His Word Today

¹⁶ “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”  (Matthew 10:16 ESV)

Today’s text continues the context of Jesus sending out the Twelve Disciples as Twelve Apostles to the Jewish community (Matt. 10:1-15). He has instructed them what, and what not, to do as they serve. It is at this point that the Lord instructs them on what to expect; persecution.

Persecution is hostility and ill treatment. It is also persistent annoyance or harassment. In the context of today’s text, it is persecution because of the Gospel and being an ambassador of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:17-21). It can come from the government, culture and personally from unbelievers; some of whom may be members of one’s own family.

I have encountered many young people who sense a desire to serve the Lord Jesus in vocational ministry. Some are infatuated with the idea of being on a platform and receiving the adulation from the crowd. None are prepared for the possibility, and probability, that they will encounter persecution for their faith and service. Consequently, they become disillusioned and discouraged.

Jesus was quite open and honest about what the apostles in particular, and believers in general, encounter as servants of Christ. He sends people out to communicate a message that may result in them receiving a slap in the face instead of a pat on the back.

Jesus compared it to sheep, believers in Christ, being in the midst of wolves. Wolves are predators. Jesus was referring to fierce persons who attack Christians and have no mercy. They may do so verbally, the mainstream media for example, or even physically.

Consequently, believers in Christ are to be wise and innocent. Wisdom, the practical application of biblical knowledge, is compared with a serpent and innocence with an untainted dove.

“The serpent was the emblem of wisdom or shrewdness, intellectual keenness (Gen. 3:1; Psa. 58:5), the dove of simplicity (Hosea 7:11). It was a proverb, this combination, but one difficult of realization. Either without the other is bad (rascality or gullibility,” writes biblical scholar A.T. Robertson.

“Now that He is about to send His disciples into a world hostile to God’s kingdom, our Savior takes time in today’s passage to warn His followers that they will often bring His words to sinners who are all too eager to “shoot the messengers,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

“Knowing what is ahead, Jesus describes how we are to conduct our outreach. Verse 16 exhorts us to act with a wise innocence — “innocent as doves that we may not harm anyone; cautious as snakes that we may be careful of letting anyone harm us” (Augustine, The Works of Saint Augustine: A Translation for the Twenty-first Century, vol. 3, 3:189).”

“We are not to be naïve, but we must realize that not all whom we encounter are who they say they are. Still, our mission is not one of subversiveness or automatic mistrust of everyone we meet,” concludes Dr. Sproul.

Praying for you today as you endeavor to be wise and innocent when sharing, and living out, the Gospel. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹³ “And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. ¹⁴ And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. ¹⁵ Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the Day of Judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.” (Matthew 10:13–15 (ESV)

Jesus gave His Twelve Apostles specific instructions when He sent them out to the Jewish people. Our task is to examine those directives taken from today’s text. In Matthew 10:8, Jesus told His Twelve Apostles what they were to do as He sent them to the Jews. In vs. 9-12, He instructed what not to do. In today’s text, Jesus told His apostles how to respond to people’s reception or rejection of the Gospel.

And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. What makes a household worthy? Jesus referred to the inhabitants of a dwelling place. Worthiness would be determined by the people’s readiness to hear the apostles and the Gospel and their hospitality. Those who rejected the apostles, and the Gospel message, were to be rejected.

And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. “Shaking the dust off their feet as they left an inhospitable place symbolized their rejection of the Jewish city as if it were a despised Gentile city, whose very dust was unwanted,” states Dr. John Walvoord. See Acts 13:51.

Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the Day of Judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town. Rejecting the apostles and the Gospel would result in judgment; much like what God brought to Sodom (Genesis 18-19). Increased revelation results in greater blessing when received and greater judgment when rejected.  

“For the most part, travelers in the ancient Near East could count on strangers to show hospitality and put them up for one night or longer. Jesus, however, anticipated that some would not receive His disciples (vv. 10–11). If they were rejected, the disciples were to shake the dust off their feet, an action that symbolized that the locale was unclean and subject to divine judgment. By rejecting the gospel, such towns, if they remained impenitent, sealed their doom,” explains R. R. C. Sproul.

Rejecting the Gospel means rejecting truth of God’s existence, sin’s existence, salvation’s existence and the only Savior and Lord’s existence. Repent of your sin and receive God’s salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, and in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone.

Soli deo Gloria!   

⁸ “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. ⁹ Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, ¹⁰ no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food. ¹¹ And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart.” (Matthew 10:8–11 (ESV)

Jesus gave His Twelve Apostles specific instructions when He sent them out to the Jewish people. The task at hand is to examine those directives taken from today’s text.

In Matthew 10:8, Jesus told His Twelve Apostles what they were to do as He sent them to the Jews. In vs. 9-10, He instructs them on what they are not to do.

Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts. Not only were the apostles not to charge money for their ministry (vs.8), but also they were not to acquire any gold, silver or copper. Their focus was to serve and minister to the Jewish people and not seek monetary gain. Jesus did not say to not own gold, silver or copper but rather in this context to not pursue such items.  

“Jesus is not prohibiting the Twelve from owning any of these items; rather, he is stressing the specific requirements of this particular mission,” explains Dr. John MacArthur.

No bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food. The apostles were not to make elaborate provisions for their mission. The basic necessities would be sufficient. Additionally the basic necessities were to be provided.

“This is to be a relatively quick preaching journey, so they are not to spend time procuring extra supplies; those to whom they minister must support their mission,” states Dr. MacArthur.  

And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. As the apostles ministered, they would be ministered to by the people who responded favorably to the message of the Gospel.

“In sending out the Twelve, Jesus commanded them to travel light and to rely on the generosity of the people in the towns that they would visit. Given that Mark 6:30 indicates that this was a defined mission with only a temporary length, we are not to apply all of what Jesus says to every church mission. Therefore, for example, it is not necessarily a lack of faith to raise money for a mission before embarking on it instead of relying on help once we get to where we are going,” states Dr. R. C. Sproul.

Matthew 10:9-10 should not be interpreted to justify a church board not paying their pastor, or church staff, a livable and fair wage. Many church lay leadership endeavor to keep their pastor humble by paying a part-time salary for full-time work. This is not only inappropriate, it is also sin.

1 Timothy 5:17 (ESV) says, “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.” The phrase double honor not only refers to the pastor’s position of leadership but also to the church’s financial package they provide for their pastor and his family.

Take the opportunity and time to review your church’s budget and the pastor’s salary. Be honest with yourself and before the Lord as to whether or not the church is being financially responsible and generous to their spiritual shepherd.

Soli deo Gloria!  

⁸ “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. ⁹ Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, ¹⁰ no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food. ¹¹ And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart.” (Matthew 10:8–11 (ESV)

Jesus gave His Twelve Apostles specific instructions when He sent them out to the Jewish people. The task at hand is to examine those directives taken from today’s text.  

Heal the sick, Jesus gave the apostles the ability to presently and actively heal (θεραπεύω; therapeuo) individuals who were disabled and ill. In fact, He commanded they presently and actively do so.

Raise the dead. Like theprevious statement, Jesus issued a second command. This included those whose illness or disability resulted in their death. The word raise (ἐγείρω; egeiro) literally means to cause to stand up.

Cleanse lepers. A third present active command to cleanse (καθαρίζω; katharizo) meaning to heal and to purify. The word is used some 30 times in the New Testament with the idea of cleansing or to make clean.  A leper (λεπρός; lepros) refers to any kind of dead skin disease.

Cast out demons. Cast out (ἐκβάλλω; ekballo) is the fourth present, active command. It means to expel, to drive out, or to throw out. The apostles could now drive out evil spirits as Jesus had already done (Matt. 8:28-34).

“Jesus instructed the 12 disciples to minister to both the spiritual and the physical needs of the lost. Thus the apostles’ message (the kingdom of heaven) is the same as that of Jesus (3:2; 10:1), and their power is an extension of Jesus’ own power (“authority,” v. 1), enabling them to do the same works he has done,” explains one commentator.

The apostles were not to charge money to share the Gospel or for their miraculous service. Jesus gave the gift of the kingdom of heaven, and the apostles were to likewise freely share the Gospel.  

Jesus had freely given them this ability and authority. Therefore, Jesus commanded them to freely give these blessings. What a different perspective this is in comparison to today’s faith healers who say they will heal if only people financially give; and give generously.

Take the opportunity to freely share the Gospel of Jesus Christ today. May the Lord use us to be a blessing to those who hear.

Soli deo Gloria!  

⁵ These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, ⁶ but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷ And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ (Matthew 10:5–7 (ESV)

Jesus gave instructions to the Twelve Apostles prior to sending them out on their journey. In the overall context (vs. 5-15), His instructions contain some hard sayings. Jesus’ words sound strange to today’s church culture and certainly to the secular culture. Therefore, we require the insightful and softening ministry of the Holy Spirit to provide instruction, insight and illumination to this extended text.

Jesus did not send His apostles to the Gentiles nor to the Samaritans. He warned them to not even travel the roads that would lead to their towns and villages. Rather, He wanted them to only go to the Jews and to proclaim that the kingdom of God was at hand. The apostles were to travel west, because in Gentiles lived in the north, south and east.

