zealot: so called from his zeal for the Law. See App-94 . Josephus ( Bell . Jud. Matthew 4:3 , Matthew 4:9 ) says the sect of "Zealots" did not arise till just before the fall of Jerusalem.
Judas Iscariot. The only apostle not from Galilee. He belonged to Judah.
also betrayed Him = even betrayed Him.
betrayed = delivered up.
5.
These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
Go not = Go not abroad: i.e. from the land.
6.
But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
to. Greek. pros .
lost sheep. Compare Ezekiel 34:16 ; and Matthew 15:24 ; Matthew 18:11 .Luke 19:10 .
the house of Israel. A Hebraism = the family of Israel. See note on 1 Kings 12:17 .
7.
And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
preach = herald. Greek. kerusso. See App-121 .
The kingdom of heaven. See App-114 .
heaven = the heavens. See note on Matthew 6:9 , Matthew 6:10 .
is at hand = is drawn nigh. Compare Matthew 4:17 .
8.
Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
the sick = sick ones.
the lepers = leprous ones.
the dead = dead people. See App-139 .
devils = demons. Compare Matthew 10:1 .
9.
Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,
gold . . . silver . . . brass. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6 , for the money made from them.
purses = girdles, some of which contain pockets for money and valuables.
10.
Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.
scrip = that which is written: then a small wallet that holds such a writing. Greek. pera. Only here, Mark 6:8 . Luke 9:3 ; Luke 10:4 , and Luke 22:35 , Luke 22:36 . Not a "purse", because no money: not a "bread bag" because no bread (Luke 9:4 . Deissmann quotes an Inscription at Kefr-Hauar, in Syria, in which a slave of a temple, "sent by the lady" on a begging expedition, brought back each journey seventy bags ( pera ) of money which he had collected. The Lord means they were not to beg.
shoes = sandals (i.e. not a spare pair).
Staves = a staff (for walking), not clubs. See note on Matthew 26:47 .
meat. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6 , for all kinds of food.
11.
And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.
town = village, as in Matthew 9:35 .
12.
And when ye come into an house, salute it.
an house = a man's house.
salute it: i.e. make your salaam = pronounce "peace".
13.
And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.
peace. Referring to the salaam of Matthew 10:12 .
14.
And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
shake off, &c. Figure of speech Paroemia. App-6 . Compare Matthew 18:17 . See Acts 13:51 .
15.
Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
Verily, &c. See note on Matthew 6:18 .
the day of judgment. Which the Lord spoke of as imminent, and coming at the end of that dispensation, had the nation repented.
16.
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos ( App-6 ), for emphasis.
sheep . . . wolves. No Art., for all sheep are not in the midst of wolves.
be ye = become ye.
serpents . . . doves. With Art., because all serpents are prudent, and all doves harmless.
harmless = guileless.
17.
But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
of = away from: i.e. beware [and keep] away from. Greek. apo. App-104 .
men. Plural of anthropos. App-123 .
you. This was true of the Twelve ("them that heard Him": Hebrews 2:3 ) in the dispensation of the Acts.
to = unto.
the councils = councils. Courts of justice.
18.
And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
And = Yea and; or And . . . kings also.
before. Greek. epi.
for My sake = on account of Me. Greek. heneken.
for = with a view to.
against = unto.
Gentiles = nations.
19.
But 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.
they deliver you up. All texts read "they shall have delivered you up".
take no thought = be not anxious (as in Matthew 6:25 , Matthew 6:27 , Matthew 6:28 , Matthew 6:31 , Matthew 6:34 ).
shall = should.
20.
For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.
the Spirit = the Spirit (Himself). See App-101 .
21.
And 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.
child . . . children. Greek plural of teknon. App-108 .
against. Greek. epi . App-104 . Not the same as in Matthew 10:18 .
cause them to be put to death = will put them to death.
22.
And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
shall = will.
of = by. Greek. hupo.
all. Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Genus), App-6 , for the greater part.
for = on account of. Greek. dia .
end. Greek. telo s (not sunteleia) . See notes on Matthew 24:3 , and App-114 ): i.e. of that dispensation, which would have thus ended had the nation repented at the call of Peter (Acts 3:19-26 ). As it did not repent, this is of course now future. Compare 1 Corinthians 1:8 .
shall be saved = he shall be saved (escape or be delivered). Compare Matthew 24:4-14 .
23.
