Matthew 10:8
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
Heal the sick
This phrase is a direct command from Jesus to His disciples, emphasizing the divine authority and power bestowed upon them. The Greek word for "heal" is "therapeuō," which implies not only physical healing but also serving and caring for others. In the historical context, this command reflects Jesus' mission to restore and redeem, showcasing the Kingdom of God breaking into the world. Healing the sick was a tangible sign of God's compassion and the validation of Jesus' messianic identity.

raise the dead
The phrase "raise the dead" is a profound demonstration of Jesus' power over life and death, a power He extends to His disciples. The Greek word "egeirō" means to awaken or lift up, symbolizing the ultimate victory over death. This command points to the eschatological hope of resurrection and eternal life, a core tenet of Christian faith. Historically, raising the dead was a rare and awe-inspiring miracle, underscoring the divine nature of Jesus' ministry.

cleanse the lepers
Leprosy in biblical times was not only a physical ailment but also a social and spiritual stigma. The Greek word "katharizō" means to cleanse or purify, indicating a restoration to both health and community. By commanding His disciples to cleanse lepers, Jesus challenges societal norms and demonstrates God's inclusive love. This act symbolizes the removal of sin and impurity, aligning with the broader biblical theme of redemption and reconciliation.

drive out demons
The phrase "drive out demons" highlights the spiritual warfare aspect of Jesus' ministry. The Greek word "ekballō" means to cast out or expel, signifying authority over evil forces. In the historical and scriptural context, demon possession was a manifestation of spiritual oppression. Jesus' command to drive out demons illustrates the triumph of God's kingdom over the powers of darkness, offering freedom and deliverance to those oppressed.

Freely you have received; freely give
This phrase encapsulates the principle of grace and generosity in the Christian life. The Greek word "dōrean" means freely or without cost, emphasizing that the gifts and power the disciples received were unearned and should be shared without expectation of payment. This command reflects the heart of the Gospel, where God's love and salvation are offered freely to all. It challenges believers to live selflessly, mirroring the abundant grace they have received from God.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jesus Christ
The central figure in the Gospel of Matthew, who is instructing His disciples in this passage.

2. The Twelve Disciples
The immediate audience of Jesus' instructions, sent out to minister to the people of Israel.

3. The Sick, Dead, Lepers, and Demon-Possessed
The individuals whom the disciples are commanded to minister to, representing those in need of physical and spiritual healing.

4. Israel
The primary mission field for the disciples at this time, as they are sent to the "lost sheep of Israel" (Matthew 10:6).

5. The Kingdom of Heaven
The overarching theme of Jesus' ministry and the message the disciples are to proclaim.
Teaching Points
Authority and Empowerment
Jesus grants His disciples authority to perform miracles, emphasizing that their power comes from Him. Believers today are empowered by the Holy Spirit to serve others in various ways.

Freely Received, Freely Given
The grace and gifts we receive from God are not for hoarding but for sharing. Christians are called to be generous with their time, talents, and resources.

Compassionate Ministry
The focus on healing and deliverance highlights the importance of addressing both physical and spiritual needs. Believers are called to show compassion and care for the whole person.

Faith in Action
The disciples' mission required faith and obedience. Similarly, Christians are called to step out in faith, trusting God to work through them.

Mission and Evangelism
The passage underscores the importance of mission work, both locally and globally. Believers are encouraged to actively participate in spreading the Gospel.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding the authority given to the disciples in Matthew 10:8 impact your view of your own spiritual gifts and calling?

2. In what ways can you "freely give" what you have received from God in your daily life?

3. How can the church today effectively minister to both the physical and spiritual needs of the community, as the disciples were instructed to do?

4. What are some practical steps you can take to demonstrate compassion and care for those who are suffering around you?

5. How does the mission of the disciples in Matthew 10:8 relate to the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20, and what does this mean for your personal involvement in evangelism?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Matthew 28:18-20
The Great Commission, where Jesus expands the disciples' mission to all nations, emphasizing the continuation of their ministry.

Acts 3:6
Peter's healing of the lame man, demonstrating the continuation of the disciples' authority to heal and perform miracles.

