Matthew 10 - Part 1

 

 Read Matthew 10

Jesus had taught much that was new to the disciples.  They had a lot to digest.  They had a lot to think upon.  Their minds were surely being worked harder than ever before.

They surely had asked their Teacher and Master about many things that seemed to run counter to ancient teachings, at least the interpretations of those teachings given by the Scribes and Pharisees.

Once Jesus started preaching in parables on a regular basis, the disciples would have many more questions.  There was lecture.  There was discussion.  Now was the time for application.

Long ago, I learned a basic training and educational format.  I’m sure there are fancier names now, but in my time, it was Lecture, Discussion, and Application.  LDA was the model.

It seemed that Jesus liked that model as well.  The time had come for application.  The disciples would be sent to the Lost Sheep of Israel.  They were not be given graduate work yet.  No gentiles and no Samaritans would be in their marching orders, though if they were taken before leaders of these groups, the Holy Spirit would be with them and give them words to say.

Who was sent? The answer to this question is also the answer to who were the 12?  Remember Matthew 10:2.

These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

These were the 12.  We don’t get scripture for the calling of some of these, but they were following Jesus and under the yoke of this divine Rabbi nonetheless.   

This was the starting line-up.  It even included Judas who would later betray him.  Now was the time for application.

Amen.