| Matthew 10 | |
|---|---|
 Gospel of Matthew 9:23–10:17 onCodex Sinaiticus, made about AD 330–360 | |
| Book | Gospel of Matthew |
| Category | Gospel |
| Christian Bible part | New Testament |
| Order in the Christian part | 1 |
Matthew 10 is the tenth chapter in theGospel of Matthew in theNew Testament section of the ChristianBible. This chapter opens withJesus calling some of hisdisciples and sending them out to preach and heal. This chapter is also known as theMission Discourse, the Apostolic Discourse,[1] or theLittle Commission, in contrast to theGreat Commission at the end of the gospel (Matthew 28:18–20). The Apostles receiving the Little Commission are directed to enter only the towns of the "lost sheep of thehouse of Israel" in verse 6, but verse 18 mentions that they will also be a witness to "governors, kings and the Gentiles" while in those towns.[2][3] In contrast, the Great Commission is specifically directed to all nations. This has led to debate as to whom the target audience of Jesus' original, pre-resurrection ministry was.[4]
Matthew names thetwelve apostles, or "twelve disciples", in verses 2 to 4, and gives them careful instruction as they travel around Israel. The remainder of the chapter consists almost entirely of sayings attributed to Jesus. Many of the sayings found in Matthew 10 are also found inLuke 10 and theGospel of Thomas, which is not part of the acceptedcanon of the New Testament.
The oldest known texts were written inKoine Greek.This chapter is divided into 42 verses.
Some earlymanuscripts containing the text of this chapter are:
The text in verse 1 refers to "his twelve disciples" (Greek:τους δωδεκα μαθητας αυτου,tous dōdeka mathētas autou). Verse 2 calls them "the twelve apostles" (Greek:τῶν δώδεκα ἀποστόλων,tōn dōdeka apostolōn):
²Now 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; ³Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican;James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; ⁴Simon the Canaanite, andJudas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
Verse 5 refers to them simply as "the twelve" (Greek:τοὺς δώδεκα,tous dōdeka) but the verb which follows is "ἀπέστειλεν" (apesteilen), meaning "sent forth".[8]Dale Allison observes that they are implicitly called "to imitate Jesus the missionary". Peter is named first because he would go on to lead the church. Judas is named last, because he was the most dishonoured.[9]
TheJerusalem Bible refers to these verses as a "missionary's handbook", and suggests that their scope is wider than that of the "first mission of the apostles" in verses 1–16.[10]
This is a much-discussed passage, often explained in terms of the "apocalyptic-eschatological" context of the 1st century.[13]
R. T. France explains the verse, in context with the subsequent verse 35: "The sword Jesus brings is not here military conflict, but, as vv. 35–36 show, a sharp social division which even severs the closest family ties. … Jesus speaks here, as in the preceding and following verses, more of a division in men’s personal response to him."[14]
The text of Matthew's Gospel in theBook of Kellsaltersgladium, theVulgate translation ofmakhairan "sword", togaudium, "joy", resulting in a reading of "I came not [only] to bring peace, but [also] joy".[15]
Matthew 10 contains many parallels found in theGospel of Thomas.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)The compilers of the late seventh century manuscript, The Book of Kells, refused to adopt St. Jerome's phrase "I come not to bring peace but a sword" (" ... non pacem sed gladium"). To them the phrase made no sense and they altered it ...
