So long as God gives Him access to the people, He continues His labour of
love. Nevertheless, He was conscious of the iniquity that governed the
people, although He did not seek His own glory. Having exhorted His
disciples to pray that labourers might be sent into the harvest, He begins
(chap. 10) to act in accordance with that desire. He calls His twelve
disciples, He gives them power to cast out devils and to heal the sick, and
He sends them to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. We see, in this
mission, how much the ways of God with Israel form the subject of this
Gospel. They were to announce to that people, and to them exclusively, the
nearness of the kingdom, exercising at the same time the power they had
received: a striking testimony to Him who was come, and who could not only
work miracles Himself, but confer power on others to do so likewise. He
gave them authority over evil spirits for this purpose. It is this which
characterises the kingdom-man healed of all sickness and the devil cast out
Accordingly, in Hebrews 6, miracles are called "the powers of the world to
come."
[see note #27]
They were also, with respect to their need, to depend entirely on Him who
sent them. Emmanuel was there. If miracles were a proof to the world of
their Master's power, the fact that they lacked nothing should be so to
their own hearts The ordinance was abrogated during that period of their
ministry which followed the departure of Jesus from this world (Luke 22:
35-37). That which He here (Matt. 10) commands His disciples appertains to
His presence as Messiah, as Jehovah Himself, on the earth. Therefore the
reception of His messengers, or their rejection, decided the fate of those
to whom they were sent. In rejecting them they rejected the Lord Emmanuel,
God with His people.
[see note #28] But, in fact, He sent them forth as sheep in the
midst of wolves. They would need the wisdom of serpents, and were to
exhibit the harmlessness of doves (rare union of virtues, found only in
those who, by the Spirit of the Lord, are wise unto that which is good and
simple concerning evil).
If they did not beware of men (sad testimony as to these), they would but
suffer; but when scourged and brought before councils and governors and
kings, all this should become a testimony unto them-a divine means of
presenting the gospel of the kingdom to kings and princes, without altering
its character or accommodating it to the world, or mixing up the Lord's
people with its usages and its false greatness. Moreover circumstances like
these made their testimony much more conspicuous than association with the
great ones of the earth would have done.
And, to accomplish this, they should receive such power and guidance from
the Spirit of their Father as would cause the words they spoke to be not
their own words, but His who inspired them. Here, again, their relation
with their Father, which so distinctly characterises the sermon on the
Mount, is made the basis of their capacity for the service they had to
perform. We must remember that this testimony was addressed to Israel only;
only that, Israel being under the yoke of the Gentiles since the time of
Nebuchadnezzar, the testimony would reach their rulers.
But this testimony would excite an opposition that should break all family
ties, and awaken a hatred that would not spare the life of those who had
been the most beloved. He who in spite of all this should endure to the end
should be saved. Nevertheless the case was urgent. They were not to resist,
but if the opposition took the form of persecution, they were to flee and
preach the Gospel elsewhere, for before they had gone over the cities of
Israel the Son of man should come.
[see note #29] They were to proclaim the
kingdom. Jehovah, Emmanuel, was there, in the midst of His people, and the
heads of the people had called the master of the house Beelzebub. This had
not stopped His testimony, but it very strongly characterised the
circumstances in which this testimony was to be rendered He sent them
forth, warning them of this state of things, to maintain this final
testimony among His beloved people as long as possible. This took place at
that time, and it is possible, if circumstances permit, to carry it on
until the Son of man comes to execute judgment. Then the master of the
house will nave risen up to shut the door. The "to-day" of Psalm 95 will be
over. Israel in possession of their cities being the object of this
testimony, it is necessarily suspended when they are no longer in their
land. The testimony to the future kingdom given in Israel by the apostles
after the Lord's death, is an accomplishment of this mission, so far as
this testimony was rendered in the land of Israel; for the kingdom might be
proclaimed as to be established while Emmanuel was on the earth; or this
might be by Christ's returning from heaven as announced by Peter in Acts 3.
And this might take place if Israel were in the land, even until Christ
should return. Thus the testimony may be resumed in Israel, whenever they
are again in their land and the requisite spiritual power is sent forth by
God.
Meanwhile, the disciples were to share in Christ's own position. If they
called the master of the house Beelzebub, much more they of His household.
But they were not to fear It was the necessary portion of those who were
for God in the midst of the people. But there was nothing hid that should
not be revealed. They themselves were to hold nothing back, but were to
proclaim on the housetops all that they had been taught; for everything
should be brought into the light; their faithfulness to God in this
respect, as well as all other things. This, while it met the secret
plottings of their enemies, was itself to characterise the ways of the
disciples. God, who is light, and sees in darkness as in light, would bring
all out into the light, but they were to do this morally now. Therefore
were they to fear nothing while performing this work, unless it were God
Himself, the righteous Judge at the last day. Moreover the hairs of their
heads were numbered. They were precious to their Father, who took notice of
even a sparrow's death. This could not happen without Him who was their
Father.
Finally, they were to be thoroughly imbued with the conviction that the
Lord was not come to send peace on the earth; no, it should be division,
even in the bosom of families. But Christ was to be more precious than
father or mother, and even than a man's own life. He who would save his
life at the expense of his testimony to Christ should lose it; he who would
lose it for the sake of Christ should gain it. He also who should receive
this testimony, in the person of the disciples, received Christ, and, in
Christ, Him that sent Him. God, therefore, being thus acknowledged in the
person of His witnesses on earth, would bestow, on whoever received the
latter, a reward according to the testimony rendered. In thus acknowledging
the testimony of the rejected Lord, were it only by a cup of cold water, he
who gave it should not lose his reward. In an opposing world, he who
believes the testimony of God, and receives (in spite of the world) the man
who bears this testimony, really confesses God, as well as His servant. It
is all that we can do. The rejection of Christ made Him a test, a
touchstone.
