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Matthew 10

And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

Now 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 ye not:

But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

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

Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,

Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.

And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.

And when ye come into an house, salute it.

And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.

And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.

Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;

And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.

But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.

For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.

And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.

And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.

It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?

Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.

What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.

But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.

And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

What does Matthew 10:27 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 10:27 captures Jesus' instructions to His disciples concerning the nature of their mission and how to spread His teachings.

Literally, the verse suggests that what the disciples learn from Jesus in private (in darkness) should be proclaimed openly (in the light).

Similarly, messages they receive discreetly (in the ear) should be declared publicly (upon the housetops).

At a deeper level, this verse emphasizes the importance of transmitting Jesus' teachings without fear.

The mention of 'darkness' suggests times of intimacy and confidentiality with Jesus, where He imparts spiritual truths. 'Light' symbolizes transparency, truth, and openness.

The 'housetops' imply the highest and most visible points in a community, indicating that the disciples' proclamation is not to be secretive but open and accessible to all.

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Matthew 10:27 is part of a discourse in which Jesus commissions the twelve apostles and gives them instructions for their ministry.

During the time of Jesus, houses often had flat roofs, and it was common for messages to be proclaimed from the housetops so that they could be heard by many.

The historical context here includes the socio-religious climate of Roman-occupied Judea in the 1st century, where speaking openly about certain teachings could lead to persecution.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, the verse underscores the divine imperative to witness and evangelize. Matthew's Gospel frequently addresses the idea of 'fear not,' encouraging faithfulness despite adversity.

Theologically, the emphasis is on the courage and integrity in proclaiming the Gospel message. Different denominations may interpret the scope of 'darkness' and 'light' differently, though most agree on the central call to evangelism.

Practical Applications

In practical terms, this verse can be taken to mean that Christians should live out and share their faith openly and boldly.

This includes bearing witness to personal experiences of faith and not being deterred by societal pressures to remain silent.

It calls for transparency in one’s beliefs and an active engagement with the community in sharing those beliefs.

Cross-References

Luke 12:3 - "Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops."
Mark 4:22 - "For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad."
Acts 5:20 - "Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life."

Language Study

The key phrases in the original Greek text of this verse include "en te skotia" (in the darkness), "en to photos" (in the light), and "epi ton domaton" (upon the housetops).

The terms "skotia" and "photos" emphasize the contrast between secrecy and openness, while "domaton" suggests a broad and public announcement.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Similar to Christianity, the spreading of religious and philosophical ideas in an open manner can be seen in other cultures and religions. For instance, in ancient Greek society, philosophers would debate in public spaces, espousing their views freely.

In contrast to the Christian approach, some religious practices may emphasize esoteric transmission where teachings are reserved for a select few.

Scientific Perspectives

Scientific perspectives on Matthew 10:27 would likely focus on the psychological and sociological implications of public speaking and the dissemination of ideas.

Modern communication theories might examine how the principle of speaking openly aligns with effective means of information spread in society, such as social contagion theory or memetics.

Commentaries

Commentaries on Matthew 10:27 often highlight the verse's call for the fearless proclamation of Jesus' teachings.

Renowned biblical scholars such as William Barclay note the dramatic and urgent tone of this instruction.

The Expositor's Bible Commentary suggests that the passage fits within Matthew's overall theme of the cost and demands of discipleship.

It is often seen as a call to prioritize the mission of bearing witness to the Gospel over personal safety and societal acceptance.

Matthew 10

Matthew 10

What does Matthew 10:27 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Matthew 10:27 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?