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
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Observation: Recapping yesterday’s Daily Focus, Jesus continues his itinerant ministry through Galilee, teaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God in the synagogues while maintaining his healing ministry to the masses. However, Christ did not simply go through the motions of fulfilling his calling. On the contrary, he sincerely felt compassion for these oppressed and defenseless people who lacked godly oversight. Thus, having exemplified servant leadership, Jesus pulls his disciples aside and, likely pointing to the surrounding fields of grain, challenges them to consider the many lost souls who pursued him in the hope of finding a better way of life. Analogous to ripened heads of grain, these seekers are ready for harvest into the Kingdom of God; therefore, he challenges his disciples to pray to the Father to send out missionaries to multiply the yield and expand the boundaries of his kingdom.
For today’s reading, Jesus, who spoke and acted as one with authority, now commissions his Twelve to expand his work regarding casting out evil spirits and healing those afflicted with diseases and afflictions. Matthew lists the Twelve in order as follows:
- The brothers Simon Peter and Andrew
- The brothers James and John (sons of Zebedee)
- Philip
- Bartholomew
- Thomas
- Matthew (i.e., himself a tax collector)
- James (the son of Apheaus)
- Thaddaeus
- Simon (the Zealot)
- Judas Iscariot (the betrayer)
Contextual note: Mark (3:16-19), Luke (6:13-16), and Acts (1:13) also provide a list of Jesus’ disciples. While all authors 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 will 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). Finally, Matthew includes Andrew in this first tier because he is Peter’s brother.
Takeaway: As most orthodox theologians contend, “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).
Matthew identifies the twelve disciples in verse 2 as apostles. As mentioned periodically in our devotions, an apostle is not synonymous with 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. Still, Paul would identify apostles as God’s first appointment to the church (1 Corinthians 12:28), followed by prophets and teachers, along with the gifts of miracles, healings, administration, and various kinds of tongues (1 Corinthians 12:29-30). However, those appointed apostles, like Paul, possessed the ability to adapt to new cultures and reside in these foreign countries for extended periods of their adult lives.
Our takeaway? 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 less valued by 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).
Our part? As Paul urges the church, “Walk in them” (2:10), whether across the street or the far reaches of the world, exercise your gifts to do the good works our Father has prepared for you. And resist striving for what the church may emphasize as the greater gifts. You will glorify God most and expand his kingdom when you do so with godly love.
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. So, please help us 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. Lastly, may we do so with a godly love that inspires others to draw near to you. Amen.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
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