Matthew 10:1, commentary and pictures

Jesus called the twelve to Himself and gave them power and authority over unclean spirits to cast them out and to heal every kind of sickness and disease as their equipment for the ministry and preaching He sent them to do. They were commissioned as His first evangelists to preach that the kingdom of heaven was at hand to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, healing the sick, cleansing lepers, raising the dead and casting out devils, freely giving as they had freely received. That authority and fitness came through the Spirit of Christ, and the same power through the Holy Spirit remains with the church as it keeps its holy and distinct character. Preaching and healing are two lines of one work that must not be separated, with healing accompanying the message rather than replacing it, so that healing the body in His name testifies to His power to heal the soul. He sent them as His representatives to work as He worked, preaching His word, healing the sick and comforting the sorrowful, not for their own honor or advantage but in faith and dependence on Him as the Healer.

Setting and Commissioning

The call in Matthew 10:1 came after teaching in the synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease. It followed compassion for multitudes who fainted and were scattered as sheep having no shepherd. It followed the word that the harvest is plenteous but the laborers are few, with the call to pray the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers.

The verse belongs to the commissioning of the twelve as the first evangelists. They were sent to preach that the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven is at hand in towns and villages and through Galilee. They were sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, not to Gentiles or Samaritans. They were commanded to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils, and freely give as they had freely received.

They had been trained through example and instruction, learning to serve people and to explain Scripture and witnessing works of mercy, but they still needed guidance and experience in doing the work themselves. Though humble men untrained in the schools of the rabbis, they were made laborers together with Christ. Their authority and fitness for the work came through the Spirit of Christ.

The work began with few and enlarged step by step. Foundation principles of truth were first laid in only two or three minds that could be molded by precious influence. The number then swelled to twelve and afterward to seventy, so that trained workers in connection with Christ could gather more, educate and mold others, and the work could be carried forward and become self-sustaining. The later sending of the seventy continued the sending of the twelve.

They were sent two and two so that the work of teaching truth would go forward with efficiency. They went together and counseled together on a brief first tour among fellow believers, who could prepare the way to those eager to learn more. Delegated servants are not to stand apart with one man's ideas and plans as the criterion for all workers, since a worker left to himself may let his particular education and traits of character become a detrimental controlling power. Those who give themselves to this work serve from conscience and duty, not bribed by wealth or frightened by poverty, and they are to be constantly improving.

The chapter is instruction for the work of the time, including how messengers should act amid opposition. Its teaching applies to caring for poor and suffering people received into sanitariums.

Power Given for Deliverance

Jesus called the twelve disciples to Himself and gave them power and authority over unclean spirits to cast them out and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. That endowment was preparation for the ministry and preaching work He sent them to do, equipping them for gospel labor and for restoring those in need. The giving was the work of the Holy Spirit, and their authority and fitness for the work came through the Spirit of Christ. The same power through the Holy Spirit would remain with the church if it kept its holy and distinct character.

The power included rebuking evil angels and demons and healing those they afflict, and the disciples used it to carry on Jesus’ work. As they went out in faith to preach through Galilee the spirits obeyed their commands. Yet later they could not cast out a spirit tormenting a boy even when they commanded it in Christ’s name. Satan had prevailed nothing against Christ Himself yet retained power and authority on earth. So in bitter hatred against God’s government he commanded his angels that efforts against the followers of Jesus must be tenfold stronger.

In every generation they must seek to ensnare those who should believe in Jesus and overthrow them if possible, going forth like roaring lions seeking to destroy Christ’s followers. The delegated power to work miracles was not for their own honor, exaltation, or advantage. The work calls for Christ’s followers to be filled with His Spirit and to act in faith, while Jesus Himself is the Healer. They do their part and depend on Him for healing. He gave this healing power so that the opposition of the Pharisees might not quench the Holy Spirit that was converting the people.

Sent as Representatives

Matthew 10 shows Jesus sending His twelve disciples as His representatives after training them through His example and instruction, for they had learned to serve people and explain Scripture and had witnessed His works of mercy yet still needed guidance and experience in doing the work themselves. Though they were humble men untrained in the rabbis' schools, He commissioned them as laborers together with Him, and their authority and fitness for the work came through the Spirit of Christ. Their task was to carry the message of salvation and to shine as lights in a dark world, with Christ through His Word and Spirit making salvation available to all. He gave them power to work miracles, but that delegated power was not for their own honor, exaltation, or advantage.