1 Corinthians 12:4-11
Paul's teaching on spiritual gifts, highlighting the diverse ways the Holy Spirit empowers believers to serve others.

2 Corinthians 9:7
The principle of giving freely and cheerfully, reflecting the attitude Jesus commands in Matthew 10:8.

James 5:14-16
Instructions for the church to pray for the sick, showing the ongoing role of healing in the Christian community.
Freely Ye have ReceivedR. Alliott.Matthew 10:8
Freely Ye have Received, Freely GiveC. Bridges, M. A., J. B. Sumpter, M. A.Matthew 10:8
Heal the SickU. R. Thomas.Matthew 10:8
History of LeprosyMatthew 10:8
The Best Place for a FortuneMatthew 10:8
The Free Use of Freely Given PowersR. Tuck Matthew 10:8
The Gospel GratisMatthew 10:8
The Philosophy of BenevolenceW. M. Taylor, D. D.Matthew 10:8
The Commanding of the TwelveP.C. Barker Matthew 10:1-42
Christ's Charge to His ApostlesJ.A. Macdonald Matthew 10:2-15
People
Alphaeus, Andrew, Bartholomew, Beelzebub, James, Jesus, John, Judas, Lebbaeus, Matthew, Peter, Philip, Simon, Thaddaeus, Thomas, Zabdi, Zebedee
Places
Capernaum, Gomorrah, Sodom
Topics
Cast, Casting, Clean, Cleanse, Cleansing, Cure, Dead, Demons, Devils, Drive, Evil, Freely, Gratuitously, Heal, Healing, Ill, Infirm, Lepers, Leprosy, Ones, Pay, Paying, Payment, Raise, Raising, Receive, Received, Sick, Spirits
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Matthew 10:8

     4160   driving out
     5289   debt
     5765   attitudes, to people
     7968   spiritual gifts, nature of
     8436   giving, of possessions

Matthew 10:5-10

     4333   gold
     7708   apostles, function

Matthew 10:5-14

     7757   preaching, effects

Matthew 10:5-15

     5357   journey
     7953   mission, of church

Matthew 10:5-16

     7740   missionaries, call

Matthew 10:7-8

     2012   Christ, authority
     7725   evangelists, identity

Library
January 24. "Freely Ye have Received, Freely Give" (Matt. x. 8).
"Freely ye have received, freely give" (Matt. x. 8). When God does anything marked and special for our souls, or bodies, He intends it as a sacred trust for us to communicate to others. "Freely ye have received, freely give." It has pleased the Master in these closing days of the dispensation to reveal Himself in peculiar blessing to the hearts of His chosen disciples in all parts of the Christian Church; but this is intended to be communicated to a still wider circle, and every one of us who has
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

A Life Lost and Found [Footnote: Preached after the Funeral of Mr. F. W. Crossley. ]
'He that loseth his life for My sake shall find it.' --MATT. x. 39. My heart impels me to break this morning my usual rule of avoiding personal references in the pulpit. Death has been busy in our own congregation this last week, and yesterday we laid in the grave all that was mortal of a man to whom Manchester owes more than it knows. Mr. Crossley has been for thirty years my close and dear friend. He was long a member of this church and congregation. I need not speak of his utter unselfishness,
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Obscure Apostles
'These twelve Jesus sent forth.'--MATT. x. 5. And half of 'these twelve' are never heard of as doing any work for Christ. Peter and James and John we know; the other James and Judas have possibly left us short letters; Matthew gives us a Gospel; and of all the rest no trace is left. Some of them are never so much as named again, except in the list at the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles; and none of them except the three who 'seemed to be pillars' appear to have been of much importance in the
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Widened Mission, Its Perils and Defences
'Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves; be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. 17. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; 18. And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for My sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. 19. 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. 20. For it
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Like Teacher, Like Scholar
'The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. 26. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord.' --MATT. x. 24, 25. These words were often on Christ's lips. Like other teachers, He too had His favourite sayings, the light of which He was wont to flash into many dark places. Such a saying, for instance, was, 'To him that hath shall be given.' Such a saying is this of my text; and probably several other of our Lord's utterances, which
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The King's Charge to his Ambassadors
'Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven. 33. But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven. 34. Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35. 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. 36. And man's foes shall be they of his own household.
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Greatest in the Kingdom, and their Reward
'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. 42. 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.' --MATT. x. 41, 42. There is nothing in these words to show whether they refer to the present or to the future. We shall probably
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Christ's Charge to his Heralds
'These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, do not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 6. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. 9. Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, 10. Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

