Have you ever heard a motivational speaker? They usually have great positive messages, are happy, and very encouraging. They are joyful salesmen for the betterment of humanity. They seem to be able to sell snow cones to Eskimos. Jesus was not that. In fact we would probably not want to go to a mission trip planning meeting that Jesus was leading because he told people the truth. Jesus chose the twelve disciples, then told them that he is going to send them out on a suicide mission among wolves. He does not coddle them or give them mashed peas and carrots. He gives them rocks and dirt and tells them to enjoy it. We seldom take Jesus’ words seriously, but it took true strength to establish his ministry. The disciples serving him were not soft, they were intense and willing to die for the Messiah they followed. Jesus calls his twelve disciples and tells them to go all over Israel casting out demons, healing people, and raising the dead, but that they will be persecuted, whipped, and pursued from city to city. Who wants to sign up? Jesus says that he is throwing a sword, not peace, so they should get ready because their families would be divided. And yet they still signed up. Jesus describes a really harsh reality to the disciples, but oddly enough they still all want to go out ahead of Jesus and do the things that he is sending them to do. We are so used to hearing happy cheerful messages from our smiling pastors that we assume Jesus did the same. He didn’t.
In Matthew 10:1-15 we have Jesus calling his disciples, the twelve, to a mission trip. They are being sent out to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. At this time, after the temple split during the civil war of the Maccabean era, the holy men, the Assadeans and the order of holy desert scribes, the Zedek/Zadok priests, and the prophets were the people who left Jerusalem when the temple was defiled. They had one hundred years to organize themselves into communal living, mostly on the outskirts of the cities. They attended synagogues but did not participate with the Pharisees and Sadducees because of the defilement of the high priesthood. Jesus sends the disciples to these worthy households. As he is preparing them for what they will encounter Jesus actually tells them to be prepared to be whipped in the synagogues. This is not the type of mission trip that people go on today. Many times missions trips have become a tour group.
Matthew 10:1 G2532 And G4341 having called on G3588 G1427 [2twelve G3101 3disciples G1473 1his], G1325 he gave G1473 to them G1849 authority G4151 [2spirits G169 1of unclean], G5620 so as to G1544 cast them out, G1473 G2532 and G2323 to cure G3956 every G3554 disease G2532 and G3956 every G3119 infirmity.
2 G3588 And of the G1427 twelve G652 apostles, G3588 the G3686 names G1510.2.6 are G3778 these; G4413 first G* Simon G3588 the one G3004 being called G* Peter, G2532 and G* Andrew G3588 G80 his brother; G1473 G* James G3588 the G3588 son of G* Zebedee, G2532 and G* John G3588 G80 his brother; G1473
3 G* Philip G2532 and G* Bartholomew; G* Thomas, G2532 and G* Matthew G3588 the G5057 tax collector; G* James G3588 the G3588 son of G* Alphaeus, G2532 and G* Lebbaeus G3588 the one G1941 called G* Thaddaeus;
4 G* Simon G3588 the G* Canaanite, G2532 and G* Judas G* Iscariot, G3588 the one G2532 also G3860 having delivered him up. G1473
5 G3778 These G3588 G1427 twelve G649 Jesus sent, G3588 G* G3853 exhorting G1473 them, G3004 saying, G1519 Unto G3598 the way G1484 of the nations G3361 you should not G565 go forth, G2532 and G1519 unto G4172 a city G* of Samaritans G3361 you should not G1525 enter.
6 G4198 But you go G1161 G3123 rather G4314 to G3588 the G4263 [2sheep G3588 G622 1lost] G3624 of the house G* of Israel!
7 G4198 And going, G2784 proclaim! G3004 saying G3754 that, G1448 [5approaches G3588 1The G932 2kingdom G3588 3of the G3772 4heavens].
When Jesus spoke to multitudes he spoke about the kingdom of God, but he spoke to his disciples about the kingdom of heaven. Here Jesus is telling the disciples to speak about the kingdom of heaven to the lost sheep. When we understand who these people are, the Assadeans, Essenes, Nazarenes, Therapeutaes, Zedek/Zadok priests and prophets, we understand that the phrase “lost sheep” does not apply to all Jews. It only applies to the holy saints. We tend to think in black and white, all or nothing, but we see that in every society there are people calling themselves “Christians”, and then there are holy Christians, people who actually live the precepts of Christianity in their lives. The same is true here.