He sent them out before His death and ascension so that believers would have divinely appointed teachers and counselors when He was no longer with them, and their mission prepared them to guide believers after He ascended. They went out two by two on a brief first tour among their fellow believers, who could prepare the way to people eager to learn more of His teaching. When He sent them He commissioned them to go forth in His name to work as He worked, whose own work on earth was going about healing the sick. That meant preaching His word, healing the sick, and comforting the sorrowful as they had seen Him do, using the power to rebuke demons and heal those afflicted by them to carry on His work.

Matthew 10:1 records Christ calling His twelve disciples together and giving them power against unclean spirits to cast them out and to heal every kind of sickness and disease when He sent them forth to preach the gospel. It gives the directions for how those who believe present truth are to do the work of preaching good tidings, binding up the brokenhearted, proclaiming liberty to captives, comforting mourners, and building up the old wastes.

Preaching Joined to Healing

The calling of the twelve and the giving of power to cast out unclean spirits and to heal every sickness and disease made healing and deliverance part of proclaiming the gospel itself. That healing commission stood alongside meeting people's spiritual needs, not apart from it. Christ's messengers act on His behalf and serve others in His stead as they continue it, and He waits to work with them in it.

Their work joined proclamation of the truth with healing through the Spirit, with healing accompanying the message rather than replacing it. Preaching and healing are two lines of one work that must not be separated, and teaching and healing are not to be separated in God's work. Medical missionary work is not to be carried forward as something apart from the gospel ministry. The Lord's people are to be one with no separation in His work, while Satan will invent every scheme to separate those whom God is seeking to make one. The commission to the twelve to preach, heal the sick, and cast out evil spirits was afterward continued in the same way in the sending of the seventy.

By healing in His name the diseases of the body they would testify to His power for the healing of the soul. Through ministry such as Christ had performed during His public ministry they were to carry to all nations the gospel of His grace. Disciples today are to labor in the same way in sympathy and compassion to lighten suffering and win men and women. The power given was through the Holy Spirit to heal the sick and cast out devils, and the same power would remain with the church if it kept its holy and distinct character. With that power kept, the church would be mighty and a terror to its enemies.

Continuing Ministry Today

Christ began medical missionary work by going in person through cities and towns and villages healing the sick, and since He is no longer in this world in person that work now belongs to those He has commissioned, who are to do their very best in it. Matthew 10:1 shows He called the twelve and gave them power and authority to cast out unclean spirits and to heal every kind of sickness and disease as part of proclaiming the gospel and meeting people's spiritual needs. His followers are to continue it on His behalf and in His stead, laboring in the same way in sympathy and compassion to lighten suffering and win men and women. By healing in His name the diseases of the body they testify to His power for healing of the soul, and through ministry such as He performed in His public ministry they carry to all nations the gospel of His grace, with Christ waiting and working with them. The commission means establishing institutions for the care of the sick where suffering men and women are placed under God-fearing physicians, nurses and medical workers and treated without drugs.

In those sanitariums the sick are taught to commit their cases to the great Physician, who cooperates with earnest efforts to regain health, bringing healing of soul as well as healing of body. These sanitariums are the right hand of the gospel, one of the most successful means of reaching all classes of people and opening ways for suffering humanity to be reached with the glad tidings of healing through Christ. That healing ministry is applied by little companies appointed to carry the gospel while ministering to the sick, praying for the sick, meeting needs with nature's remedies rather than drugs, and teaching people how to regain health, prevent disease and avoid disease.

Judas was included among the twelve whom Christ called, chose, ordained, trusted with evangelistic work and permitted to join the evangelistic tours with the apostles. He was endowed with power to heal the sick, cure diseases and cast out devils, labored with the apostles to act unselfishly, had seen Christ's ministry of healing and work, and may have handled expenses and carried the money bag. Receiving this commission and gifts did not mean he had fully surrendered, given up worldly ambition and love of money, or was converted. Church membership and knowledge of Christ's teaching do not make a person Christian; doing God's Word does, and he failed to be converted daily and sanctified for the Master's use. He developed a spirit of superiority and sought authority over his brethren, and left unchecked this opened the way for the enemy to work on heart and mind and led him to betray Christ. His unmastered natural tendencies became openings for temptation, a means of dishonoring Christ, and he became unfaithful.