5 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them,
saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do
not enter a city of the Samaritans. 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house
of Israel. 7 And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the
dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. 9 Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper
in your money belts, 10 nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics,
nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.
Now notice that the Lord specifically says to them, “Freely you have received, freely give.” Therefore, in being Jesus Christ’s chosen servants they are (like the Lord Himself) not to ask anyone for anything for the good that they do towards them. For the Gospel of the grace of God cannot be effectively conveyed where there is a “fee” attached to it or it’s services. And so unlike the false apostles, prophets, teachers and workers who would later follow, who always try to mimic their works; but whose whole focus and purposes is only about making financial profit and gain for themselves (2 Cor 2:17; 11:1-33; 2 Peter 2:1-3 etc.), the Apostles, and indeed we are ourselves who believe and want to obey the truth and want to walk in the footsteps of our gracious Lord, Savior, and King must always be about doing the Lord’s work first and foremost in accord with the grace of God, and let the Lord be about providing whatever resources we need to do the work He calls us to do. Now along with His command for them to freely give just as they (and we) have freely received. The Lord Jesus also tells them to take nothing with them on their journey. And so, their sustenance was to come from those they were witnessing and ministering the Gospel too. Which itself then becomes a sort of test of their own countrymen as too whose household would really receive the Lord Jesus Christ and who would not. Therefore, the Lord Jesus’ Words to them too: “Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, 10 nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.” Vs. 9-10 is unique to them and this situation (see Luke 22:35-36). Though as we will see the principals of receiving them or rejecting them also applies to us.
Commentary
The Lord Jesus Christ now sends out the
twelve on a special evangelistic mission to the nation of Israel. For it is to
Israel that the Lord first came in fulfillment of God’s Word. Now with Israel’s
later rejection of Him the era of the Gentiles redemption in which we are
currently in became invoke (Acts 13:44-48). And so, the Lord Jesus’ command
here to the twelve is a specific command for them to only go to the lost sheep
of Israel, to preach to them first saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Just as the Lord Himself first
preached to Israel at the beginning of His ministry (Mark 1:15). Therefore, the
Lord Jesus likewise enables the twelve with the same Spiritual gifts and power
that He Himself exemplifies in His ministry to Israel, saying to them: “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out
demons. Freely you have received, freely give.” Vs. 8 So that
their can be no denying they are the Lord’s and they have been sent by Him to
them. Now notice that the Lord specifically says to them, “Freely you have received, freely give.” Therefore, in being Jesus Christ’s chosen servants they are (like the Lord Himself) not to ask anyone for anything for the good that they do towards them. For the Gospel of the grace of God cannot be effectively conveyed where there is a “fee” attached to it or it’s services. And so unlike the false apostles, prophets, teachers and workers who would later follow, who always try to mimic their works; but whose whole focus and purposes is only about making financial profit and gain for themselves (2 Cor 2:17; 11:1-33; 2 Peter 2:1-3 etc.), the Apostles, and indeed we are ourselves who believe and want to obey the truth and want to walk in the footsteps of our gracious Lord, Savior, and King must always be about doing the Lord’s work first and foremost in accord with the grace of God, and let the Lord be about providing whatever resources we need to do the work He calls us to do. Now along with His command for them to freely give just as they (and we) have freely received. The Lord Jesus also tells them to take nothing with them on their journey. And so, their sustenance was to come from those they were witnessing and ministering the Gospel too. Which itself then becomes a sort of test of their own countrymen as too whose household would really receive the Lord Jesus Christ and who would not. Therefore, the Lord Jesus’ Words to them too: “Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, 10 nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.” Vs. 9-10 is unique to them and this situation (see Luke 22:35-36). Though as we will see the principals of receiving them or rejecting them also applies to us.
Scripture Quotations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.
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