Scripture: And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. The names of the twelve apostles are these: 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 tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. Matthew 10:1-4 ESV
Observation: Jesus, who spoke (chapters 5-7) and acted (chapters 8-9) as one who had authority, now commissions his Twelve to do the same in part. As most orthodox theologians contend, the number twelve carries the significance of the New Covenant fulfilling the Old. While Yahweh commanded the twelve tribes of Israel to take possession of the Promised Land, the Holy Spirit will empower the Twelve (with Matthias replacing Judas) to press forward the boundaries of the Kingdom of God on earth. And at the consummation of Christ’s kingdom when he returns and makes all things new, the twelve gates of the New Jerusalem will each be named in honor of the twelve tribes of Israel, while its walls’ foundations will each have one of the twelve apostles’ names (Revelation 21:12-14).
As for our text, the authority Jesus bestowed on the Twelve empowered them to cast our demons and heal every disease—two significant aspects of Christ’s mission. Whereas, the charismatic gift of healing, listed among the other gifts of the Holy Spirit imparted to the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:9), was limited in extent as described in the book of Acts.
Of note, Mark (3:16-19), Luke (6:13-16), and Acts (1:13) also provide a list of Jesus’ disciples. And while all list Simon Peter first, James, John, and Andrew vary in their ordering of two through four. Simon, of course, gets top billing by the Gospellers because Christ later renames him Peter (“rock” in Greek) and declares that he would build his church on this rock. James and John are listed next because Jesus would call them and Peter to participate in special ministry events that warranted a smaller audience (e.g., the Transfiguration). And the Gospellers include Andrew in this first tier because he is the brother of Peter.
Takeaway: Matthew identifies the twelve disciples in verse 2 as apostles. As mentioned in prior Daily Focus devotions, an apostle is not the same as a disciple. In Scripture, “disciple” refers to anyone who believes in Jesus, while the “apostle” title connotes one whom Christ commissioned. Of course, this includes the Apostle Paul, whom Christ confronted and designated an apostle to the Gentiles. Its biblical Greek origin, apostolos, means “person sent,” an apt name for the Twelve and Paul. But over time, Paul would identify apostles as God’s first appointment to the church (1 Corinthian 12:28), followed by prophets and teachers, along with the gifts of miracles, healings, administration, and various kinds of tongues (vv.29-30). But those appointed apostles, like Paul, possessed the ability to adapt to new cultures and reside there for extended periods of their adult life.
Today’s equivalent would be overseas missionaries or those who move into distressed neighborhoods. But what about the rest of us? We need not feel of lesser value to Christ and his church if our gifts are more modest. Indeed, Paul urges all of us to desire the “higher gifts” of faith, hope, and love, with the latter being the greatest (1 Corinthians 13:13). So no matter what gifts the Holy Spirit has instilled in us, they are for the benefit of the body of Christ. Moreover, by grace through faith in Christ, we find salvation—not by our works so that none of us may boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). And all of us are Christ’s artistry, created for good works that the Father has prepared beforehand (2:10). So, as Paul urges the church, “walk in them” (v.10), whether across the street or the far reaches of the world.
Prayer: Father God, we thank you and your Son for sending the Holy Spirit to reside in us and empower us with gifts to grow your kingdom and glorify your name. Would you please help us to resist comparing ourselves to others whose spiritual gifts may receive more notoriety and focus more on “walking” in the good works you have commissioned for us? And may we do so with godly love. Amen.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
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