But 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.
another = into the other: i.e. the next. Greek. allos ( App-124 .), but all texts read heteros. App-124 .
not = by no means; in no wise. Greek. ou me.
gone over = completed, or finished [going over].
till. See the four: Matthew 10:23 ; Matthew 16:28 ; Mat 28:39 ; Matthew 24:34 .
the Son of man. See App-98 .
be come = may have come. This is rendered hypothetical by the Particle an (which cannot be translated), because His coming depended on the repentance of Israel (Acts 3:19-26 ). It would then have been (and will now yet be) the judicial coming of "the Son of Man". Compare Acts 17:31 .
24.
The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.
The disciple = a pupil.
above. Greek. huper.
master = teacher. App-98 . Matthew 10:4 .
servant = bondservant.
lord = master.
25.
It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?
enough = sufficient.
be = become.
have called. All the texts read "have surnamed".
Beelzebub. Aramaic, Beelzeboul. App-94 .
Beelzebub = the lord of flies (2 Kings 1:2 ), was the god of the Ekronites. It was changed in contempt by the Israelites to Baalzebel = lord of the dunghill, and thence used of the prince of the demons.
shall they call. These italics are unnecessary.
them of his household. Greek. oikiakos. Occurs only here, and Matthew 10:36 .
26.
Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
Fear . . . not = Ye should not fear.
covered = concealed.
27.
What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.
darkness = the darkness.
that. For this word italics are not needed.
light = the light.
hear in the ear. A Hebraism. Figure of speech Polyptoton. App-6 . Compare Genesis 20:8 ; Genesis 23:16 . Exodus 10:2 .Isaiah 5:9 . Acts 11:22 .
in = into. Greek. eis.
upon. Greek. epi . App-104 .
housetops. The usual place of proclamation.
28.
And 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.
fear not. Hebrew. yare'min. Deuteronomy 1:29 ; Deuteronomy 5:5 .Psalms 3:6 ; Psalms 27:1 .
them = [and flee] from them. Greek. apo.
kill. Man causes the loss of life, but he cannot kill: i.e. "destroy" it. Only God can do that.
the soul. Greek. psuche. See App-110 .
destroy. Note the difference. Not "kill" merely. Compare Luke 12:4 , Luke 12:5 .
hell. Greek. geenna. See note on Matthew 5:22 , and App-131 .
29.
Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
for a farthing. Greek. assarion. Compare Luke 12:6 , "five sold for two assarions " is not the same; but the difference may arise from the market price, which varied from time to time. Deissmann tells us that a fragment of a papyrus was discovered at Aegira (in Achaea, on the Corinthian gulf), in 1899, containing part of a market tariff of Diocletian (third century, A.D.), showing that sparrows were sold in tens. The tariff fixed the maximum price of ten for sixteen denarii (about 31/2 d. Eng. In our Lord's day, therefore, the market value would be Neh 1 d . Eng.) See App-51 .
of = from among Greek. ek.
on. Greek. epi.
without your Father: i.e. without His knowledge or will.
30.
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
hairs . . . numbered. Note the Figure of speech Parechesis. App-6 . In Aramaic, hairs = mene .
numbered = mana.
31.
Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
32.
Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
confess Me. Greek confess in ( en . App-104 .) Me. Aramaic idiom.
I confess also = I also confess. Compare Matthew 10:33 .
33.
But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
34.
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
I am come = I came. Compare Matthew 10:6 , and Matthew 15:24 .
send = cast, as seed. Compare Mark 4:26 .
earth. Greek. ge. See App-129 .
sword. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6 , for "war" or "fightings".
35.
For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
set . . . at variance. Greek. dichazo. Occurs only here. Quoted from Micah 7:6 .
the daughter, &c. See App-117 .
36.
And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
37.
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
loveth = is fonder of. See App-135 .
more than = above. Greek. huper.
38.
And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
cross. Greek. stauros. See App-162 . All criminals bore their own cross (John 19:17 ). Compare Matthew 16:25 .
39.
He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
He that findeth = He that has found. Note the Introversion in this verse (find, lose; lose, find).
life = soul. See App-110 .
loseth = has lost.
for My sake = on account of Me. Luke 14:14 ; Luke 20:35 , Luke 20:36 . John 5:29 ; John 11:25 .
find it. In resurrection. Compare 1 Peter 4:19 .
40.
He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
you. Those to whom the Lord spoke cannot be excluded.
receiveth. Note the Figure of speech Anadiplosis ( App-6 ), in verses: Matthew 10:40 , Matthew 10:41 .
41.
He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.
a prophet. See App-49 .
in the name of: i.e. because he is. A Hebraism ( b'shem) . Exodus 5:23 .Jeremiah 11:21 .
in. Greek. eis. As in Matthew 10:27 .
42.
And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
these little ones: i.e. the Twelve. Compare Matthew 18:6 .
of = full of or containing. Genitive of the contents. App-17 .
in no wise. See App-105 .