Matthew 10:5, commentary and pictures

Jesus sent forth the twelve as His representatives, two and two on their first trial labor without His personal presence, to preach that the kingdom of heaven is at hand and to heal and freely give as they had received out of compassion for scattered sheep. For that first tour He barred them from Gentile roads and Samaritan cities and directed them instead to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. That boundary was temporary and applied only to the beginning of their work, giving the Jewish nation the first opportunity and honor of hearing the message before the field was opened to Samaria and to all nations. The restraint spared the inexperienced and still narrow disciples early discouragement and controversy, avoided exciting Jewish prejudice and closing doors, and served God's purpose that if the Jews received the gospel they would become His messengers to the Gentiles. The direction to work especially for the Jews belongs to the last of the seventy weeks allotted especially to the Jews, from A.D. 27 to A.D. 34, when Christ in person and afterward by His disciples confirmed the covenant with many for one week. That first missionary tour remains the pattern for work now, calling believers to house-to-house labor in love and simplicity where accepting or rejecting the message brings the results He warned of when He sent them.

The Sending Described

The twelve were sent forth as His representatives after they had learned from Him while helping in His ministry, yet still needing experience in laboring on their own. They were sent out two and two on their first trial of laboring without His personal presence, on their first missionary journey, and they were not left to go on warfare on their own charges. Before sending them He gave them power against unclean spirits to cast them out and to heal all sickness and disease.

Their sending joined preaching that the kingdom of heaven is at hand with healing the sick, cleansing the lepers, raising the dead, and casting out devils and unclean spirits, giving freely as they had freely received. The mission included preaching His word and comforting the sorrowful after His example, joining preaching the word with healing the sick and casting out demons in His name. It was moved by compassion because the multitudes fainted and were scattered abroad as sheep having no shepherd, and because the harvest truly is plenteous but the laborers are few. In that same charge, preaching good tidings, binding up the brokenhearted, and health reform are the work those who claim to believe present truth are to do.

The mission was an organized work carried out under the guidance of the Holy Spirit in its commission to preach, heal, and serve. That commission shows that sacred work in Christ's Spirit is provided for every soul, to be done with faith in Jesus as the Healer while each person acts his part.

Limited to Israel First

The command barred the twelve from taking the road to Gentile territory and from entering any Samaritan city, sending them instead to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. That boundary belonged only to their first sending and did not govern their later work among all nations. When the seventy were afterward sent, they were sent into Samaria and into other places He Himself would visit.

The ordering gave the Jewish nation the first opportunity and the honor of hearing the message first. The first offer of salvation was to be made to them through deeds of mercy and love together with the message of truth, as part of a commission to preach the gospel and minister to the sick and afflicted in an organized work under the Holy Spirit's guidance. The light of truth was to be carried to the Jewish nation and then to the whole world.

If the Jews refused to hear, the disciples were then to go into new territory, and afterward they were commissioned to go into all the world and teach all nations, so that after the nation rejected the gospel the message was carried to the wider world and the whole world became their field. The message first carried to Israel called them to repentance and faith and proclaimed that God's kingdom was near. That proclamation was an early invitation to the gospel feast.

Reasons for Restriction

The restriction spared the inexperienced disciples trial and perplexity at the outset, since this was their first trial laboring without His personal presence. They were not yet prepared to meet controversy, and to have sent them then among caviling religionists who would draw them into controversy would have discouraged them at the very beginning. For that first experience the restraint kept them from the Gentiles and the Samaritans.

To have begun among Gentiles or Samaritans would have lost their influence with the Jews and excited the prejudice of the Pharisees. Jewish prejudice against the Gentiles was so strong that going to the Gentiles then would have greatly hindered their work. Working first among Samaritans and Gentiles would have closed the doors of entrance to the Jews, so the disciples were to bear their testimony to the Jews before going into new territory. They were therefore not to go among caviling religionists who would draw them into controversy, but to go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

The disciples themselves were still slow to understand that the gospel was to go to all nations and that God's saving purpose embraced every nation, and until they grasped that truth they were not ready to labor for Gentiles. They were still narrow and exclusive in ideas, leavened with the spirit of the Pharisees and the theories and maxims of the rabbis, and were not yet fit to meet the Samaritans. Their view of the gospel's reach had been narrowed by Jewish teaching, while they still struggled to understand that God's blessings extended to Gentiles. Christ taught them by His own merciful works to Samaritans and Gentiles, and as their understanding and sympathies broadened He prepared them to carry the kingdom's message to all nations, even sending the seventy afterward to the Samaritans. This limited assignment thus helped them avoid provoking Jewish prejudice and controversy before they had begun their work while they themselves were still learning that the gospel was for all.

