Verse-by-Verse Commentary
The Book of Matthew
Chapter 10: The Sending of the Twelve
Having seen the harvest plentiful and the laborers few, Jesus now names and sends twelve laborers of His own. He gives the apostles power over unclean spirits and sickness, and sends them to 'the lost sheep of the house of Israel' with the message, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand,' and the charge, 'freely ye have received, freely give.' He is honest about the cost: they go 'as sheep in the midst of wolves,' and will be hated 'for my name's sake.' Yet He steadies them with some of the most comforting words in the Gospels, 'the very hairs of your head are all numbered,' and calls for a love that puts Him first and takes up the cross to follow Him.
About This Commentary
This is a verse-by-verse study of Matthew chapter 10. For each section you will find the KJV text, word studies that sharpen the meaning, plain explanation, and a Gospel Focus. Here the King commissions His apostles and prepares them for a mission of power and of suffering. Every Scripture quotation is from the King James Version.
Setting the Stage
Freely Give
Jesus names and empowers twelve apostles, sending them to preach the kingdom and heal, giving freely what they freely received.
Sheep Among Wolves
He warns of persecution, councils, and betrayal, telling them to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
Every Hair Numbered
Not a sparrow falls without the Father; the very hairs of their heads are numbered, so they need not fear.
Take Up the Cross
Christ must come before family and self; whoever loses his life for His sake will find it.
Freely Ye Have Received, Freely Give (Matthew 10:1-15)
The King names His twelve and sends them out with His own authority.
The Kingdom of Heaven Is at Hand
"And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat. And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. And when ye come into an house, salute it. And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city."
Word Study
"apostles," Greek apostoloi (ἀπόστολοι). "Sent ones," those commissioned and sent with the authority of the one who sends them. This is the first time Matthew calls the Twelve "apostles"; until now they were "disciples" (learners). Having learned, they are now sent.
Explanation
Having told the disciples to pray for labourers (9:38), Jesus now makes them the answer to their own prayer, giving the Twelve His own authority over unclean spirits and disease. The mission is deliberately limited at first -- "to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" -- and marked by radical dependence: "freely ye have received, freely give," carrying no provision, relying on the hospitality of worthy homes. The kingdom advances not by accumulation but by trust, its messengers living proof that the God who sends also supplies.
Gospel Focus
Jesus does not send His apostles empty-handed; He "gave them power" over demons and disease, His own authority entrusted to His messengers. And the heart of their charge is a principle for every believer: "freely ye have received, freely give." The kingdom is not for sale, and its blessings are not to be hoarded. What we received as an unearned gift, we pass on as a gift. Notice the message they carry is the same Jesus preached, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand", and their provision is simple trust, "the workman is worthy of his meat." That the list even includes "Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him" is sobering: a man can be numbered among the sent and still be lost. The mission first goes "to the lost sheep of the house of Israel," but after the resurrection the same Lord will widen it to "all nations" (Matthew 28:19). The pattern holds for us: freely we have received grace; freely we are sent to give it away.
As Sheep in the Midst of Wolves (Matthew 10:16-25)
Jesus is honest about the suffering His messengers will face.
He That Endureth to the End Shall Be Saved
"Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?"
Word Study
"harmless," Greek akeraioi (ἀκέραιοι). Literally "unmixed, pure," without guile. Christ's messengers are to be shrewd and alert ("wise as serpents") yet morally pure and innocent ("harmless as doves"), sharp without being sinful, careful without being crooked.
Explanation
The tone darkens as Jesus looks past this first tour to the whole age of witness: "I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves." He promises not safety but the Father's presence in the danger -- "it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you." Persecution is not a sign that the mission has failed but that the servant is treading the Master's road: "it is enough for the disciple that he be as his master." The cross-shaped life begins the moment one is sent.
Gospel Focus
Jesus never recruits followers under false pretenses. He sends them "as sheep in the midst of wolves" and tells them plainly they will be dragged before councils, scourged, and "hated of all men for my name's sake." Yet He surrounds the warning with comfort. When they stand before rulers, they need "take no thought" for their defense, "for it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you." Here is a precious Apostolic truth: "the Spirit of your Father" is God's own Spirit at work in His people, the one God speaking through them, the same Spirit poured out at Pentecost. And the promise that steadies every persecuted believer is verse 22: "he that endureth to the end shall be saved." The call is not to a comfortable religion but to faithful endurance. And Jesus reminds them the servant is not above his Master: if the world called Him "Beelzebub," His followers should expect no better. To suffer for His name is to share the lot of the King Himself, and that is no shame but an honor.
The Very Hairs of Your Head Are Numbered (Matthew 10:26-33)
Three times Jesus says "fear not," anchoring courage in the Father's care.
Fear Not; Ye Are of More Value Than Many Sparrows
"Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven."
Word Study
"farthing," Greek assarion (ἀσσάριον). A tiny copper coin worth a fraction of a day's wage, the price of two sparrows, the cheapest bird sold for food. Jesus takes the least valuable creature to make His point: even it does not fall without the Father's knowledge.
Explanation
Three times Jesus says "fear not," replacing the fear of man with the fear and confidence of God. Nothing is finally hidden; what is whispered will be shouted from the housetops, so the disciple need not dread man's verdict but live for God's. The God who numbers the sparrows and the hairs of the head holds His servants in a providence so detailed that not one falls "without your Father." And the stakes are eternal: to confess Christ before men is to be confessed before the Father; to deny Him is to be denied.
