Christian Art | Take No Money On Your Mission | Discourse Of The Mission | Trust In God
Matthew 10: 7-15 – Week 14 Ordinary Time, Thursday (King James Audio Bible KJV, Spoken Word)
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 shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.
11 And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.
12 And when ye come into an house, salute it.
13 And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.
14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
The Discourse of the Mission continues as Jesus mandates his disciples to preach the good news that the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. This is a wonderful, new message. For other Jews, the Kingdom to come remained far in the future. It would come after they had done their own part. The Pharisees believed that the Kingdom would come once the Law were perfectly observed, the Essenes when the country would have purified itself. For Jesus, the time is already fulfilled. Independently of any good works the people could do, the Kingdom of God is here already, as a completely gratuitous gift of God. What is now required is to teach the people to perceive this fact. This will mean to look at the world in a new way.
The disciples are sent to give signs of the presence of the Kingdom to the people. They are to perform the very miracles which Christ has performed in the preceding two chapters of Matthew’s Gospel, to heal the sick, cleanse lepers, raise the dead and perform exorcisms, casting out devils – there is no limit on the powers the disciples are given; they are to do as Jesus has done. Through all these miracles, the theme of inclusion predominates: the outcasts of society are to be brought back within the fold; there is to be solidarity in Jesus, a revolutionary advance on the policies of the old religion; there is to be community.
True to this mission statement, the disciples are to give themselves in trust to the people they go to serve. They are not to take money. Rather, the disciples are to have faith in the hospitality of others. In this way, they are to be a living example of what they are to preach, and so to encourage the revitalization of the Jewish communities.
The disciples go to share the sign of peace. There is to be cheerful communion. There will be those who do not accept this message, though they seemed worthy, and they will be blameworthy, judged, for their rejection. In truth, we judge ourselves already when we reject the saving message of Christ’s love, and of mutual acceptance, forgiveness and mercy, when we presume to judge others’ sins. In these Gospel verses, Jesus calls us to absolute, unconditional love, and so to a new world, the Kingdom come, with our own sins acknowledged, forgiven, which is a new community.
Concluding Prayer
Almighty God,
you are all light,
in you there is no darkness.
Let your light shine upon us in all its radiance,
so that we may walk gladly in the way of your commandments.
Through Christ our Lord.
King James Audio Bible | Endnotes
Jesus’ Disciples Are To Take No Money On Their Mission
In Matthew 10:7-15, Jesus gives his disciples instructions for their mission. Among these instructions is the command for the disciples to take no money with them on their journey: ‘Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.’ (Matthew 10:9-10, KJV)
This instruction may seem puzzling at first glance, but upon closer examination, it reveals important truths about the nature of Christian ministry and the provision of God.
The command to take no money on their mission is not a call to poverty or asceticism, but rather a recognition of the fact that God will provide for the needs of those who are doing His work. Jesus is telling his disciples that they should not rely on their own resources, but rather on the provision of God.
This idea is echoed throughout the Bible, from the Israelites in the wilderness being provided for by manna from heaven to the widow of Zarephath who was sustained by God’s miraculous provision of oil and flour during a time of famine (1 Kings 17:8-16). In the New Testament, Jesus himself provides a similar example when he feeds the five thousand with just five loaves and two fish (Matthew 14:13-21).
Furthermore, the command to take no money on their mission is also a call to trust in the hospitality of others. Jesus tells his disciples to rely on the generosity of those they meet along the way, saying: ‘And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. And when ye come into an house, salute it.’ (Matthew 10:11-12, KJV)
This call to rely on the hospitality of others is not just a practical consideration, but also a reminder of the importance of community in Christian ministry. The disciples are to rely on the kindness of strangers, but in doing so, they are also building relationships and spreading the message of Christ.
Throughout the ages, this idea of relying on the provision of God and the hospitality of others has been a central theme in Christian ministry. St. Francis of Assisi, for example, took Jesus’ command to ‘take no money’ quite literally and relied on the charity of others to support himself and his fellow friars. Similarly, Mother Teresa and her Missionaries of Charity relied on donations and the generosity of others to fund their work with the poorest of the poor.
It has been said that Jesus’ command to his disciples to take no money on their mission is not a universal call for all Christians to abandon their possessions and rely solely on the provision of God. Rather, it is a specific instruction for the disciples as they embark on their mission.
Martin Luther wrote in his commentary on Matthew: ‘This command applies only to the apostles, who were sent out on a special mission, for a specific time, and in a unique way. We must be careful not to make a general rule out of this particular command.’
In this sense, the command for Jesus’ disciples to take no money on their mission is a call to trust in the provision of God and the hospitality of others. It is a reminder that Christian ministry is not about relying on our own resources, but rather on the provision of God and the support of our community. As we seek to follow in the footsteps of the disciples and share the message of Christ with the world, may we always remember to trust in God’s provision and the kindness and comfort of strangers.
