Sent Out as Sheep
What are the very real risks of representing Jesus in a world that fundamentally rejects his message?
Matthew 10:1-42
Read the whole passage before anything else. Everything below exists to help you understand what you just read.
1He called to himself his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every sickness.
2Now the names of the twelve apostles are these. The first, Simon, who is called Peter; Andrew, his brother; James the son of Zebedee; John, his brother;
3Philip; Bartholomew; Thomas; Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus; Lebbaeus, who was also called Thaddaeus;
4Simon the Zealot; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
5Jesus sent these twelve out and commanded them, saying, “Don’t go among the Gentiles, and don’t enter into any city of the Samaritans.
6Rather, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7As you go, preach, saying, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!’
8Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons. Freely you received, so freely give.
9Don’t take any gold, silver, or brass in your money belts.
10Take no bag for your journey, neither two coats, nor sandals, nor staff: for the laborer is worthy of his food.
11Into whatever city or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you go on.
12As you enter into the household, greet it.
13If the household is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it isn’t worthy, let your peace return to you.
14Whoever doesn’t receive you or hear your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet.
15Most certainly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.
16“Behold, I send you out as sheep among wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
17But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you.
18Yes, and you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the nations.
19But when they deliver you up, don’t be anxious how or what you will say, for it will be given you in that hour what you will say.
20For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.
21“Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. Children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.
22You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved.
23But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next, for most certainly I tell you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man has come.
24“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord.
25It is enough for the disciple that he be like his teacher, and the servant like his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household!
26Therefore don’t be afraid of them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.
27What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in the ear, proclaim on the housetops.
28Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.
29“Aren’t two sparrows sold for an assarion coin? Not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.
30But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
31Therefore don’t be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows.
32Everyone therefore who confesses me before men, I will also confess him before my Father who is in heaven.
33But whoever denies me before men, I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven.
34“Don’t think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn’t come to send peace, but a sword.
35For I came to set a man at odds against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
36A man’s foes will be those of his own household.
37He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me isn’t worthy of me.
38He who doesn’t take his cross and follow after me isn’t worthy of me.
39He who seeks his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.
40“He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me.
41He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. He who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward.
42Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most certainly I tell you, he will in no way lose his reward.”
What just happened?
Imagine dusty roads, small Galilean villages, and the sun beating down on a group of men who have dropped everything to follow Jesus. These aren't polished religious figures; they're fishermen, tax collectors, and revolutionaries. Jesus has been traveling, teaching, and healing across this region, drawing crowds and stirring up the established religious order. Now, He's gathered His inner circle, the twelve disciples, and He's about to delegate some serious power to them, power over sickness and even what people believed were evil spirits. This isn't just a pep talk; it's a commissioning, a send-off.
This moment occurs early in Jesus' public ministry, likely somewhere in Galilee, perhaps in a place like Capernaum, His base of operations. The year would be roughly 28 or 29 AD. The landscape is rural, dotted with small towns and agricultural communities. The people live under Roman occupation, with local Jewish leadership often caught between loyalty to tradition and the realities of foreign rule. It's a world ripe with anticipation for a Messiah, but also deeply entrenched in its own ways, its own power structures, and its own ideas of what God should do and how He should do it. Jesus' message of an "upside-down kingdom" is already disruptive.
Jesus is preparing His closest followers for the very real, often uncomfortable work of carrying His message forward. He's not just teaching them; He's empowering them to act as His representatives. This isn't a symbolic gesture; it's a practical, on-the-job training program. He's about to give them precise instructions, not only about what to say and do, but also about what to expect: both incredible reception and brutal rejection. He's telling them that representing Him means facing serious opposition, even from those they might expect to be allies. It's a stark preview of the road ahead, for them and for anyone who would follow Him.
