Commentaries:
Barnes' Notes
See also Mark 6:8-11, and Luke 9:3-5. In both these places the substance of this account is given, though not so particularly as in Matthew. The general subject is the instructions given to the apostles.
Matthew 10:9
Provide neither gold nor silver, nor brass - This prohibition of gold, silver, and brass is designed to prevent their providing money for their journey.
Pieces of money of "small value" were made of brass.
In your purses - Literally, in your girdles (belts). See the notes at Matthew 5:38-41. A "girdle" or "sash" was an indispensable part of the dress. This girdle was made "hollow," and answered the purpose of a purse. It was convenient, easily borne, and safe.
Matthew 10:10
Nor scrip - That is, knapsack.
This was made of skin or coarse cloth, to carry provisions in. It was commonly hung around the neck.
Neither two coats - See the notes at Matthew 5:40.
Neither shoes - The original is the word commonly rendered sandals. See the notes at Matthew 3:11.
Mark says, in recording this discourse, "but be shod with sandals." Between him and Matthew there is an apparent contradiction, but there is really no difference. According to Matthew, Jesus does not forbid their "wearing" the sandals which they probably had on, but only forbids their "supplying themselves with more," or with "superfluous ones." Instead of making provision for their feet when their "present" shoes were worn out, they were to trust to Providence to be supplied, and "go as they were." The meaning of the two evangelists may be thus expressed: "Do not procure anything more for your journey than you have on. Go as you are, shod with sandals, without making any more preparation."
Nor yet staves - In the margin, in all the ancient versions, and in the common Greek text, this is in the singular number - "nor yet" a staff. But Mark says that they might have a "staff:" "Jesus commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only." To many this would appear to be a contradiction. Yet the "spirit" of the instruction, the main thing that the writers aim at, is the same. That was, that they were "to go just as they were, to trust to Providence, and not to spend any time in making preparation for their journey. Some of them, probably, when he addressed them, "had staves," and some had not. To those who "had," he did not say that they should throw them away, as the instructions he was giving them might seem to require, but he suffered them to take them (Mark). To those who had not, he said they should not spend time in procuring them (Matthew), but "they were all to go just as they were."
The workman is worthy of his meat - This implies that they were to expect a proper supply for their needs from those who were benefited. They were not to make "bargain and sale" of the power of working miracles, but they were to expect competent support from preaching the gospel, and that not merely as a gift, but because they were "worthy" of it, and had a right to it.
Matthew 10:11
Who in it is worthy - That is, who in it sustains such a character that he will be disposed to show you hospitality and to treat you kindly.
This shows that they were not needlessly to throw themselves in the way of insult.
And there abide - There remain; as Luke adds, "Go not from house to house." They were to content themselves with one house; not to wander about in the manner of vagrants and mendicants; not to appear to be people of idleness and fond of change; not to seem dissatisfied with the hospitality of the people; but to show that they had regular, important business; that they valued their time; that they were disposed to give themselves to labor, and were intent only on the business for which he had sent them. If ministers of the gospel are useful, it will be by not spending their time in idle chit-chat, and wandering around as if they had nothing to do, but in an honest and laborious improvement of their time in study, in prayer, in preaching, and in visiting their people.
Matthew 10:12
And when ye come into a house, salute it - The word "house" here evidently means "family," as it does in the following verse.
See also Matthew 12:25, and John 4:53; "And himself believed and his whole house." The apostles were directed to salute the family - to show them the customary tokens of respect, and to treat them with civility. Religion never requires or permits its friends to outrage the common rules of social contact. It demands of them to exhibit to all the customary and proper tokens of respect, according to their age and station, I Peter 2:12-25; I Peter 3:8-11; Philippians 4:8. For the mode of salutation, see the notes at Luke 10:4-5.
Matthew 10:13
If the house be worthy - That is, if the "family" be worthy, or be willing to receive you as my disciples.
Let your peace come upon it - That is, let the peace or happiness which you seek or for which you pray in saluting it (see Luke 10:5), come upon it; or seek their peace and happiness by prayer, instruction, by remaining with them, and imparting to them the blessings of the gospel.
But if it be not worthy ... - If the family be unwilling to receive you; if they show themselves unfriendly to you and your message.
Let your peace return to you - This is a Hebrew mode of saying that your peace shall not come upon it, Psalms 35:13. It is a mode of speaking derived from bestowing a gift. If people were willing to receive it, they derived the benefit from it; if not, then of course the present came back or remained in the hand of the giver. So Christ figuratively speaks of the peace which their labor would confer. If received kindly and hospitably by the people, they would confer on them most valuable blessings. If rejected and persecuted, the blessings which they sought for others would come upon themselves. they would reap the benefit of being cast out and persecuted for their Master' s sake, Matthew 5:10.
Matthew 10:14
Shake off the dust of your feet - The Jews taught uniformly that the dust of the Gentiles was impure, and was to be shaken off.
To shake off the dust from the feet, therefore, was a significant act, denoting that they regarded them as impure, profane, and paganish, and that they declined any further connection with them. It is recorded that this was actually done by some of the apostles. See Acts 13:51; Acts 18:6.
Matthew 10:15
It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom ... - The cities here mentioned, together with Admah and Zeboim, were destroyed by fire and brimstone on account of their great wickedness.
They occupied the place afterward covered by the Dead Sea, bounding Palestine on the southeast, Genesis 19:24-25. Christ said that their punishment will be more "tolerable" - that is, more easily borne - than that of the people who reject his gospel. The reason is, that they were not favored with so much light and instruction. See Matthew 11:23-24; Luke 12:47-48. Sodom and Gomorrah are often referred to as signal instances of divine vengeance, and as sure proofs that the wicked shall not go unpunished. See II Peter 2:6; Jude 1:7.
Other Barnes' Notes entries containing Matthew 10:9:
Mark 6:8-11
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