SECTION X.

THE FIRST SENDING FORTH OF THE DISCIPLES, AND THE INSTRUCTION WHICH OUR LORD GAVE THEM IN ITS SIGNIFICATION FOR ALL TIMES.

(Chap. ix. 35-xi. 1.)

On His first evangelistic journey in Galilee, Jesus had visited the mountain districts. His second was over the sea to the districts on the other side of it. On setting out on His third, He goes southward to the cities and villages in the populous low lands bordering the Sea of Galilee on the west. On this journey, as always. He enters into the synagogues, teaching and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and heals every sickness and every disease (every positive and negative defect) which came in His way.

During His journey in this direction, there was an extraordinary increase of the multitudes which gathered around Him. The people pressed upon Him with a thousand distresses and importunities of body and soul, with an ill-defined but powerful feeling that He was the right Helper. He understood this great press of people surrounding Him in always increasing number. He felt with compassion how forsaken these people were, notwithstanding their princes, judges, and rabbis. They appeared to Him like scattered and fainting sheep which have no shepherd — like a flock broken up. But the greater the pressure around Him in His human form, the more the one displaced the other. He felt that it had now become a matter of necessity to multiply, by the cooperation of His disciples, His outward means of working. Hence He said to them, 'The harvest is plenteous, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest to send forth labourers into the harvest.' They ought to prepare themselves with this prayer, that ^they might be made fit for being by Him sent out as labourers.

The separating, calling, and consecrating of the Twelve next took place. He gave them power over unclean spirits to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. A messenger of Christ is as such always furnished with a power to bless which must accompany and confirm His word. The following is the list of the apostles given by Matthew: — 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 Alpheus, and Lebbeus, whose surname was Thaddeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. The twelve apostles are the representatives of the twelve tribes of Israel. But they are themselves, in their number of twelve, the types of the unfolded fulness of the kingdom of God. Twelve contains the number of the Spirit, i.e., three multiplied by the number of the world, i.e., four. Thus it is the number of the transformed world in its grand outlines. The disposing of the disciples in pairs, intimates that no one by himself is a sufficient representative of the fulness of Christ; that one has always to supplement the other by conditioning and restraining him, as well as by enlarging and animating him.

The instruction which the Lord gave to His messengers was, doubtless, primarily applicable to this first mission; but it is so significant in all its expressions, and contains such comprehensive definitions, such general elements, that it must be regarded as the type of all missions connected with the kingdom of Christ, He began by telling His messengers whither they should go, first negatively: '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,' This direction holds good for the disciples this time in its most peculiar sense, for Christ's work must be executed first in Israel. Besides, the disciples were not yet capable of preaching to Gentiles and Samaritans. So long as in their eyes the Gentiles were Gentiles, and the Samaritans Samaritans, they had no power over their spirits; this power they acquired only after they were able to get out of their errors, and to discover the connecting links 'of the primeval religion, whereby they were capable of recognizing in them the lost sheep of the house of Israel. This direction holds good in the more general sense for all Christ's messengers. They ought always to go first to the best prepared and most receptive, with whom they are historically the most closely connected, and take courage to visit the distant only when these are brought spiritually near, when they perceive some point of relationship on which they may lay hold with success.

The commission of the apostles was in the following terms: 'Go and preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils.' They are to announce the approach of a kingdom which consists in this, that God no longer deals with men through symbolic media and mediators as if from afar, but that through Christ He dwells in their hearts, and so rules the world. They are to confirm their message in this fallen world as the word of this kingdom by quickening operations, even unto raising the dead, and by purifying operations, even unto casting out devils.

Thus they are to bring the highest riches to men; therefore they seem entitled to claim the highest reward. As teachers who teach the kingdom of heaven, as spiritual princes laying its foundations, as physicians whose healing operations extend even to raising the dead, as men who ennoble human society, who free it from the power of all unclean spirits, they must, according to the suppositions of the carnal mind, be able to lay claim to unbounded remuneration. But the appointment in regard to their honorarium is shortly this: 'Freely ye have received, freely give,' They are not to esteem as venal the gifts of free grace; they are not to propagate the kingdom of love according to the principles assumed in the kingdom of merchandise or trade.