Gospel Focus
Three times in this passage Jesus says "fear not," and He gives reasons that dismantle fear at its root. First, truth will win in the end, "there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed", so proclaim the message boldly, "upon the housetops." Second, our worst enemies can only touch the body: "fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul." The only One to fear rightly is God, who holds soul and body forever. Third, and most tenderly, the Father's care is minute and personal: "one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father... the very hairs of your head are all numbered." If God notices a sparrow's fall and counts the hairs you lose, nothing in your life is beneath His attention or beyond His care, "ye are of more value than many sparrows." And Jesus presses the stakes of the mission: "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father." To own Christ before a hostile world is to be owned by Christ before the Father. Fear of man silences; the fear of God, joined to the Father's tender care, sets us free to confess Him boldly.
He That Loseth His Life Shall Find It (Matthew 10:34-42)
Following Christ costs everything, and gives back more than it costs.
Take Up the Cross and Follow
"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward."
Word Study
"his cross," Greek stauros (σταυρός). To Jesus' hearers, the cross meant one thing: a condemned man carrying the instrument of his own execution to the place of death. "Take up his cross" is a call to die to self, to hold nothing back, even life itself, in following Christ.
Explanation
Jesus states the dividing effect of His coming with startling honesty: "I came not to send peace, but a sword." The gospel forces a choice that can split even families, because allegiance to Christ must exceed every other love -- "he that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me." This is the first mention of the cross in Matthew, and it is aimed at the disciple: "he that taketh not his cross... is not worthy of me." The paradox that governs the whole Christian life is here -- "he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it" -- and even a cup of cold water given for His sake will not lose its reward.
Gospel Focus
The "sword" Jesus brings is not violence but division: the gospel forces a decision, and that decision can split even a household. It is not that Christ opposes family love, but that He must have first place, "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me." He asks for a love that outranks our dearest earthly ties, and a surrender that "taketh... his cross." Then comes the great paradox of the Christian life: "He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." Clutch your life for yourself and you forfeit it; surrender it to Christ and you gain it forever. This is not a grim bargain but the best exchange in the universe, we give up a small, self-centered life and receive life eternal and abundant. And Jesus ends with tender grace: even "a cup of cold water" given to one of His little ones "in the name of a disciple" will not lose its reward. The King who calls us to lose everything for Him notices and rewards the smallest kindness done for His sake. The cross costs all, and gives back infinitely more.
Chapter 10 in Review
Matthew 10 is the commissioning of the Twelve. Jesus names His apostles, gives them His authority over demons and disease, and sends them to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel" with the message that "the kingdom of heaven is at hand" and the charge, "freely ye have received, freely give." He is candid about the cost: they go "as sheep in the midst of wolves," will be dragged before councils and kings, and "hated of all men for my name's sake," yet "he that endureth to the end shall be saved." He calms their fear three times over, for not a sparrow falls without the Father and "the very hairs of your head are all numbered." And He calls for a love that puts Him above all and takes up the cross, promising that "he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it."
For the Apostolic reader this chapter joins power and suffering, comfort and cost. The same Spirit who empowers the mission is "the Spirit of your Father" speaking in His messengers, the one God at work in His people. The call to confess Christ "before men," whatever it costs, is answered by His promise to confess us "before my Father." And the paradox at its heart is the shape of all true discipleship: we lose our lives to find them. The King sends His servants into a hostile world, but never alone and never uncared for; every sparrow's fall and every hair is counted, and every cup of cold water is remembered.
- Christ empowers and sends His people: "freely ye have received, freely give" (10:8).
- Discipleship is honest about cost: we go "as sheep in the midst of wolves," and endurance saves (10:16, 22).
- "The Spirit of your Father" speaks through His witnesses, the one God at work in His people (10:20).
- Fear not: not a sparrow falls without the Father, and every hair is numbered (10:29-31).
- Confess Christ before men, and He confesses you before the Father (10:32-33).
- Lose your life for His sake and you will find it; even a cup of cold water is rewarded (10:39, 42).
Questions for Reflection
- What have you "freely received" from God that you are called to "freely give"?
- Is there a place where fear of man keeps you from confessing Christ? How does the Father's care answer that fear?
- Does Christ truly hold first place, above even your dearest earthly loves?
- Where is Jesus calling you to "lose your life" in order to truly find it?
References & Sources
Scripture is quoted from the King James Version (KJV). Supporting passages are listed so every claim can be verified in its own setting. If anything here does not look right, a verse, a reference, or a wording, please tell us at info@FruitBearers.net. Thank you for helping us keep Bible Learning error free.
- The calling and sending of the Twelve: Matthew 10:1-15; Mark 6:7-13; Luke 9:1-6.
- Persecution foretold; the Spirit speaking in them: Matthew 10:16-25; Mark 13:9-13; Luke 12:11-12.
- Fear not; the Father's care and the call to confess Christ: Matthew 10:26-33; Luke 12:2-9.
- The cost of discipleship; taking up the cross: Matthew 10:34-42; Luke 14:26-27; Mark 9:41.