Matthew 10:8 G770 Ones being weak G2323 cure! G3498 Dead G1453 raise up! G3015 Leprous G2511 cleanse! G1140 Demons G1544 cast out! G1431 Freely G2983 you received, G1431 freely G1325 you give!
9 G3361 You should not G2932 acquire G5557 gold, G3366 nor G696 silver, G3366 nor G5475 brass coin G1519 in G3588 G2223 your belts, G1473
10 G3361 nor G4082 a provision bag G1519 for G3598 the way, G3366 nor G1417 two G5509 inner garments, G3366 nor G5266 sandals, G3366 nor G4464 rods; G514 [5worth G1063 1for G3588 2the G2040 3worker G3588 G5160 6his provision G1473 G1510.2.3 4is].
11 G1519 And into whatever G3739 G1161 G302 G4172 city G2228 or G2968 town G1525 you should enter, G1833 inquire diligently G5100 who G1722 in G1473 it G514 is worthy, G1510.2.3 G2546 and there G3306 remain G2193 until G302 whenever G1831 you should go forth!
12 G1525 And entering G1161 G1519 into G3588 the G3614 house, G782 greet G1473 it!
13 G2532 And G1437 if G3303 indeed G1510.3 [3might be G3588 1the G3614 2house] G514 worthy, G2064 let [2come G3588 G1515 1your peace] G1473 G1909 upon G1473 it! G1437 But if G1161 G3361 it might not be G1510.3 G514 worthy, G3588 G1515 [2your peace G1473 G4314 4to G1473 5you G1994 1let 3return]!
14 G2532 And G3739 who G1437 ever G3361 should not G1209 receive G1473 you, G3366 nor G191 should hear G3588 G3056 your words, G1473 G1831 in going forth from G3588 the G3614 residence G2228 or G3588 G4172 that city, G1565 G1621 shake off G3588 the G2868 dust G3588 G4228 of your feet! G1473
15 G281 Amen G3004 I say G1473 to you, G414 More endurable G1510.8.3 will it be G1093 to the land G* of Sodom G2532 and G* Gomorrah G1722 in G2250 the day G2920 of judgment, G2228 than G3588 to G4172 that city. G1565
Jesus sends the disciples to people he knew and went to school with in the desert. All people of this holy order sent their sons to school from ages 16 to 20. At 20 they could choose to school ten more years until they were 30. Jesus and his cousin John did the full fourteen years of schooling.
We do not really understand history in Nazareth. There is a reason that Nathanael didn’t think anything good could come out of Nazareth. Nazareth was not a town at this point in time, it was a Roman garrison in the first century. Think of Nazareth as the American wild west, or gold mining camps, or gambling towns of the early 1900’s. There were Roman solders living there and their families. This means that the Jews living in the immediate region of Nazareth were merchants. Soldiers and their families needed food, clothing, home builders, rugs, bars, restaurants, liquor stores, prostitutes, etc. The merchant Jews lived near the garrison. On the outskirts of most cities in Israel during this time, the order of holy men, the Assideans, Essenes, Nazarenes, Therapeutaes, Damascus Community, Zedek/Zadok priests, and prophets, lived communally. These were the homes of the people that the disciples were to stay in when they traveled.
Jesus gives some instructions, then gets to the crazy part, he tells them that they will be abused, pursued, and ridiculed.
Matthew 10:16 G2400 Behold, G1473 I G649 send G1473 you G5613 as G4263 sheep G1722 in G3319 the midst G3074 of wolves. G1096 Be G3767 then G5429 skilled G5613 as G3588 the G3789 serpents, G2532 and G185 unmixed G5613 as G3588 the G4058 doves!
Jesus is sending the disciples out as sheep in the middle of wolves, but he tells them to be skilled as serpents. The word phronimos means “thoughtful, sagacious, wise, intelligent”. The disciples were to have keen mental discernment. If we are surrounded by wolves we have to become more observant than reactionary. Looking for the weakness in the wolf pack, looking for opportunity to escape is what intelligent serpents do. The disciples were to be unmixed as doves. The word akeraios means “innocent, simple, and sincere”. It is pure in blood, like a harmless pigeon.
Matthew 10:17 G4337 And take heed G1161 G575 of G3588 the G444 men! G3860 for they shall deliver G1063 G1473 you G1519 unto G4892 sanhedrins, G2532 and G1722 in G3588 G4864 their synagogues G1473 G3146 they shall whip G1473 you.