Neither should they be anxiously careful about their means of support: 'Provide neither gold, nor' silver, nor brass, in your purses; nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet a staff: for the workman is worthy of his meat.' This added clause shows how we are to understand the former directions. They should not anxiously fear that, as messengers of the kingdom of heaven, they would not find means of support whereever they went, and consequently provide themselves with a store of provisions for their journey. They were to set out lightly girded, in the confidence that, as messengers and founders of the kingdom of love, they would everywhere find their reward in the gifts of free recognition of their labours. Our Lord's second direction thus supplements the first. They were indeed never to sell the message of the Gospel; but, on the other hand, they were not to suppose that it was necessary for them first to provide large supplies in order to be able to spread the Gospel, but should expect that the receptive who had received their heavenly blessings would willingly, reverentially, and with free love, supply their earthly wants.

Our Lord next gives instructions regarding the way and manner of spreading the Gospel. The first rule is this: 'Into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy (of your entering and abiding with him); and there abide till ye go thence.' They were not to go at once to the first one ready to receive them, but to search for the most receptive, who as such was most worthy of this distinction. This man's house they should not leave too soon or too hastily, but only when they leave the place. So they were to make that house a church. This intimates that the Church should always begin her work with the most receptive and best prepared — should concentrate her force in the family, and from it go out unto the world. The second preparatory rule is: 'When ye come into a 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.' It cannot be a salutation in the common sense that is referred to here. Rather they were to salute those men who, after careful inquiries, were pointed out to them as pious, as kindred in spirit and brethren, because God had wrought in them and prepared them for their arrival. And the possibility of occasional mistake should not mislead them in regard to the rule. In the first case, the inhabitants of the house soon become partakers of their peace; in the second, they themselves lose nothing of their blessing. But for this case a third rule follows: 'And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city (in the whole of which no one worthy is to be found), 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.' They should shake off the dust of their feet as a sign of fellowship being broken off, and depart quickly and hasten away to preach the Gospel elsewhere; for judgment quickly follows the footsteps of the despised messengers of deliverance. Either the baptism with the Holy Ghost, or the baptism with Fire: that is the motto of the divine rule in the latter times; — things hasten on to the final decision. The judgment, however, comes proportionate to the message of salvation which has been despised; and in this respect a heavier judgment must naturally overtake the despisers of the unfolded salvation of the New Testament, than the despisers of the dark commencements of the theocracy, however loudly the guilt of these too may cry to heaven.

By what has been last said, our Lord had already indicated the unfavourable reception which they and their preaching would in general receive. 'Behold,' He continues, '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.' So openly did the Lord unveil to His disciples the future which stood before them in His service. This disclosure evidently pointed to something far beyond what should befall them on their first mission: He found it necessary to tell them once for all, what reception they had, as His messengers, to expect from the world. As the wolfish nature is excited in the wolf when he sees the sheep, so is enmity in the natural man at the approach of the messengers of salvation, who in the patient love of Christ really show themselves to be such. Hence they should with the wisdom of the serpent beware of men. But this prudence must be kept in its purity by the simplicity of the dove, and not seek by wrong means to escape the cross. They should be prepared for being rejected, sometimes by formal and ceremonious judgments (before the councils), and at other times by zelotistic tumults (in the synagogues), nay, even to be delivered up by the Jews to the rulers of the Gentiles. But the world would thereby give them testimony that they had faithfully proclaimed to it the Gospel message. This disclosure was well fitted to cast down any false enthusiasm with which they might desire to set out. Yet they were not to be discouraged or full of anxiety respecting those persecutions, but only consider the proper course of conduct. What this should be in persecution. He next describes to them. '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.' So free from care and full of divine joy are they to await the hours of judicial decision, because the Spirit of Christ lives and speaks in them, and hence can speak through them. In this the Lord has given them the first great word of comfort for their sufferings. They do not need to be full of anxiety lest in conducting His cause they may come to shame — do not need to be painfully solicitous for well-set phrases: the Holy Ghost Himself will plead their cause.

Yet they were not to imagine that thereby the enmity of the world against them would be at once removed. They should rather recognize that these persecutions were inevitable; for from thenceforth, as our Lord further shows, 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. If their nearest relatives are so enraged against believers, it cannot be mere misunderstandings that are referred to the persecutions of the world are directed not merely against the men who are the messengers of Christ, but against Christianity itself, Christ expressly declares this: 'Ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake,' Thus Christians will have to endure manifold trials; He adds, therefore, the encouraging word, 'He that endureth to the end shall be saved.'

While announcing the severe trials which await them, our Lord gives them, very distinctly, the second word of comfort. They receive the certainty that they shall find friends in the world who will receive their message and maintain it with the greatest faithfulness, who will esteem fellowship with Christ and with them higher than the strongest blood-relationship, yea, even than life itself.

