What does Matthew 10:4 mean?
Matthew concludes his list of the Twelve disciples who became known as the apostles of Jesus. This is the group of men Jesus is instructing in preparation to send them out into Israel to represent Him to the people (Matthew 10:1). They will preach the gospel, the good news, of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus has also given them the authority and power to cast out demons and heal the sick.Simon the Zealot is listed is some translations as Simon the Cananaean. This is an Aramaic term adapted into Greek as Kananaios. The word refers to a specific group within Jewish culture, known as the Zealots. This was an aggressive, violence-minded bloc plotting to overthrow Rome. Just as Matthew was once a tax collector (Matthew 9:9), Simon was once a radical revolutionary before beginning to follow Jesus.
The last of the Twelve mentioned is Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Jesus (Matthew 26:47–50). "Iscariot" might mean "from Kerioth," a town in Judah.
Matthew 10:1–4 lists the twelve apostles, Jesus' core group of hand-picked followers. These men are often collectively referred to as "the Twelve." Jesus gives them His own authority to cast out unclean spirits and to heal every disease and affliction, the same miracles Jesus Himself has been doing up to this point. The apostles include brothers Peter and Andrew, brothers James and John, along with Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, another James, Thaddaeus, Simon, and Judas Iscariot. Judas is the one who will betray Jesus after the Last Supper.
Jesus gives His authority over disease, demons, and even death to His twelve hand-picked apostles. He gives them instructions in preparation both for a short-term trip to the towns of Galilee and their ministry after He has left the earth. First, they will preach His message of the kingdom in Israelite towns as they heal and cast out demons to demonstrate His power. Later, they will suffer great persecution as they represent Him before both Jews and Gentiles. They should not be afraid, though, and trust their Father to be with them and to reward them.
