What does Matthew 10:9 mean?
Jesus is instructing the twelve apostles about how to carry out the mission He is giving to them. They are being sent to preach the gospel of Jesus and the kingdom of heaven. To do so, they will demonstrate its power with miracles of healing and casting out demons (Matthew 10:5–9).The apostles have been ordered not to charge any money for this good news. In this case, this goes beyond the idea that the gospel, itself, is not "for sale." This is a specific mission with a specific purpose, and to accomplish that purpose, the apostles must demonstrate a radical dependence on God (Matthew 6:25–34). For this task, they are not to acquire gold, silver, or copper. These either represented money or metals that could be traded for cash, goods, or services.
In short, they are to take no material preparations of any kind; their needs will be met by God's provision through the people they serve.
Taken in context with Jesus' other words, and the teachings of the New Testament, it's clear this command applies only to this mission (Luke 22:35–41). Jesus' does not intend us to believe neither the disciples, nor modern believers, should ever gather resources for another mission. It does not mean missionaries or church leaders should rely on those they serve to provide all their needs. Jesus wanted these twelve men to learn to rely on God for what was needed on this missional outing.
Matthew 10:5–15 contains Jesus' instructions for His twelve apostles, for their missionary trip to the towns of Galilee, in northern Israel. Their mission will be to preach His message that the kingdom of heaven is near, while also healing people and casting out demons. The apostles must not take with them extra money or clothes. Instead, they will stay with those who are worthy in each town they visit. If nobody in a town believes their message, the disciples are to shake the dust of that town from their feet. Jesus will follow these instructions with a series of warnings and encouragements.
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.
