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THE TWELVE SENT FORTH

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Feb 3, 1898

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 5.

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THE TWELVE SENT FORTH

Lesson VIII.—Sunday, February 20, 1898.

THE TWELVE SENT FORTH.

NOTE.—During the time of the incidents and the giving of instruction contained in to-day’s lesson, Jesus was making His third tour of Galilee. The time is supposed to be the autumn of A.D. 28 and the winter of A.D. 28 and 29. The section includes the whole chapter. Compare with this chapter, Luke 10: 1–20, and note the similarity in the instructions given to the twelve and to the seventy.
Lesson Scripture, Matt. 10: 2–15, R. V.
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; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanean, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. These twelve Jesus sent forth, and charged them, saying, Go not into any way of the Gentiles, and enter not into any city of the Samaritans; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils: freely ye received, freely give. Get you no gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses; no wallet for your journey, neither two coats, nor shoes, nor staff: for the laborer is worthy of his food. And into whatsoever city or village ye shall enter, search out who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go forth. And as ye enter into the house, salute it. And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, as ye go forth out of that house or that city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city.”
Golden Text: “Freely ye have received, freely give.” Matt. 10: 8.

SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.

(1) Name the twelve apostles. Verses 2–4. (2) Who of them were brothers? Same verses. (3) Who were of the same name, and how were they distinguished? Ibid. Note 1. (4) What command did Jesus give them with reference to the Gentiles? Verse 5. (5) What with reference to the Samaritans? Same verse. Note 2. (6) To whom were they to go? Verse 6. (7) As they went what were they to do? Verse 7. (8) What were they to preach? Same verse. (9) What wonderful work was to go hand in hand with this message? Verse 8. (10) What admonition did the Saviour give them in reference to this work? Same verse. Note 3. (11) What was their instruction in regard to money? Verse 9. (12) How did the Saviour instruct them in regard to other provision for their journey? Verse 10. Note 4. (13) What were they to do on entering a city? Verse 11. (14) Having found a respectable family with whom to lodge, what were they then to do? Same verse. Note 5. (15) What was to be their course toward a house which they might approach? Verses 12, 13. Note 6. (16) How were the apostles to conduct themselves toward those who would not receive them? Verse 14. (17) What did the Saviour say of those who thus refused to receive His messengers? Verse 15.

NOTES.

1. The twelve apostles.—One for each tribe of the children of Israel. Of these Simon and Andrew were brothers; also James and John. There was Simon Peter and Simon the Canaanean; James the son of Zebedee and James the son of Alphaeus. The twelve apostles were all Galileans except Judas Iscariot, who was from Kerioth, a town of Judah. “The Canaanean” does not refer to Simon as a native of Canaan, but as a member of “a party of fanatic nationalists among the Jews, leaders of the national revolt against the foreign yoke.” From what we know of the characters of these men, the Saviour’s selection of the ones who were to accompany each other in going forth to the work was a wise one. “They were sent out two by two, because thus they were complete and well balanced. Each would supplement the work of the other.”—Peloubet.
2. Go not into any way of the Gentiles.—The time had not yet come for the Gospel to be preached to the Gentiles, for to give it to the Gentiles at that time would have been to arouse against their work all the prejudice and wrath of the Jews, while no base of operations had been established. As long as the Jews would hear them, their duty lay in preaching to the Jews; then with the force thus accumulated they could successfully carry on their work among the Gentiles. As one has expressed it, “Through the Jews was their shortest and surest cut to reach the Gentiles.” The limitation was not to keep the Gospel from the Gentiles, but to bring it to them in such a way that it would be a success. Then, too, for centuries the Jews had been God’s chosen people, and they were to have the fullest possible opportunity of retaining that position.
3. Freely ye received, freely give.—The work which was to accompany the preaching of the apostles shows the intimate relation between sin and bodily ailments. As they preached the forgiveness of sin, the healing of the soul, they were to free the victims of sin from the ravages which sin had wrought in them. God, in healing them from the results of sin, showed His willingness to forgive the sin and heal the soul as well. The power which they had received to do this work was given them without price. It was not a commodity to be bartered for; it was the power of God; and they must not charge a fee for allowing it to work through them.
4. No wallet.—The wallet, or scrip, was a sort of satchel in which travelers carried their provisions. All the things of which they stood in need they were to receive from those to whom they brought the good news of salvation. As long as “the earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof,” the Lord’s laborers will be provided for out of that “fulness” which is His—both temporal and spiritual things.
5. And there abide.—They were to remain at that house until they left that place, or, as is expressed in other scriptures, they were not to go from house to house for lodgings.
6. Let your peace return to you.—If they found that the house was unworthy of their salutation, their words were to be as though they had not been spoken. They were not to reward the unworthy with the blessings of the worthy.