Matthew 10:1-26 – Expect Persecutions - by Jeff Byerley

Study on Matthew 10:1-26 Expect Persecutions

Outline of Passage
10:1-4 The Twelve Disciples.
10:5-15 Sending Out the Twelve
10:16-26 Persecutions Are Coming.

Our Reflections
1. Why did Jesus pick disciples who seem to be a strange group of misfits (v.10:1-4)?
2. Why did Jesus give seemingly strange instructions to his disciples ((v.5-10)?
3. Why should we not get upset if we receive hostility whilst sharing the Gospel (v.11-15).
4. How are we to respond to persecution (v.16-26)?
5. How are we to understand Jesus' words "you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes (v.23)?

Our Conclusions

We noted that Whilst Jesus was to send these men out on a mission tour, it would have only been a short one around Galilee. Yet even here are also Jesus instructions in respect of a later world wide church mission, (Matt. 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-18 and Acts 1:1-3, 8.)

1. Why did Jesus pick disciples who seem to be a strange group of misfits (v.10:1-4)?
We observed that Jesus included among his unusual group, rough unlearned fishermen, a despised tax collector, an outlaw zealot and even a man, who would betray him. With the exception of this last one, Jesus could see persevering qualities in these men that would serve them well as Apostles. Perhaps their best qualities were their willingness to follow Jesus and to receive his teaching. So be it with us.

2. Why did Jesus give seemingly strange instructions to his disciples ((v.5-10)?
Israel had a special place in the revelation of God's plan of salvation. It was only right in view of God's promises that they should be given the first offer to receive the Gospel, before the Gentiles.

3. Why should we not get upset if we receive hostility whilst sharing the Gospel (v.11-15)?
Sodom and Gomorrah severely breached the rules of hospitality in respect of those coming in the name of God. How much more severe will judgment fall upon those who will not receive those coming in the name of Christ, the very means of their redemption!

4. How are we to respond to persecution (v.16-26)?
We are to remember that Christ was also reviled with false accusations made against him and we are warned not to expect anything less. However, in the end the truth will be revealed and we may take great comfort in that.

5. How are we to understand Jesus' words “you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes” (v.23)?
We noted several possible explanations. First of all, the immediate tour was only around Galilee, so an outreach to all the cities of Israel would take place later. One explanation was that the Son of Man would be seen in the judgment to fall on Israel in AD 70 with the destruction of Jerusalem. Another was that there will be no complete visit upon Israel until nearing the end of the age when Israel will submit to Christ (Rom. 11:13-25). It also seemed to us that the coming of the Son of Man was to be taken in the sense of the Spirit of Christ coming upon these cities at the time of a world-wide church mission. Indeed, Barclay has perhaps a more reasoned explanation for this . He points out that there is a similar passage in Matt. 16:28. Parallel versions of Jesus' words here are given in Mark 9:1 and Luke 9:27, but in those latter passages it is clear that the disciples will see coming “the Kingdom of God (with power)”. These are clearly references to the work of the Holy Spirit. So the Matthew passages are to be understood in that they will see the coming of the