Who is doing the work of Satanas? Manfaced. These are men, as compared to angels, who are working for Satanas for their own gain. The Sanhedrin were an assembly of ecclesiastical judges who had the power to judge and punish people in the synagogues, similar to a supreme court. It was based off the institution that Moses set up in Numbers 11 to judge the disagreements of the people. As with all “governing bodies” corruption enters in when men are led into error by demons. Jesus says that they will whip you. This certainly doesn’t seem like the happy clappy evangelism we see today where if you become a Christian “all your dreams will come true”. The proving of every Christian is how hard one will fight for Jesus. They will whip us, they will excommunicate us, they will chase us down. Will we still lay our lives down for Him?
Matthew 10:18 G2532 And G1909 before G2232 governors G1161 also G2532 and G935 kings G71 you shall be led G1752 because of G1473 me, G1519 for G3142 a testimony G1473 to them G2532 and G3588 to the G1484 nations.
Not only will the evil men drag the disciples before the religious judges, they will drag the disciples to the Roman courts, governors, and kings. This is purposeful so that the governments, kings, and nations, all hear about Jesus. There is no greater honor than to witness to nations and governments, but this is one way we would not choose. Today we might choose to witness to people, but rarely would we choose to be beaten so that we can witness to nations. Yet this is what Jesus was asking the disciples to do. Jesus wasn’t sugarcoating their future.
Matthew 10:19 G3752 And whenever G1161 G3860 they deliver G1473 you, G3361 be not anxious G3309 G4459 how G2228 or G5100 what G2980 you should speak; G1325 for it shall be given G1063 G1473 to you G1722 in G1565 that G3588 G5610 hour G5100 what G2980 you should speak;
Jesus says do not be anxious, or do not worry. Do not be distracted. Merimnaō means to “be troubled” but also means “to see, to promote one’s interests”. Jesus says not to think about how to get out of trouble or ways to argue your case. Just don’t even think about what to say. Why?
Matthew 10:20 G3756 [4not G1063 1for G1473 2you G1510.2.5 3are] G3588 the ones G2980 speaking, G235 but G3588 the G4151 spirit G3588 G3962 of your father, G1473 G3588 the one G2980 speaking G1722 in G1473 you.
The Holy Spirit will speak through the disciples. The Holy Spirit speaks through us as well. Whenever we have to give an account of ourselves to religious leaders, governments, and nations, the Holy Spirit will inspire each of us to speak. It will be skillful, cutting, exposing, and captivating. We see this throughout the book of Acts. We cannot expect to be eloquent on our own, but we can expect to be articulate when the Holy Spirit gives us the words to speak.
Matthew 10:21 G3860 [3shall deliver up G1161 1But G80 2brother] G80 brother G1519 unto G2288 death, G2532 and G3962 a father G5043 a child. G2532 And G1881 [2shall rise up G5043 1children] G1909 against G1118 parents, G2532 and G2289 shall put them to death. G1473
Jesus tells the disciples not to expect their families to go along with them. They will sell them out. Our families will sell us out too, even if they have been good church going people. They would rather hide and renounce Jesus as Lord than announce Jesus is Lord to the entire world upon threat of death.
Matthew 10:22 G2532 And G1510.8.5 you will be G3404 detested G5259 by G3956 all G1223 on account of G3588 G3686 my name. G1473 G3588 But the one G1161 G5278 remaining G1519 unto G5056 completion, G3778 this one G4982 shall be delivered.
The disciples were going to receive a backlash from their own friends and families. Yet if they endure to the telos, “the end or the fulfillment”, then they would be sōzō, “saved, healed, whole”. There is wholeness at the completion, there is healing at the fulfillment. This tells us that we have to endure to the end of this life as well, whether we die peacefully, are harpazo’d, or we are beaten because we are hated for being followers of Jesus Messiah.
Matthew 10:23 G3752 But whenever G1161 G1377 they should persecute G1473 you G1722 in G3588 G4172 this city, G3778 G5343 flee G1519 unto G3588 the G243 other! G281 For amen G1063 G3004 I say G1473 to you, G3766.2 In no way G5055 should you finish G3588 the G4172 cities G3588 G* of Israel, G2193 until G302 whenever G2064 [4should come G3588 1the G5207 2son G3588 G444 3of man].
The disciples were to pheugō, “take flight or escape” from the people pursuing them, to another city. Jesus says that they will in no way teleō, “complete, finish, fulfill, or end” the cities of Israel until the son of manfaced comes. Erchomai means “to come” or “to come from one place to another”. Jesus tells the disciples that if people pursue them in one city, then go to another city and preach there because they will not get to every city before Jesus comes to that city. His plan was to send out the twelve to heal, cast out demons, and raise the dead, and then Jesus would come into the cities after them. The people would have heard about Jesus and his Messiahship because of the miracles done and they would have wanted to come hear Jesus speak.
