Matt. 10 Matt. 10:1–4 Christ sendeth out his twelve apostles with power to do miracles. Matt. 10:5–15 He instructs them, Matt. 10:16–39 and forewarning them of persecutions, suggests motives of comfort and constancy. Matt. 10:40–42 He promiseth a blessing to those who should receive them.

Mark saith, Mark 3:14–15, And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils.

Mark reckoneth up the same persons, Mark 3:16–19, with some additions, which we shall consider as we come at the persons whom they concern. Apostles signifies persons sent; the term applied to Christ’s disciples signifies the persons that were first sent by him to preach the gospel.

Here Christ limiteth their ministry to the Jews. The apostle tells us, Rom. 15:8, Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to conform the promises made unto the fathers; and the apostle tells the Jews, Acts 13:46, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been…

In these words he gives them power, 1. To preach the gospel. 2. To confirm the doctrine they preached to be of God by miraculous operations, healing the sick, cleansing lepers, raising the dead, casting out devils.

Our Saviour having in the last verse commanded them to give freely, they might reasonably be thinking that they had need to provide well for their journey. No, saith our Saviour, Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass, & c.

Our Lord had before set them their limits, and appointed them their work, and directed them as to their accoutrements for their journey; here he directeth them their methods. Luke hath much of the same instructions, Luke 10:4–6, but applied to the seventy, not to the twelve.

Our Lord having hitherto instructed his twelve apostles as to the places whither they were to go, the work they had to do, and the methods he would have them observe, now comes to arm them against their difficulties, and the temptations they were like to meet with.

The last word, Gentiles, maketh it plain, that our blessed Lord is not here arming his disciples so much against any opposition they were like to meet with upon this their first going out, for they were not to go to the Gentiles, as those they should meet with some years after his ascension; yet…

Mark hath much the same, Mark 13:11; so hath Luke, Luke 11:11–12. The apostles being men but of an ordinary education before Christ called them, he might reasonably suppose that they would not appear before councils, and kings, and governors without some abashment, having not been accustomed to…

Luke speaketh much the same, Luke 21:16–17, though as spoken upon another occasion. Our Saviour here tells them, that the persecutions would reach even to death itself, and that the malice of the world against him and his gospel should proceed so far, as to extinguish all natural affection, between…

Whether this text at all warrants ministers’ flight in a time of persecution I doubt; it seemeth to be a special command given to the apostles, that they might have a time before the coming of Christ, here spoken of, to preach the gospel over all the cities of Israel.

As much as if he had said, “Think not much if you meet with persecutions: I am your Lord and Master, you are my servants and household; you have no reason to look for better measure from the world than I your Lord meet with; it is honour enough for you to be used as well as I am.

This is a proverbial speech, used by our Saviour upon more occasions than this, Mark 4:22, Luke 8:17, Luke 12:2. As to his present use of it, the sense is, “Though my gospel be now covered and hid, yet it shall be revealed and made known.” Or, “Though your innocency be hid and covered, yet God…

The candle of the gospel, which God hath by John the Baptist and me lighted up, is not to be hid; though therefore you have it from me in private, yet do you publish it.

As I told you before, you will in the publication of my gospel meet with opposition from men. Now that it is preached as it were in darkness, and whispered in men’s ears, there is no great noise made in the world; but the case will be otherwise when it cometh to be publicly revealed, and published…

Besides, consider, there is a God that governs the world, and by his providence influences and watcheth over the most minute and invaluable beings in it, and preserveth and upholdeth them; it extendeth to the very hairs of your head, and to a sparrow (two of which are sold ordinarily for an…

As this is a time for you publicly to own me, so there will be a time (in the day of judgment) for me to confess and publicly own you, before the angels of God (which Luke addeth to this sentence, Matt. 12:8): as men deal with me in this life, so I shall deal with them in that day.

Luke hath much the same with Matt. 10:34, in Luke 12:51. As the Jews were much mistaken in their notion of the Messiah, as if he were to be a temporal prince, to restore the kingdom to Israel, and as the kingdom, so a peaceful kingdom; so many persons think still that where true religion comes,…

Not of the household of faith, which showeth that it is not the gospel, but men’s corruptions, which causeth division. Those, who truly receive the gospel agree well enough, at least break not out into open feuds; but the tie of no natural or moral relations will hold together the seed of the woman…

Luke seemeth to speak higher, Luke 14:26, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

We have much the same in Matt. 16:24, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23; It is not he that maketh not, but he that taketh not his cross; that is, he that doth not willingly, and cheerfully, and patiently bear and undergo those trials, and afflictions, and persecutions, which God in the way of his providence…

John 12:25, giveth us a commentary upon these words thus, He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

He that receiveth you receiveth me, &c. we have the same Luke 10:16, only there it is, he that heareth you heareth me; and there is added, and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.