THE INSTRUCTIONS TO THE APOSTLES
Matthew devotes an entire chapter to this subject (Matt. X). This is the first time in Matthew's narrative that the term "Apostles" is applied to the followers or disciples of Jesus (Matt. X:2). Up to this point he has mentioned specifically the calling of only five of the apostles (Matt. IV:18, 21; IX:9), although there are possible references to others (Matt. VIII:19, 21).
The first injunction is that they shall not preach to the Gentiles or Samaritans, but "to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matt. X:5, 6).
The only instruction as to the subject-matter of their preachings is that they shall say "the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. X:7).
They are told to "heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils" (Matt. X:8).
They are to provide no money for their expenses and carry little raiment (Matt. X:9,10).
When they enter into a city, they are to seek a worthy house and abide therein, and, if a city will not receive and hear them, "It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city" (Matt. X:11-15).
The remainder of the chapter contains warnings of the trials that will befall the apostles on their mission, admonitions against losing their courage and promises of the rewards that will follow the faithful performance of their work. Jesus also predicts the family dissensions that will accompany the gradual introduction of His Gospel, and in that connection uses the expression: "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth; I came not to send peace, but a sword" (Matt. X:34).
The place of this statement is not fixed, nor the time, except that it appears in the narrative after the Sermon on the Mount and the raising of Jairus' daughter.
Mark tells how Jesus went "up into a mountain and calleth unto Him whom he would" (Mark III:13). He then "ordained twelve, that they should be with Him, and that He might send them forth to preach" (Mark III:14). Then follow the names of the twelve apostles, the calling of four of whom Mark had already related (Mark I:16-20). At a somewhat later time he tells of the sending forth of the twelve apostles, but condenses the instructions to them into four verses (Mark VI:7-13).
Luke tells that Jesus, "having gone out into a mountain to pray, called unto Him His disciples, and of them He chose twelve, whom also He named apostles" (Luke VI:13, 14). The calling of Andrew, Peter, James and John, and of Levi (if he were one of the apostles) had already been given (Luke V:1-10, 27, 28). The instructions to the apostles appear later in his narrative and are condensed into three verses (Luke IX:1-6).
Luke alone of the four evangelists tells that, at a later date, Jesus "appointed other seventy also" to go before Him and preach (Luke X:1). To these seventy are given instructions similar to those given to the twelve in Matthew (Luke X:2-12).
John tells of the calling of Andrew, Peter and Philip (John I:40, 41, 43), but has no account of any special instructions given to the apostles.[28]