Matthew 10 Commentary
We could read the scripture chapter by chapter, as are doing, but this way has its own flaws. We segment the flow of thought and can easily skip key themes.
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Chapter 9 ended on this note.
Chapter 10 begins with the following: – “Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.”
Jesus is the LORD of the harvest. He has seen the need for more workers. He has responded by sending more workers into the harvest field. They must do what He has been doing. They are, therefore, equipped for the task at hand. They are equal to the task!
There is never any calling of God that doesn’t come with matching authority to perform the purpose of the calling.
Then we have a long list of instructions. It becomes the blueprint for the Christian walk. It becomes the essence of the saint’s life – the harvest field. Launch into the harvest field but know it isn’t a play park! Persecution awaits.
This is interesting. What about the authority in the opening verse of this chapter? The saint has a fully-loaded automatic weapon and he must be persecuted! We probably understand. The ‘rifle’ gun isn’t there to shoot aggressive sheep that must eventually be gathered for the chief shepherd. A muddy splash here, a kick in the leg there, and a hurting heart, there is much more to expect from the harvest field.
The truant sheep, fighter sheep, killer sheep, sheep-goats, how do you ever get to know what sheep the LORD has called? We leave it there.
The instructions cover the immediate, near future, as well as the distant future phases of the harvest period. The period runs until another coming of the Son – we could call it the second coming of the Son. Jesus mentions it in person. Verses 15 and 23.
The chapter discusses the expectations, the required actions, reactions, and the saint’s posture upwards of this moment – all too important to ink down on this page. You read these instructions and immediately know no amount of human writing can fully capture what the Spirit has said! Read it yourself again and again.
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