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Chapter 10

The Mission of the Twelve. [a]Then he summoned his twelve disciples[b] and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. 10:1–11:1 After an introductory narrative (Mt 10:1–4), the second of the discourses of the gospel. It deals with the mission now to be undertaken by the disciples (Mt 10:5–15), but the perspective broadens and includes the missionary activity of the church between the time of the resurrection and the parousia.
  2. 10:1 His twelve disciples: although, unlike Mark (Mk 3:13–14) and Luke (Lk 6:12–16), Matthew has no story of Jesus’ choosing the Twelve, he assumes that the group is known to the reader. The earliest New Testament text to speak of it is 1 Cor 15:5. The number probably is meant to recall the twelve tribes of Israel and implies Jesus’ authority to call all Israel into the kingdom. While Luke (Lk 6:13) and probably Mark (Mk 4:10, 34) distinguish between the Twelve and a larger group also termed disciples, Matthew tends to identify the disciples and the Twelve. Authority…every illness: activities the same as those of Jesus; see Mt 4:23; Mt 9:35; 10:8. The Twelve also share in his proclamation of the kingdom (Mt 10:7). But although he teaches (Mt 4:23; 7:28; 9:35), they do not. Their commission to teach comes only after Jesus’ resurrection, after they have been fully instructed by him (Mt 28:20).

(A)Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts; 10 (B)no sack for the journey, or a second tunic, or sandals, or walking stick. The laborer deserves his keep. 11 (C)Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it, and stay there until you leave. 12 As you enter a house, wish it peace. 13 If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; if not, let your peace return to you.[a] 14 [b](D)Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words—go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet.

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Footnotes

  1. 10:13 The greeting of peace is conceived of not merely as a salutation but as an effective word. If it finds no worthy recipient, it will return to the speaker.
  2. 10:14 Shake the dust from your feet: this gesture indicates a complete disassociation from such unbelievers.

15 They did so and made them all sit down.

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[a]Carry no money bag,(A) no sack, no sandals;(B) and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’[b] If a peaceful person[c] lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another.(C) Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you,(D) cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’(E) 10 Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say,(F) 11 ‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.’ Yet know this: the kingdom of God is at hand.(G)

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Footnotes

  1. 10:4 Carry no money bag…greet no one along the way: because of the urgency of the mission and the singlemindedness required of missionaries, attachment to material possessions should be avoided and even customary greetings should not distract from the fulfillment of the task.
  2. 10:5 First say, ‘Peace to this household’: see notes on Lk 2:14 and Mt 10:13.
  3. 10:6 A peaceful person: literally, “a son of peace.”