Tag: Matthew

Red Letter Year: 4/3

Matthew 10:1-15

Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness.

2 Here are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (also called Peter), then Andrew (Peter’s brother), James (son of Zebedee), John (James’s brother), 3 Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew (the tax collector), James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus 4 Simon (the zealot), Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).

5 Jesus sent out the twelve apostles with these instructions: “Don’t go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, 6 but only to the people of Israel—God’s lost sheep. 7 Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!

9 Don’t take any money in your money belts—no gold, silver, or even copper coins. 10 Don’t carry a traveler’s bag with a change of clothes and sandals or even a walking stick. Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve to be fed.

11 Whenever you enter a city or village, search for a worthy person and stay in his home until you leave town. 12 When you enter the home, give it your blessing. 13 If it turns out to be a worthy home, let your blessing stand; if it is not, take back the blessing. 14 If any household or town refuses to welcome you or listen to your message, shake its dust from your feet as you leave. 15 I tell you the truth, the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah will be better off than such a town on the judgment day.

Comments

Chapter 9 told of Jesus casting out diseases and healing various ailments. Chapter 10 begins with Jesus authorizing and sending his followers to carry on this same work. He calls specific people and ones at various points on the political spectrum. Matthew the tax collector and Simon the Zealot would have had as much in common with regard to political views as John Boehner and Nancy Pelosi. Yet they are called to work together for the kingdom that has a politics all its own, a politics very much on display in chapters 9 and 10 (and also the Sermon on the Mount earlier). They are initially sent only to the Jews in the surrounding towns. This was a test run. Later they were sent everywhere, but broadening the venue is the only change, the rest of this chapter (sometimes called the Sermon on Mission) describes how those who spread the Gospel are to operate. They are to share the good news that Jesus has come. They are to heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons – in short, operate in the same kingdom power Jesus demonstrated. They are to travel light and simply, earning sustenance – but not wealth – by their kingdom work. They are to bless the people that receive them and stay with them, not jumping house to house. And they are to move on when rejected. All of these are essential teachings of Jesus. Few of them enjoy anything approaching serious consideration by most who call themselves ministers. Which is quite a shame.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Red Letter Year: 4/2

Matthew 9:27-38

27 After Jesus left the girl’s home, two blind men followed along behind him, shouting, “Son of David, have mercy on us!”

28 They went right into the house where he was staying, and Jesus asked them,“Do you believe I can make you see?”

“Yes, Lord,” they told him, “we do.”

29 Then he touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith, it will happen.”30 Then their eyes were opened, and they could see! Jesus sternly warned them, “Don’t tell anyone about this.” 31 But instead, they went out and spread his fame all over the region.

32 When they left, a demon-possessed man who couldn’t speak was brought to Jesus. 33 So Jesus cast out the demon, and then the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed. “Nothing like this has ever happened in Israel!” they exclaimed.

34 But the Pharisees said, “He can cast out demons because he is empowered by the prince of demons.”

35 Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. 38 So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”

Comments

Chapter 9 concludes with more social castoffs receiving healing from Jesus. Notice that the blind men and the demon-possessed man were brought into the house where Jesus was staying. They probably had a bite to eat and hung out with Jesus for a while too. Then Jesus got out and went around to the towns and villages around Judea. From what Matthew gives us, it seems safe to assume Jesus kept on hanging out with the riff raff, kept on accepting all the unacceptable people, kept on touching the untouchables with his love, his power, his compassion. Those who held political and/or religious power saw nothing of worth in such people, there was nothing to exploit, nothing to add to their power. Jesus saw a great harvest, a vast sea of hurting people, a place to expend the power he had. Funny how two people can look at the same thing and see something completely different. May we have eyes to see people as Jesus does, as opportunities to serve, not be served.

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.