God purposed that if the Jews received the gospel they would become His messengers to the Gentiles, so the Jews were to hear the message first and then the light would go to the whole world. Upon the Jews was bestowed the honor of first hearing the message of salvation, with the time come for the light of truth to be carried to the Jewish nation and then to the whole world. If the Jews refused to hear, the disciples were then to go into new territory.

Place in Prophecy

The command to take the good tidings of the kingdom especially to the Jews belongs to the last of the seventy weeks allotted especially to the Jews. That final week is the last seven years, extending from A.D. 27 to A.D. 34. During that time Christ at first in person and afterward by His disciples extended the gospel invitation especially to Israel rather than to Gentiles or Samaritans, in confirmation of the covenant with many for one week. This restriction applied while the gospel was first being offered to the Jewish people, and after the nation rejected it the message was carried to the wider world.

The sending of the twelve to call Israel to repentance and faith, proclaiming that God's kingdom was near, was an early invitation to the gospel feast. After Christ's crucifixion the gospel invitation was again carried to the Jewish nation. That nation rejected it and persecuted its messengers, and thereby faced foretold judgment in the destruction of Jerusalem and the scattering of the nation.

Pattern for Work Today

The instruction given for the first missionary tour remains the pattern for work now, and the same kind of mission remains vital, carrying preaching of the word with healing the sick and comforting the sorrowful after Christ's example. Accepting or rejecting that message brings the results warned of when the disciples were sent. Presenting Bible truth simply and lovingly in homes is in harmony with that mission, whether in family circles, in homes of neighbors, or to those in the highways and byways who have not yet received full evidence of present truth. House-to-house visits with songs of praise and humble prayer follow the pattern of that first sending.

That pattern calls church members to take up house-to-house labor, presenting truth in love, sympathy, and simplicity among neighbors and friends and in the homes of unbelievers where persons unreachable by pulpit preaching may be reached. It is the highest missionary work, taking up different lines of effort and sowing beside all waters. Even small talents and humble workers who cannot preach have a place in this plan and may accomplish more by visiting work than brilliant gifts. Canvassers now are called by that sending to go from house to house, especially in large cities, with books containing present truth to find souls hungry for the bread of life and speak words in season to them.

That visiting work is done with songs of praise to God and humble, heartfelt prayer, through which the divine Worker is present to send conviction to hearts. It is done by kindness to the poor, the sick, and the bereaved, obtaining influence so divine truth finds access to their hearts, letting no opportunity for service pass unimproved. Simple, sincere presentation in the family circle reaches many with conviction from the divine Worker present with the workers.

The commission is a sanctifying, unifying preparation for medical missionary work in connection with the third angel's message, corresponding to that first work and teaching workers under Christ's commission that His Spirit prepares the way before them so that with such a message and blessings they should expect a welcome in homes. It joins preaching the kingdom with ministering to the sick and afflicted, healing and freely giving as freely received, including preaching good tidings, binding up the brokenhearted, and health reform. As a divine gift was once proffered to Israel, the faithful evangelist today does a similar work in every city entered, relieving suffering humanity through medical missionary training tried to some extent in connection with sanitariums but to be gained in much wider experience. Students in schools are to be sent out under conference presidents and at first accompanied by an experienced man or woman giving instruction how to labor, so city dwellers may become acquainted with the truths of the third angel's message. When food or lodging is offered it is to be accepted as occasion for conversation, explaining the Scriptures, singing Bible songs, and praying with the family, exercises that prove a blessing even to brethren in the faith, while the consecrated youth of the workers often encourages and helps the people.

Those instructions set the pattern for appointing strong men to work in great centers with many young men and women associated with them to labor humbly, a work necessary in Christ's time and even more necessary now. It requires great ingenuity in presenting the words of eternal life so souls are reached and converted, and thoroughly converted workers who present the word of truth in tenderness that wins hearts. The same directions guide canvassers in sharing Christ's love and personal experience, feeling a burden for souls as God's helping hand, asking those met if they love the Lord Jesus, since there is a famine in the land for the pure gospel.

The broader instructions teach that Christ's messengers must expect opposition and be wise and harmless while bearing witness before hostile authorities and Gentiles, acting cautiously in new fields to avoid giving enemies material to use against the work. The phrase the way of the Gentiles is applied to worldly inventions such as football and other games, where using strength for amusement blesses no one and those powers should instead be put to useful labor.