Mission Discourse: The Twelve to Follow Jesus’ Lead (9:35--10:23)

Big Idea: In the second major Matthean discourse Jesus calls the Twelve to lead in mission to Israel, following his model as an authentic shepherd of God’s people despite persecution.

Understanding the Text

The brief narrative transition between chapters 8–9 (9:35–38) and Jesus’ second teaching section in chapter 10 highlight Jesus’ Galilean ministry to a people who are without true shepherds (leaders) and Jesus’ call to pray for “harvest workers.” These themes of shepherding and mission dominate chapter 10 (especially its first half [e.g., 10:6]), often referred to as the Mission Discourse. The authority that Jesus bequeaths to his twelve disciples is for the empowerment of their mission, which is to parallel his own (10:1, 5–…