February the Second How to Approach a Crisis
"It shall be given you in that same hour." --MATTHEW x. 16-28. And so I am not to worry about the coming crisis! "God never is before His time, and never is behind!" When the hour is come, I shall find that the great Host hath made "all things ready." When the crisis comes He will tell me how to rest. It is a great matter to know just how to rest--how to be quiet when "all without tumultuous seems." We irritate and excite our souls about the coming emergency, and we approach it with worn and
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

May the Sixteenth the Details of Providence
"The very hairs of your head are all numbered." --MATTHEW x. 24-31. Providence goes into details. Sometimes, in our human intercourse, we cannot see the trees for the wood. We cannot see the individual sheep for the flock. We cannot see the personal soul for the masses. We are blinded by the bigness of things; we cannot see the individual blades of grass because of the field. Now God's vision is not general, it is particular. There are no "masses" to the Infinite. "He calleth His own sheep by
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

Christ Bringing a Sword.
(Christmas Sermon.) "Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, and goodwill towards men!" TEXT: MATT. x. 34. "Think not that I came to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword." HOW wonderfully out of harmony these words sound with the angelic greeting that we have just heard; threatening to rob us of all the joy and blessedness of this holy season! For is the sword pre-eminently the glory of God? and if it rages anew, is that a special delight to men? When the message has come
Friedrich Schleiermacher—Selected Sermons of Schleiermacher

On the Words of the Gospel, Matt. x. 16, "Behold, I Send You Forth as Sheep in the Midst of Wolves," Etc. Delivered on a Festival
1. When the Holy Gospel was read, Brethren, ye heard how our Lord Jesus Christ strengthened His Martyrs by His teaching, saying, "Behold, I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves." [2215] Now consider, my Brethren, what he does. If but one wolf come among many sheep, be they ever so many thousands, they will all be put to confusion by one wolf in the midst of them: and though all may not be torn, yet all are frightened. What manner of design is this then, what manner of counsel, what manner
Saint Augustine—sermons on selected lessons of the new testament

On the Words of the Gospel, Matt. x. 28, "Be not Afraid of them that Kill the Body. " Delivered on a Festival of Martyrs.
1. The Divine oracles which have just been read teach us in fearing not to fear, and in not fearing to fear. Ye observed when the Holy Gospel was being read, that our Lord God before He died for us, would have us to be firm; and this by admonishing us "not" to fear, and withal to fear. For he said, "Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul." See where He advised us not to fear. See now where He advised us to fear. "But," saith he, "fear Him who hath power to destroy both
Saint Augustine—sermons on selected lessons of the new testament

Confessing Christ an Indispensable Duty.
"--If we deny him, he also will deny us." This is predicated of Christ; and looks forward to the day when all mankind will stand before him as their judge. Denying Christ is here declared to be a mortal sin. Those found guilty of it will hear that sentence--"Depart ye cursed!" But this is to be understood only of a persevering denial of him. Those who turn by a timely repentance, will find mercy. This is true of every sin. But repentance may be too late. It must antecede death, or it will be of
Andrew Lee et al—Sermons on Various Important Subjects

The Trial of Peter's Love to Christ.
"So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, 'Simon son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?' He saith unto him, 'Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.' He saith unto him, 'Feed my lambs.' He saith to him again a second time, 'Simon son of Jonas, lovest thou me?' He saith unto him. 'Yea Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.' He saith unto him, 'Feed my sheep.' He saith unto him the third time, 'Simon son of Jonas, lovest thou me?' Peter was grieved, because he said to him the third
Andrew Lee et al—Sermons on Various Important Subjects