Matthew 10:24 G3756 [3not G1510.2.3 2is G3101 1A disciple] G5228 above G3588 the G1320 teacher, G3761 nor G1401 a servant G5228 above G3588 G2962 his master. G1473
Jesus says that they are not above him, their teacher. Servants are not above their master. We are in this position as servants. They persecuted Jesus, they will persecute us. Here is the thing, all the evil ones can use is fear to motivate us to stop following Jesus. If we take fear out of the equation then they have nothing. We endure to the end of our lives, then we will be made whole.
Matthew 10:25 G713 Sufficient G3588 to the G3101 disciple G2443 that G1096 he should become G5613 as G3588 G1320 his teacher, G1473 G2532 and G3588 the G1401 servant G5613 as G3588 G2962 his master. G1473 G1487 If G3588 [3the G3617 4master of the house G* 2Beelzebub G600.2 1they invoked], G4214 how much G3123 more G3588 the ones G3615 of his house?
It is arketos “sufficient, or enough”, for disciples to become teachers, and servants to become masters, yet if they are calling that teacher or master “Beelzebub”, then they will call the disciple or servant Beelzebub as well.
Matthew 10:26 G3361 You should not G3767 then G5399 fear G1473 them; G3762 for nothing G1063 G1510.2.3 is G2572 being covered, G3739 which G3756 shall not G601 be uncovered; G2532 and G2927 hidden, G3739 which G3756 shall not G1097 be known.
Jesus says not to fear the people who call us names. It will be revealed and unsealed that they in fact worked for Beelzebub, Satanas, and Drakōn. Take fear out of the equation.
Matthew 10:27 G3739 What G3004 I say G1473 to you G1722 in G3588 the G4653 darkness, G2036 you speak G1722 in G3588 the G5457 light! G2532 and G3739 what G1519 in G3588 the G3775 ear G191 you hear, G2784 proclaim G1909 upon G3588 the G1430 roofs!
Jesus tells the disciples to say the things that he tells them. Remember that they are going to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. They are to find worthy homes to stay in. Who are the worthy homes? The homes of the holy men, the Assideans, the Essenes, Nazarenes, the Therapeutaes, the Damascus Community, the Zedek/Zadok priests and prophets, any people from these communities living in the northern and southern kingdom are the worthy households. These were the holy saints living among the stiff-necked religious leaders and merchant Jews, who they were to stay with. They already lived communally and they all knew Jesus because Jesus came out of their order. The disciples were told not to go into Samaria.
What are those things that they are suppose to speak? We don’t know. We can assume that the things he told the disciples in private were specific things that they were to repeat. Jesus told them how to cast out demons and cure diseases. Jesus told them how to preach the kingdom of heaven and what they had to do to be included. He told them to raise the dead and cleanse the lepers, but not to take any payment for those things. Jesus told them that they were not to ask for money or to take extra clothes because they would be worthy of the food they were given.
People have often misquoted verse 10, claiming that if they do a good job in their preaching and ministering then they should be paid well. Jesus said don’t take any payment and whatever someone feeds you is good enough. If people did this today we would have a lot of skinny preachers.
Matthew 10:28 G2532 And G3361 fear not G5399 G575 of G3588 the ones G615 killing G3588 the G4983 body, G3588 [5the G1161 1but G5590 6soul G3361 2not G1410 3being able G615 4to kill]! G5399 But you fear G1161 G3123 rather G3588 the one G1410 being able G2532 both G5590 the soul G2532 and G4983 body G622 to destroy G1722 in G1067 Gehenna!
Jesus tells the disciples not to fear. This is a key point for them. They should fear the Elohim who can destroy in Gehenna the body and soul instead. This tells us that Gehenna is permanent death, while in hades the soul lives on. It is a detail worth focusing on. Every time Jesus talks about Gehenna he is speaking of permanent death. Jesus tells people that they are better off cutting out their eye or cutting off their hand than having their whole body thrown into Gehenna.
Matthew 10:29 G3780 Are not G1417 two G4765 sparrows G787 [2an assarion G4453 1sold for]? G2532 and G1520 one G1537 of G1473 them G3756 shall not G4098 fall G1909 upon G3588 the G1093 earth G427 without G3588 G3962 your father. G1473
30 G1473 But you, G1161 G2532 even G3588 the G2359 hairs G3588 of the G2776 head G3956 [2all G705 3counted G1510.2.6 1are].