Power with a Purpose
Jesus calls His twelve disciples and gives them authority. The word 'authority' here, 'exousia' in Greek, isn't just about having power, but having the *right* to use that power. He hands them the ability to deal with 'unclean spirits' and to heal 'every disease and every sickness.' This isn't some abstract concept; it's concrete. They are to go to the 'lost sheep of the house of Israel'—a direct, focused mission. They are not to detour to Gentiles or Samaritans yet. This mission has a specific focus, a particular audience, at this particular time.
Their message is equally direct: 'The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!' This isn't a vague spiritual feeling; it's a declaration that God's reign, His way of ordering the world, is breaking into their present reality through Jesus. And they are to demonstrate this reality. 'Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons.' These are tangible signs of a new order, visible proof that something profound is happening. Jesus adds, 'Freely you received, so freely give.' This isn't a transactional exchange; it's an overflow of what they themselves have experienced from Him. No charging for miracles, no gatekeeping for grace.
Radical Reliance, Unsettling Rejection
Jesus tells them, 'Don’t take any gold, silver, or brass in your money belts. Take no bag for your journey, neither two coats, nor sandals, nor staff.' This isn't just about traveling light; it's a radical call to dependence. They are to rely on the hospitality of those they serve. Their needs will be met because 'the laborer is worthy of his food.' This instruction forces them into a vulnerable position, demanding trust not just in God, but in the people they encounter.
He then gets specific about what to expect: 'Into whatever city or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you go on.' But what if they aren't received? 'Whoever doesn’t receive you or hear your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet.' This wasn't a casual gesture. In that culture, shaking dust off your feet symbolized breaking all ties, declaring that the place was so corrupt or unreceptive that even its dust was undesirable. It's a stark judgment, emphasizing the weight of rejecting Jesus' message carried by His representatives. The comparison to 'Sodom and Gomorrah' underscores the severity of such rejection, implying a divine reckoning for those who turn away from the message of the Kingdom.
Sheep Among Wolves
Here, Jesus paints a vivid picture: 'Behold, I send you out as sheep among wolves.' This isn't a metaphor for mild inconvenience; it's about existential danger. Wolves prey on sheep. He follows this chilling image with a dual instruction: 'Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.' Wisdom isn't trickery, but shrewdness in navigating danger. Harmlessness isn't naiveté, but integrity. The disciples must be street smart and pure-hearted, anticipating danger without becoming cynical.
The risks Jesus outlines are severe: 'They will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you.' This refers to local Jewish courts and synagogue-based punishments, including public flogging. 'You will be brought before governors and kings for my sake.' This speaks to Roman authorities and even royalty. The message is clear: representing Jesus will put them in direct opposition to powerful institutions. He even warns that 'brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child,' depicting family betrayal. If their teacher, Jesus, has been called 'Beelzebul'—a derogatory term for the prince of demons—then His followers should expect the same, or worse. The implication is that following Jesus isn't a path to popularity or ease, but one of radical alignment with a figure who challenges the status quo so profoundly that it inspires lethal resistance.
Not Peace, But a Sword
This is perhaps one of Jesus' most jarring statements: 'Don’t think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn’t come to send peace, but a sword.' This isn't a call to violence, but a brutal honesty about the divisive nature of His message. The "sword" here symbolizes division, cutting through existing loyalties. He explains this division will happen within families: 'I came to set a man at odds against his father, and a daughter against her mother.' Choosing Jesus might mean fracturing the most fundamental human relationships. Loyalty to Him must supersede all others. This is a radical reordering of priorities.
He presses this point further: 'He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.' This isn't about neglecting family; it's about ultimate allegiance. The 'cross' he mentions isn't yet fully understood by the disciples, but it is a Roman execution device, a symbol of ultimate sacrifice and public shame. 'He who doesn’t take his cross and follow after me isn’t worthy of me.' The path of following Jesus is one of self-denial and potential suffering, even death. It's a path where 'he who seeks his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.' This paradox encapsulates the 'upside-down' nature of the Kingdom: true life is found not in self-preservation, but in radical surrender and sacrifice for His sake.
What are we supposed to see?