Our Lord comforts them afresh with the saying. 'But when they persecute you in one 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.' Thus they might and should withdraw from the rage of their persecutors if circumstances permitted, yet on the implied condition, that wherever they went they would again preach the Gospel, In thus fleeing and carrying the Gospel always farther and farther, where it would find reception, they were not to be afraid that they would be soon over with the cities of Israel, the receptive places. They shall have work until the coming of Christ, even unto His last coming at the end of the world. Further, they have the comfort that He goes before them in all these sufferings, so that they only share His lot, '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 those of His household! '

But in respect to these and all other insults which they have to endure, they may take as ground of further comfort, that the tribunals would place their name and their cause in the clearest light. 'Fear them not therefore; for there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, and hid that shall not be known.' Confident of this, they themselves are to strive earnestly for openness in boldly proclaiming to the world the words which He has told in their confidential circle. 'What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light; what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the house-tops.' So they are not to let themselves be intimidated by the world's calumnies, but to hope with confidence for their justification before the most open tribunals, especially before the supreme and open tribunal before which the world shall be judged.

Our Lord gives them a special ground of comfort while pointing out the bodily sufferings which await them: 'And fear not them who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell/ They are not to fear the departure from life, in which they lose only the body (and it only apparently), and gain the life of their soul; but they are to fear a departure from life in which the soul, with the corporeity for ever belonging to it, is destroyed in hell. They are to consider that in the path of the denial of Him, they are threatened by that adversary who is a spirit, and who on their departure from life is able to destroy their soul and their body in hell; therefore they should above all things fear this adversary, and consequently the denial of Himself; while in the path of confessing Him they are opposed only by men, who can deprive them of their earthly tabernacle only, but must let the soul with its indwelling corporeity go into its proper home.

But men cannot deprive them of even bodily life unless by permission of the Father in heaven. This should be a new ground of comfort to them, that the Father watches over and protects them, and that death by the hand of man can reach them only when it is appointed for them by God. 'Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But as concerns you, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore; ye are of more value than many sparrows.'

While thus tranquillizing them, He adds, by way of comfort, a great promise pointing to the future life: 'Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess before My Father which is in heaven.' This word of power is strengthened by the threatening, 'But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven.' In order to explain that bearing witness to Him before men would continue to be a confession (treated by the world as an acknowledging of guilt). He adds: '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.^ These words form an introduction to another word of comfort which He now solemnly expresses. '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.' Hence follows that the faithful followers of Christ who are ready to bear the cross after Him are called worthy of Him, and shall appear as His friends and of His household.

This implies the comforting and elevating assurance, that as faithful witnesses of Christ, they shall gain their soul's eternal happiness. 'He that findeth his life,' says Christ, 'shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for My sake shall find it.'

And now He can tell them yet one thing more: they shall procure not only their own eternal happiness, but also that of others. They shall go forth into the world invested with the dignity of Christ, and spread abroad the blessings of His life. This is the meaning of the saying: '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.'

Our Lord thus accumulates and arranges the great grounds of comfort which encourage His witnesses to he faithful in persecution. The Spirit which lives in them will plead for them with power. They shall, as children of the Spirit, he upheld by Him. In bearing their testimony, they shall everywhere find friends ready to share distress and death with them. And if they are no longer tolerated in any place, they can always proceed to another, with the assured confidence that they shall find receptive circles sufficient, and more than sufficient, to occupy their time until the end. They will find the path of suffering already opened up to them, for He Himself, the Lord, goes before them, enduring the severest trials. In the light of the new world the insults of their enemies shall all be set in their proper insignificance; and if their enemies seek to harm their life, they can at the utmost only deprive them of their body, which very thing raises their soul with the true life above every danger which the dark enemy of their life prepares for them. But no enemy shall be able to injure even their bodily life without the permission of their heavenly Father, for they are under His special protection. Thus they shall triumph over their enemies in every direction. And this will be their eternal gain: they shall be glorified before the Father by the Son. They shall be acknowledged by Christ as faithful partners of His Spirit and life. They shall gain the life of their life. As bearing about with them the life of Christ, yea, even Cod's fulness of grace, they shall, wherever they go, spread abroad body, life, and blessedness in the world; even in their necessities they shall be a blessing to those who gave them refreshment, because they are Jesus' disciples.

After our Lord had sent forth the apostles with these instructions, He continued His own journey (with a retinue of other disciples), to teach and to preach 'in their cities.' Probably He visited the the larger places Himself, while the apostles were sent round to the smaller places, the market-towns and villages (comp. xi. 1 with ix. 35).

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