31 G3361 Do not G3767 then G5399 fear! G4183 [2 than many G4765 3sparrows G1308 1you differ]. G1473
Jesus tells them that the Father knows about the sparrows, he also knows how many hairs they have. This is why they should not fear.
Matthew 10:32 G3956 Every one G3767 then G3748 whoever G3670 shall acknowledge G1722 being mine G1473 G1715 before G3588 G444 men, G3670 I shall acknowledge, G2504 even myself, G1722 him G1473 G1715 before G3588 G3962 my father, G1473 G3588 of the one G1722 in G3772 heavens.
33 G3748 And whoever G1161 G302 G720 should deny G1473 me G1715 before G3588 the G444 men, G720 I shall deny G1473 him, G2504 even myself, G1715 before G3588 G3962 my father, G1473 G3588 the one G1722 in G3772 the heavens.
This is the same idea that we see conveyed to the church of Sardis. We must confess with our mouths, Romans 10:9, as Paul confirms. Then Jesus will confess us before the Father. Where is the Father? In the kingdom of heaven. The very first basic requirement of the kingdom of heaven is confession of Jesus as Yahweh Messiah. There are a few other requirements as well but no one can get close to the Father if they deny Jesus is Lord.
Matthew 10:34 G3361 You should not G3543 think G3754 that G2064 I came G906 to cast G1515 peace G1909 upon G3588 the G1093 earth; G3756 I came not G2064 G906 to cast G1515 peace, G235 but G3162 a sword.
Jesus says that he did not come to throw peace, he came to throw a sword. This is the opposite of what we see in the church at large. Everyone wants to smile and be passive, but when Jesus is throwing swords the church gets offended and cries. The understanding of Jesus’ words is so far off base here it is akin to a Twilight Zone episode of some sort of “opposite day”. Jesus is throwing swords. Be ready.
Matthew 10:35 G2064 For I came G1063 G1369 to cleave G444 a man G2596 against G3588 G3962 his father, G1473 G2532 and G2364 a daughter G2596 against G3588 G3384 her mother, G1473 G2532 and G3565 a daughter-in-law G2596 against G3588 G3994 her mother-in-law; G1473
The word dichazō means to “divide in two or to disunite”, not cleave as in join together but as in using a cleaver to cut asunder. It is used with the word kata, meaning “downward”. It should read “I come for disunite manfaced downward his father”. It is a harsh idea. We want to be nice and loving, but Jesus did not come to unite families, he came to disunite families.
Matthew 10:36 G2532 and G2190 the enemies G3588 of the G444 man G3588 are the ones G3615 of his own house. G1473
Think about that. There are some lucky people who have family, both older and younger, as well as extended, that all love and serve Jesus, but it is more rare. The majority of us love our families in spite of being ridiculed for loving Jesus. Jesus is throwing swords and sometimes our family is our enemy.
Matthew 10:37 G3588 The one G5368 being fond of G3962 a father G2228 or G3384 mother G5228 above G1473 me, G3756 is not G1510.2.3 G1473 worthy of me; G514 G2532 and G3588 the one G5368 being fond of G5207 a son G2228 or G2364 daughter G5228 above G1473 me, G3756 is not G1510.2.3 G1473 worthy of me. G514
Here is an important point Jesus made to his disciples. If they were to phileō, “love and have affection for” their family above Jesus then they are not worthy of Jesus. This is simple enough for us to understand, but in their culture the family was a very strong dynamic and people did not simply abandon their families for a Messiah.
Matthew 10:38 G2532 And G3739 the one who G3756 does not G2983 take G3588 G4716 his cross G1473 G2532 and G190 follow G3694 after G1473 me, G3756 is not G1510.2.3 G1473 worthy of me. G514
Jesus lays out the charge, they were to take their cross, their exposure to death. In other words, put their lives on the line before murderous evil men and allow themselves to be killed for Jesus. Jesus says that if they were not willing to die for Him and to follow Him then they were not worthy of Him.