Jesus referred to the Jews as lost sheep. In others words, these were people who had wandered from the Word of God and the One, True God of the Word (Psalm 1; 19; 119). To be lost meant to be in the ways of destruction and ruin. They were unconverted.

Jesus commanded them to actively proclaim and herald the rule and reign of God was near. However, instead of a political kingdom like Rome, God’s kingdom would be eternal and a spiritual kingdom ruling the souls of the redeemed.

“Though Jesus had already commended a Gentile’s faith as greater than that found in Israel (Matt. 8:10), the focus of the first mission of the disciples were to the biological descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; Israel’s lost sheep (Ezek. 34:16),” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul. “Faithful to His promises to the patriarchs, God has sent His Messiah to bring salvation to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (Rom.1:16-17).”

The Jews have the priority here in this context to receive the kingdom of God. Even today, evangelism efforts must not forget the Jewish people. It is through Israel that God would provide a blessing to the whole world (Gen. 12:1-3).

“Christ did not forbid the disciples to preach to Gentiles or Samaritans if they encountered them on the way, but they were to take the message first to the covenant people, in the regions nearby (cf. Rom. 1:16,” explains Dr. John MacArthur. “Jesus narrowed this priority even more when he said the gospel was only for those who knew they were spiritually sick (Matt. 9:13) and needed a physician (Luke 5:31–32).”

Does your church provide mission funds for outreach to the Jews? Do you have Jewish friends who are in need to receive Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord? If not, pray not only for your church to extend their outreach to the lost sheep of the house of Israel but for you also.

Soli deo Gloria!

“And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. ² The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; ³ Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; ⁴ Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.” (Matthew 10:1–4 ESV)

We continue our profile of the Twelve Apostles. Today’s study concludes with the Apostle Judas Iscariot. In Matthew’s text, Judas is identified as the one who betrayed Jesus Christ.  

The Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, & Luke) listing of the Twelve who Jesus called ‘to be with him’ (Mark. 3:14), Judas Iscariot always appears last, and usually with some descriptive and infamous brand (e.g. ‘who betrayed him’, Mark. 3:19; Matt. 10:4; Luke. 6:16; cf. John. 18:2, 5).

The name Iscariot is unclear. Perhaps it is referring to Judas’ birthplace, which was shared by his father, Simon (John 6:71; 13:26). Some manuscripts even read “from Kerioth” (John 6:71; 12:4; 13:2, 26 and 14:22). If Iscariot indicates Judas’ hometown, the precise location of Kerioth is unknown. The Old Testament identifies a town in Moab with this name (Jer. 48:24, 41; Amos 2:2), as well as a location called Kerioth-Hezron (Josh 15:25).

Iscariot also can mean dagger. The etymology, or origin, of the word Iscariot goes back to the Semitic word for “dagger,” which was a symbol for assassins. “Judas has been called at times “Judas the Assassin” or “Judas the Dagger-Man.” Though he never used a dagger on Jesus, he did nevertheless stab Him in the back in his betrayal,” states Dr. R. C. Sproul.

“The Apostle John’s first explicit mention of Judas also affirms Jesus’ choice of him as one of the Twelve, and even highlights his allegiance at a time when other disciples are withdrawing. However, John also simultaneously labels him a devil and references his future betrayal (John 6:66, 70–71). The Synoptics repeatedly identify Judas as one of the Twelve even after the betrayal is underway (Matt 26:14, 47; Mark 14:10, 43; Luke 22:3; Acts 1:17). Judas receives no special treatment from the evangelists until the final days of Jesus’ life; as go the Twelve, so, presumably, goes Judas (compare Matt 10:1; 20:17; Mark 4:10; 6:7; 9:35; 10:32; 11:11; Luke 8:1; 9:1–6, 12). Only after Jesus’ death is Judas notably absent from the eleven (Acts 1:13),” explains the Lexham Bible Dictionary.

Why did Jesus select Judas in the first place to be one of His disciples? In this brief treatment of Judas, we are unable to thoroughly answer this question. However, we can set forth the following probabilities.

First, the providence, or purposeful sovereignty of God. This was Peter’s perspective when he preached on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2.

²² “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— ²³ this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. ²⁴ God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.” (Acts 2:22–24 (ESV)

Second, there is also the perspective found in Genesis 50:20 when Joseph, years later, spoke to his ten older brothers about when they sold him into slavery (Gen. 37:12-36). Joseph understood that God used such actions for the greater good.  

^“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” (Genesis 50:20 (ESV)

“The Scriptures tell us that Jesus was delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God. Jesus’ betrayal was not an accident of history. It was not a mistake that took place when somebody was disillusioned and, in his frustration, sought worldly gain for the blood of our Savior. No, this act of treachery was ordained by Almighty God from the foundation of the world,” explains Dr. Sproul.

