Matthew 10:40 - Printer Friendly

ESV: "Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.

NIV: "Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.

NASB: The one who receives you receives Me, and the one who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.

CSB: "The one who welcomes you welcomes me, and the one who welcomes me welcomes him who sent me.

NLT: Anyone who receives you receives me, and anyone who receives me receives the Father who sent me.

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

NKJV: “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.

Matthew is coming to the close of his report on Jesus' mission briefing to His core group of twelve hand-picked apostles (Matthew 10:1–4). In the short term, He is sending them out in pairs to the towns and cities of Galilee in northern Israel (Matthew 10:5–8). In the long term, He is sending them out on a lifelong mission to represent Him to the world after His death, resurrection, and return to heaven. Jesus is giving the Twelve great authority. The apostles—named with a Greek term meaning "sent ones"—will teach and heal and cast out demons in His name and in the power of His authority as the Son of God. Jesus has made it painfully clear that this great privilege comes with enormous risk and responsibility.

Because they will go out into the world in the name of Jesus and under His specific authority, those who receive the apostles will, in truth, be receiving Him, as well. Because Jesus also acts on earth under the authority of the Father, whoever receives the apostles will also be receiving God the Father.

What does it mean to "receive" an apostle of Jesus? It includes the idea of gracious hospitality, but it's more than that. Those who received the apostles would also believe and accept their teaching that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. In that way, they would be coming to faith in Christ through the teaching of His official representatives.

Matthew 10:40–42 closes out Jesus' instructions to the apostles, as He sends them first to the people of Israel. He says any who receive the apostles, believing their message about Jesus, will also be receiving Him and the One who sent Him. They will share in the apostles' reward, as those who receive a prophet or righteous person share in their rewards. Those who give a cup of cold water to one of "these little ones," in this case meaning the apostles, will not lose their reward of eternity in the kingdom of heaven.

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.

Jesus has recently expressed compassion for the people of Israel, who are spiritually lost. Matthew 10 is a record of Jesus' instructions to His twelve core apostles, as He sends them on a short-term trip to the towns of Galilee. He also includes warnings and encouragements about the persecution they will eventually experience. In chapter 11, Jesus will continue to proclaim truth to the people of Israel, leading to further conflict with local religious leaders.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.