Just a reminder here, Jesus had not yet taken back the keys to death and hades. He had not set the captives free from Abraham’s bay yet. What he was saying was that they needed to be willing to die, and if they did die then there wouldn’t be any beautiful garden with trees to hang out in for a while. Could they do it? David did it. He even wrote about not being left in the grave, knowing that one day he would leave death for paradise. Abraham had to wait a really long time too. So did Abel, Noah, Shem, Isaac, and Jacob. Jesus was not really offering anything spectacular upon their death until after Jesus would be crucified. The disciples however were very steadfast in their calling and mission. Today we are given a marvelous hope as overcomers. We will meet Jesus in paradise, the garden of God. But Jesus couldn’t offer that to his disciples and yet they still followed Him and went out healing people.
Matthew 10:39 G3588 The one G2147 finding G3588 G5590 his life, G1473 G622 shall lose it; G1473 G2532 and G3588 the one G622 losing G3588 G5590 his life, G1473 G1752 because of G1473 me, G2147 shall find G1473 it.
If any of the disciples thought this was just a short term missions trip, Jesus tells them that they have to lose their lives to find life. Jesus was making it clear that there would be no vacations, no private jets to zip around the world, no glamorous restaurants to eat in, and no sites to see along the way. It was all in, death with eternal life, or death and no eternal life. What motivated these twelve men to do this? They left their wives, children, parents, extended families, and traveled around Israel healing the sick, casting out demons, and raising the dead. If they died along the way they would end up in Abraham’s Bay, they had no guarantee of transferring to paradise for two thousand years while the church body fills up.
Matthew 10:40 G3588 The one G1209 receiving G1473 you, G1473 receives me; G1209 G2532 and G3588 the one G1473 receiving me, G1209 G1209 receives G3588 the one G649 sending G1473 me.
Jesus goes on to talk about the people who would be hosting the disciples in all the cities that they were going to. Verses 40-42 are a wrap up to the first fifteen verses, more specifically verses 11-15. Jesus says that the people who receive the disciples receives Jesus and the Father. It is a blessing to them.
Matthew 10:41 G3588 The one G1209 receiving G4396 a prophet G1519 in G3686 the name G4396 of a prophet, G3408 [2a wage G4396 3of a prophet G2983 1shall receive]; G2532 and G3588 the one G1209 receiving G1342 a just one G1519 in G3686 the name G1342 of a just one, G3408 [2a wage G1342 3of a just one G2983 1shall receive].
The word receiving (1209) is the word dechomai, meaning “to accept or welcome”. The word receive (2983) is the word lambanō, which is “to get, or lay hold of”. If one welcomes a prophet then that one will lay hold of a prophets wage. There are rewards or payments for things that people do for the prophets, disciples, or for those that are just.
Matthew 10:42 G2532 And G3739 who G1437 ever G4222 shall give a drink G1520 to one G3588 G3397 of these small ones G3778 G4221 a cup G5593 of cold water G3440 only G1519 in G3686 the name G3101 of a disciple, G281 amen G3004 I say G1473 to you, G3766.2 In no way G622 shall he lose G3588 G3408 his wage. G1473
If a person gives someone who is a mikron, a little one or someone small in importance, some cold water in the name of a disciple, then his wage will not perish. Jesus is explaining to his disciples that people will be kind and generous and they will receive rewards. People were supposed to be hospitable under the law, but as the ages went on people became less and less welcoming.
Sodom and Gomorrah would endure better because they were not denying the Messiah, and they were not rejecting the disciples of the Messiah. Even though Sodom and Gomorrah were evil cities with evil practices, including public rape of men and women, they were not Messiah rejectors. The importance of the time was that the Messiah was on the earth and those who would reject him and his disciples would be eternally cursed.
While we know that these words were spoken to Jesus’ twelve disciples, they also do apply to us. As history shows us, Christians have gone through times of persecution depending on the country and its leaders. Some nations have always persecuted Christians, while some nations welcome Christians. There are nations changing and turning against Christians even in our time. Therefore Jesus’ words of the Christian mission do apply to us. We have the Holy Spirit and can heal the sick, cast out demons, and raise the dead, just as his disciples did.
Here is a recap of Jesus’ motivational speech to the disciples. They all said yes to the journey. Jesus told the twelve that they were sheep among wolves. They would be delivered to synagogues and beaten. Families will be divided. The twelve will be hated by everyone. They will accuse them of working for Beelzebub. Jesus tells them don’t fear, and don’t forget to confess me before men. Jesus then says the obvious, he came to throw swords, not bring peace, so therefore lay down your life. Jesus had also told them not to take extra clothes, or take any money, and eat what you are given, while staying with hospitable people. Those who take you in will be rewarded and those who reject you will be punished more than Sodom. Happy Trails!