Enduring to the End
But, my brethren, how glorious is the sight of the man who does endure to the end as a minister of Christ. I have photographed upon my heart just now, the portrait of one very, very dear to me, and I think I may venture to produce a rough sketch of him, as no mean example of how honorable it is to endure to the end. This man began while yet a youth to preach the Word. Sprung of ancestors who had loved the Lord and served his Church, he felt the glow of holy enthusiasm. Having proved his capabilities,
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 10: 1864

Providence
Now, when we look abroad into the world we see, as we think, such abundant proofs that there is a God, that we are apt to treat a man who denies the existence of a God with very little respect or patience. We believe him to be wilfully blind, for we see God's name so legible upon the very surface of creation, that we cannot have patience with him if he dares to deny the existence of a Creator. And in the matter of salvation: we have each of us seen in our own salvation such positive marks of the
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 4: 1858

The Meteor Shower (Preached at the Chapel Royal, St. James's, Nov. 26, 1866. )
ST. MATTHEW x. 29, 30. 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. It will be well for us to recollect, once for all, who spoke these words; even Jesus Christ, who declared that He was one with God the Father; Jesus Christ, whom His apostles declared to be the Creator of the universe. If we believe this, as Christian men, it will be well for us to take our Lord's account of a universe
Charles Kingsley—The Water of Life and Other Sermons

God's Works of Providence
Rom. xi. 36.--"For of him, and through him, and to him are all things, to whom be glory for ever, Amen."--Psal. ciii. 19.--"The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens and his kingdom ruleth over all."--Matt. x. 29.--"Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father." There is nothing more commonly confessed in words, than that the providence of God reaches to all the creatures and their actions, but I believe there is no point of religion
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Final Unmasking.
For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.--Matthew x. 26; Luke xii. 2. God is not a God that hides, but a God that reveals. His whole work in relation to the creatures he has made--and where else can lie his work?--is revelation--the giving them truth, the showing of himself to them, that they may know him, and come nearer and nearer to him, and so he have his children more and more of companions to him. That we are in the dark about anything is
George MacDonald—Unspoken Sermons

The Disciple, -- Master, in These Days Some Learned Men and their Followers Regard Thy...
The Disciple,--Master, in these days some learned men and their followers regard Thy atonement and the redemption by blood as meaningless and futile, and say that Christ was only a great teacher and example for our spiritual life, and that salvation and eternal happiness depend on our own efforts and good deeds. The Master,--1. Never forget that spiritual and religious ideas are connected less with the head than with the heart, which is the temple of God, and when the heart is filled with the presence
Sadhu Sundar Singh—At The Master's Feet

The Completion of Our Saviour's Prophecies Confirmed Pagans in their Belief of the Gospel.
I. The completion of our Saviour's Prophecies confirmed Pagans in their belief of the gospel. II. Origen's observation on our Saviour's disciples being brought before kings and governors; III. On their being persecuted for their religion; IV. On their preaching the gospel to all nations. V. On the destruction of Jerusalem, and ruin of the Jewish oeconomy. VI. These arguments strengthened by what has happened since Origen's time. I. THE second of these extraordinary means, of great use to the learned
Joseph Addison—The Evidences of the Christian Religion, with Additional Discourses

After Prayer Jesus Selects Twelve Apostles.
(Near Capernaum.) ^A Matt. X. 2-4; ^B Mark III. 13-19; ^C Luke VI. 12-16. ^c 12 And it came to pass in these days, that he went out into the mountain ^b 13 And he goeth up into the mountain, ^c to pray; and he continued all night in prayer to God. [It was a momentous occasion. He was about to choose those to whom he was to entrust the planting, organizing, and training of that church which was to be the purchase of his own blood. Jesus used such important crises, not as occasions for anxiety and
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Nor do they Attend to This, that if Another Should Say...
3. Nor do they attend to this, that if another should say, that the Lord indeed, speaking in parables and in similitudes concerning spiritual food and clothing, did warn that not on these accounts should His servants be solicitous; (as He saith, "When they shall drag you to judgment-seats, take no thought what ye shall speak. For it will be given you in that hour what ye shall speak: but it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you." [2479] For the discourse of spiritual
St. Augustine—Of the Work of Monks.

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