 “Judas was a devil from the beginning. Judas was an unregenerate, corrupt, treacherous, lying, thieving crook before he ever met Jesus. Yet, God worked through his corruption to bring about the greatest work of salvation in all human history. As was the case with the brothers of Joseph, Judas meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.”  

The LORD uses the decisions of sinful mankind in order to accomplish His ultimate purpose and for it to ultimately bring Him glory (John 16:33; Rom. 8:29; 11:33-36; I Peter 1:1-9). How has God used difficult circumstances in your own life? While they may have been painful, how has He accomplished good because of certain difficult events; and not in spite of them?

Soli deo Gloria!

“And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. ² The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; ³ Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; ⁴ Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.” (Matthew 10:1–4 ESV)

We continue our profile of the Twelve Apostles. Today’s study concerns the Apostle Simon, known as the Zealot. Simon is also called the Canaanite, which is the Aramaic word for “zealot.”

There were four primary Jewish people groups within first century Israel distinguished by religious and political ideologies. They included the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Essenes, and the Zealots. It is the Jewish people group known as the Zealots that is the focus for today’s study.  

Jesus’ eleventh apostle, Simon, belonged to the Zealots. (Luke 6:15). The Zealots were political extremists. In other words, they were terrorists against Rome. The Zealots used terrorism to oppose the Roman occupation of Palestine. This was coupled for their zeal for the Mosaic Law.

He is mentioned again in Acts 1:13 as one of the eleven apostles in Jerusalem after Jesus’ ascension. Beyond that, the New Testament says nothing else about Simon.

Simon is an excellent example of an individual who was presumably and actively involved in the political struggles of his day. He, along with others, opposed Rome’s occupation of Israel. Perhaps, he even took up arms against Rome and used violence to accomplish the Zealot’s goals.

“The zealots made up, for the most part, the mass of Jews who retreated to Masada. Under the Roman attack, they were finally driven to throwing themselves off the mountaintop to commit suicide. Some have described the zealots as ancient terrorists, like the Al Qaeda that we deal with even today,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

“It is one of the strange acts of providence that Jesus would select for His inner core of Apostles both a tax collector, who was raising tribute to support the Roman cause, and a zealot to work side-by-side—talk about a miracle of public relations. Jesus got these two men on His team and got them to work together.”

However, as a believer and apostle of Jesus Christ Simon became a member of another kingdom; the kingdom of God. As such, he acquired new weapons and armor to serve an eternal king (Eph. 6:10-20).

2 Corinthians 10:1-6 (ESV) says, “I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away! — ² I beg of you that when I am present I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh. ³ For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. ⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. ⁵ We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, ⁶ being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.”  

I encourage you to keep this in mind as we serve the Lord in politically, culturally, and spiritually turbulent times.  Have a God-honoring day.

Soli deo Gloria!

“And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. ² The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; ³ Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; ⁴ Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.” (Matthew 10:1–4 ESV)

We continue our profile of the Twelve Apostles. Today’s study concerns the Apostle James, the Son of Alphaeus and Thaddaeus.  

James is the ninth in the roster of Jesus apostles. He also is found in all four lists of Jesus’ twelve disciples (Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13). It is possible that James, son of Alphaeus, is also called James the less/younger (Mark 15:40).

In church history, James has often in church history been called “James the Less” to distinguish him from James, son of Zebedee, or James “the Great”. AS noted in our study of Matthew/Levi, James may have been the brother of Levi (or Matthew), who is also called a son of Alphaeus in Mark 2:14.

Thaddaeus is the tenth apostle of Jesus. He also is found in all four lists of Jesus’ twelve disciples (Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13). However, Luke refers to him, not only in his Gospel but also in Acts, as Judas, Son of James (not Iscariot). It is also possible that his additional name is Labbaeus.

“Thaddaeus’ is probably derived from Aram. taḏ, meaning the female breast, and suggests warmth of character and almost feminine devotedness. ‘Lebbaeus’ comes from Heb. lēḇ, ‘heart’, and it may therefore be an explanation of the other name. Attempts have been made to derive ‘Thaddaeus’ from ‘Judah’ and ‘Lebbaeus’ from ‘Levi’, explains the New Bible Dictionary.

There is no doubt that Thaddaeus is to be identified with ‘Judas of James.’ The name ‘Judas’ would not have been popular following Judas Iscariot’s betrayal. This may be why the name is not found in Matthew and Mark’s Gospels.

Most believers in Jesus Christ are not well known, like Peter, James and John. We serve in relative obscurity like James the Son of Alphaeus and Thaddaeus. That is okay. The Lord knows who are His and He calls us to serve when, how, where and to whom He chooses. Let us all take comfort in the Lord’s purposeful sovereignty.

Soli deo Gloria!