Today’s verses hold a message for those early Christians of the time when the Gospel was being written. Those Christians faced persecution at the hands of the Roman authority. It would have been reassuring for them to hear of how Jesus challenged authority, helping them to find the courage to keep their faith [ … ]
Christian Art | Our Lord Jesus On The Cross | God The Father | God The Son Office Of Readings | Advent December 23rd | A Reading From The Treatise Of Saint Hippolytus Against The Heresy Of Noetus | The Hidden Sacrament Is Revealed ‘The hidden sacrament is revealed.’ In this reading, Saint Hippolytus writes against the Noetic heresy, which denied the real distinction between the Father and the Son by treating them as the same person acting under different names. The purpose of Saint Hippolytus is to defend the Church’s confession of one God who is not solitary, but who exists with his Word and Spirit. Hippolytus begins by setting a principle: knowledge of God comes from the Holy Scriptures, not from speculation or private reasoning. Faith is not shaped by human preference but by what God has chosen to reveal. The Father determines how He is believed, the Son how He is glorified, and the Spirit how He is received. This establishes Scripture as the rule of faith and guards against theological invention. Hippolytus then affirms that God existed alone before creation, with nothing co-eternal alongside Him. At the same time, God was not without reason, wisdom, or power. Hippolytus insists that plurality within God does not compromise divine unity. God contains within himself Word, wisdom, and counsel. Creation begins when God wills and manifests His Word. The Word is not created from nothing but proceeds from God and acts as the agent of creation. The Word is first invisible to the created world, though known to God. When God chooses, He makes the Word visible, described as ‘Light of Light’. This language safeguards both distinction and unity: the Word comes from God and reveals God, without being separate from Him. The manifestation of the Word is ordered towards salvation, so that the world may see and be saved. Hippolytus identifies this Word clearly with the Son of God. Through him all things were made, and he alone comes forth from the Father. The Law and the prophets belong to the same saving plan. God speaks through them by the Holy Spirit, so that they proclaim not their own ideas but the Father’s will. Revelation is therefore coherent: creation, prophecy, and incarnation belong to one divine purpose. Hippolytus appeals to the Gospel of John to show continuity between prophecy and fulfilment. The Word spoken of by the prophets is the Word made flesh. Though the world was made through him, it failed to recognise him. This failure does not negate God’s plan but reveals the depth of the mystery now disclosed. A Reading From The Treatise Of Saint Hippolytus Against The Heresy Of Noetus | The Hidden Sacrament Is Revealed There is, brethren, one God, the knowledge of whom we gain from the Holy Scriptures and from no other source. Whatever things the Holy Scriptures declare, at these let us look; and whatever they teach, let us learn it; and as the Father wills our belief to be, let us believe; and as he wills the Son to be glorified, let us glorify him; and as he wills the Holy Spirit to be bestowed, let us receive him. Not according to our own will, nor according to our own mind, nor yet storming by force the things which are given by God, but even as he has chosen to teach them by the Holy Scriptures, so let us discern them. God, subsisting alone, and having nothing coeval with himself, chose to create the world. And conceiving the world in mind, and willing and uttering the Word, he made it; and at once it appeared, formed it in the way he desired. For us it is sufficient simply to know that nothing was coeval with God. Outside him there was nothing; but he, while existing alone, yet existed in plurality. For he did not lack reason, or wisdom, or power, or counsel. All things were in him, and he was the All. At a time and in a manner chosen by him he made his Word manifest, and through his Word he made all things. He bears this Word in himself, as yet invisible to the created world. He makes him visible, uttering the voice first, and begetting him as Light of Light. He presents him to the world as its Lord; and whereas the Word was visible formerly to God alone, and invisible to the world which is made, God makes the Word visible in order that the world might see him and be able to be saved. This is the mind which came forth into the world and was manifested as the Son of God. All things came into being through him, and he alone comes from the Father. He gave us the Law and the prophets; and in giving them, he made them speak by the Holy Ghost, in order that, receiving the inspiration of the Father’s power, they might declare the Father’s counsel and will. Thus, then, was the Word made manifest, even as the blessed John says. For he sums up the things that were said by the prophets, and shows that this is the Word, by whom all things were made. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made by him, and without him nothing was made. And later, The world was made by him, and the world did not know him; he came to his own, and his own did not receive him. Christian Prayer With Jesus Lord God,You are one, and from You come the Word and the Spirit.You have chosen to make Yourself known, not by human effort,but by what You have revealed in the scriptures. You spoke Your Word, and all things were made.You made that Word visible, so that the world might see and be saved.Grant that we may receive what You give,believe what You teach,and worship You as You have shown Yourself to be. Keep us […]
Psalm 59 is attributed to King David. The psalm resonates with themes of seeking protection from enemies, finding refuge in God, and grappling with the challenges of a troubled world. The psalm embodies a deep sense of trust and reliance on the divine, portraying God as the ultimate source of strength, defence, and justice in the face of adversity [ … ]