This passage shows Jesus as a leader who does not sugarcoat the cost of discipleship. He's not selling a self-help program or a comfortable spiritual retreat. Instead, He reveals Himself as a commanding figure who grants immense power—healing, casting out demons—but immediately pairs it with warnings of intense opposition and personal sacrifice. He's a general sending His troops into hostile territory, fully aware of the dangers, yet convinced of the mission's absolute necessity. His actions demonstrate a profound commitment to the expansion of His Kingdom, even if it means disrupting the lives, and even threatening the lives, of His closest followers.
Jesus also shows Himself as utterly confident in His mission and His identity. He speaks with an authority that places Him above family loyalties, societal structures, and even the fear of death. He asserts that allegiance to Him must be paramount, even if it means alienating loved ones or facing persecution from governing bodies. His willingness to send His followers into such a challenging environment underscores His conviction that His message is not merely good advice, but the absolute truth that demands a radical response, and that He is truly the Son of God, the ultimate authority to whom all lesser loyalties must bend.
- 1IDENTITY
Jesus is the authoritative King, possessing and distributing divine power, whose message divides society and demands ultimate allegiance.
- 2WHAT HE VALUES
Jesus values absolute loyalty to His mission and message above all other human loyalties, even family, and the selfless proclamation of His Kingdom through sacrificial service.
- 3WHAT HE CONFRONTS
Jesus confronts human complacency, the fear of suffering, and the illusion that following Him will be a path of ease, directly challenging existing social and familial loyalties.
Where this sits in the whole Bible
Matthew 10:16 → John 15:18-20
Jesus' warning about being 'sheep among wolves' echoes His later statements that if the world hated Him, it would also hate His followers, because a servant is not greater than his master. The experience of persecution is a shared reality with Jesus.
Matthew 10:39 → Philippians 3:7-8
The paradox of losing one's life to find it is powerfully lived out by figures like Paul, who considered everything he once valued as 'rubbish' for the sake of knowing Christ, illustrating that true gain comes through radical surrender and identification with Jesus.
Matthew 10:40 → Genesis 12:3
The principle that 'He who receives you receives me' connects to the ancient biblical promise given to Abraham, that those who bless God's people will be blessed, and those who curse them will be cursed, demonstrating a long-standing divine pattern of identification with His messengers.
Jesus didn't send His disciples out with a guarantee of comfort or success, but with a stark warning of suffering and division, making it clear that the journey of faith is often difficult, but ultimately leads to true life.
Don't rush past this
The most uncomfortable truth in this passage is Jesus' blunt statement that He came "not to send peace, but a sword." This shatters any sentimental idea of a universally beloved, gentle Jesus whose message brings immediate, harmonious agreement. He explicitly states that His teachings will divide families—father against son, daughter against mother—and that one's closest relatives can become one's enemies. This isn't a call for hatred, but an honest assessment of the radical loyalty His message demands, a loyalty that can disrupt the most fundamental human bonds and force agonizing choices.
Equally jarring is Jesus' insistence on carrying one's "cross" to follow Him. At this point, the cross was a symbol of excruciating Roman execution and public shame, not a piece of jewelry. He's telling His followers that their path might involve suffering, rejection, and even death, directly mirroring His own eventual fate. This is a far cry from the modern promise of an easy or prosperous life through faith; instead, Jesus lays out a potential future of profound hardship and ultimate sacrifice, demanding a complete reordering of priorities and a willingness to surrender one's very life for His sake.
Turn it inward
Three questions from this passage. Answer them or just sit with them — nothing here is required to finish the lesson.
Jesus, your words in this passage are intense and unsettling. You don't promise an easy path, but one filled with challenges and even rejection. Help me to truly grasp the cost of following you, and to embrace the risks you describe. Give me the courage to choose you above all other loyalties, and the wisdom to navigate a world that often rejects your truth. Strengthen my faith to endure, knowing that true life is found in losing it for your sake. Amen.
