Freely Received and Given Matthew 10:8

Matthew the apostle shared how, “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; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter you not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand”, and in chapter ten and verse eight of his book, Matthew shared how Jesus told His disciples, “freely you have received, freely give” where we read:

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely you have received, freely give.

The verse reads, “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils.” Matthew began with the words, “heal” or “do service to, cure and restore to health” “the sick” which means “the weak, impotent, diseased, feeble, without strength and powerless”, “cleanse” or “make clean from physical stains, dirt, defilement and wickedness” “the lepers” which means “the scaly, rough and affected with leprosy”, “raise” or “arouse from sleep, recall and cause to rise” “the dead” which refers to “those who have breathed their last, the lifeless, deceased, departed, destitute and inanimate”, “cast out” or “drive, reject and tear out out with a notion of violence and force” “devils” which refers to “demons, evil spirits and messengers and ministers of the devil”. Matthew shared how Jesus told His disciples to “heal, cleanse, raise and cast out” those who are “sick, with leprosy, dead and demon possessed”.

The verse goes on to say, “freely you have received, freely give.” Matthew continued with the word, “freely” which means “undeservedly, without cause, for naught and gratuitously” “you have received” or “the disciples have taken, laid hold of, claimed and procured”, “freely” which means “undeservedly, without cause, for naught and gratuitously” “give” or “grant, supply, furnish and deliver”. Matthew shared how Jesus told His disciples to “give” to others “gratuitously” in the same manner they have been “given”.

When we consider Matthew's words in this verse, we see more of Jesus' instructions to His “apostles” whom He was sending to the Jews. They were not only to proclaim how the “kingdom of heaven” is “near”, but they were also to help people with their physical maladies. Those who were “sick” were to be “healed”, and those who were “lepers” were to be “cleansed”. People who “died” were to be “raised from the dead”, and those who were “demon possessed” were to have them “cast out”. God desires to help people both “spiritually” and “physically”, and because Jesus was training His disciples, they were now commissioned to do miracles even as He did in the world. Jesus Christ is the answer to every problem whether “physical or spiritual”, and those who are in need may call upon Him and receive Him as the miracle working “Savior and Lord”.

Next time Matthew shares how Jesus told His disciples to, “provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.