This week, identify one area where you are prioritizing comfort or approval over your commitment to Jesus. It could be a conversation you're avoiding, a stance you're softening, or a relationship you're valuing more than your allegiance to Him. Take one small, concrete step to re-align that priority with Jesus' call, even if it feels uncomfortable. It might be speaking a truth you've held back or choosing an action that shows your primary loyalty.
History, language, objections and sources. None of it is needed to understand the passage.
Did Jesus truly intend for His followers to 'hate' their families or promote social division, or is this just hyperbole?
The language Jesus uses, especially in Luke's parallel account (Luke 14:26) where He says one must 'hate' father and mother, is strong and can be jarring. Most interpreters understand this as Semitic hyperbole, a common way of speaking in that culture to emphasize radical priority, not literal hatred. It means to love less by comparison, or to prioritize Him above all others. Jesus' teaching elsewhere emphasizes love and honoring parents. However, the 'sword' metaphor and the warnings of division are not hyperbole; they are an honest prediction of the actual social disruption and conflict that His message would cause, forcing people to choose ultimate loyalties that can indeed set them at odds with their own families or communities. The evidence is His consistent demand for ultimate allegiance and the historical record of how Christianity often divided households in its early centuries.
Why would Jesus restrict His disciples' mission only to 'the lost sheep of the house of Israel' and not include Gentiles and Samaritans, especially since His message is universal?
This instruction appears to limit the initial mission, which seems contradictory given Jesus' later commission to go to 'all nations' (Matthew 28:19). Scholars generally interpret this as a strategic, phased approach to the expansion of the Kingdom. First, the message was directed to Israel, fulfilling the prophecies that salvation would come through the Jewish people. This also allowed the disciples to focus their training within a familiar cultural context before being sent to a broader, more diverse world. It's a temporary restriction, not a permanent exclusion, a point supported by Jesus' own later interactions with Gentiles and Samaritans, and the ultimate global mission given after His resurrection.
Is the instruction to 'shake the dust off your feet' still applicable today, and does it mean we should give up on people who reject the message?
The act of shaking dust off one's feet was a dramatic symbolic gesture in that culture, signifying a complete break and a judgment against those who definitively rejected the message of the Kingdom. While the physical act itself might not be directly replicated today, the underlying principle remains: there comes a point where continued effort in an utterly unreceptive environment is unproductive. It doesn't necessarily mean giving up on individuals forever, but rather recognizing when to move on from a particular effort or location, allowing people the consequence of their own choices, and redirecting energy to those who are receptive. It’s a recognition that not everyone will accept the message, and persistent rejection has serious spiritual implications.
The Semitic Use of 'Hate'
The concept of 'hating' one's family (as found in Luke 14:26 and implied in Matthew 10:37) is a common point of confusion. In ancient Semitic languages, which inform the New Testament Greek, 'to hate' in such contexts does not always mean to feel malice or animosity. Instead, it is often a comparative term. For instance, in Genesis 29:30-31, Jacob 'loved Rachel more than Leah,' and because of this, Leah is described as 'hated.' This illustrates that 'hating' can signify loving less by comparison or prioritizing one thing overwhelmingly above another. Therefore, Jesus' instruction is not a command to despise family members, but an absolute declaration that allegiance to Him must surpass even the strongest human affections and loyalties. It's about ultimate priority, not personal animosity.
Sodom and Gomorrah as a Warning
Jesus' reference to Sodom and Gomorrah (Matthew 10:15) would have carried immense weight for His Jewish audience. These cities, destroyed by God in Genesis 19, were archetypal examples of divine judgment for egregious sin and inhospitality. By declaring that it would be 'more tolerable' for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for a city that rejects His disciples, Jesus is making a profound and alarming statement. He is asserting that the sin of rejecting His messengers and their proclamation of the Kingdom of Heaven is even more severe than the sins that led to the obliteration of those infamous cities. This elevates the authority of His disciples' message—and by extension, His own authority—to an unparalleled degree, implying a direct and personal encounter with God through their words and actions.