Matthew 10:29 Ulasan

This chapter is an ordination sermon, which our Lord Jesus preached, when he advanced his twelve disciples to the degree and dignity of apostles. In the close of the foregoing chapter, he had stirred up them and others to pray that God would send forth labourers, and here we have an immediate answer to that prayer: while they are yet speaking he hears and performs. What we pray for, according to Christ's direction, shall be given, Now here we have, I. The general commission that was given them (Mat 10:1). II. The names of the persons to whom this commission was given (Mat 10:2-4). III. The instructions that were given them, which are very full and particular; 1. Concerning the services they were to do; their preaching; their working miracles; to whom they must apply themselves; how they must behave themselves; and in what method they must proceed (Mat 10:5-15). 2. Concerning the sufferings they were to undergo. They are told what they should suffer, and from whom; counsels are given them what course to take when persecuted, and encouragements to bear up cheerfully under their sufferings (v. 16-42). These things, though primarily intended for direction to the apostles, are of use to all Christ's ministers, with whom, by his word, Christ, and will be always to end the world.

And when he had called to him his twelve disciples,.... These persons had been for some time called by the grace of God, and were already the disciples of Christ, and such as were more familiar and intimate with him, than others, that went by that name. They had sat down at his feet, and had received of his words; they had heard his doctrines, and had seen his miracles, and had been by him training up for public work; but as yet had not been called and sent forth to enter on such service: but now all things being ready, they being properly instructed, and the time for the conversion of a large number of souls being up, he called them together privately; and gave them a commission to preach the Gospel, ordained them ministers of the word, and installed them into the office of apostleship. The number "twelve", is either in allusion to the twelve spies that were sent by Moses into the land of Canaan, or to the twelve stones in Aaron's breast plate; or to the twelve fountains the Israelites found in the wilderness; or to the twelve oxen on which the molten sea stood in Solomon's temple; or to the twelve gates in Ezekiel's temple; or rather, to the twelve patriarchs, and the tribes which sprung from them; that as they were the fathers of the Jewish nation, which was typical of God's chosen people; so these were to be the instruments of spreading the Gospel, not only Judea, but in all the world, and of planting Christian churches there. And that they might appear to come forth with authority, and that their doctrine might be confirmed, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out; or "over all devils", as Luk 9:1. It was usual with the Jews to call a demon or devil , "an unclean spirit"; especially such as frequented burying places: so in one place (l), an unclean spirit is interpreted by the gloss, , "the spirit of the demons", or devils; and in another (m) place, , "the demon of the graves"; where necromancers sought to be, that these spirits might be their familiars, and assist them in their enchantments: accordingly the devils are here called, "unclean spirits"; being in themselves, in their own nature, unclean, and being the cause and means of defiling others, and delighting in impure persons, places, and things. There were many of these spirits, who, because of the great impiety of the Jews, the prevalence of magic arts among them, and by divine permission, had at this time taken possession of great numbers of persons; whereby Christ had an opportunity of giving proof of his deity, of his being the Messiah, the seed of the woman, that should bruise the serpent's head, by his ejecting them; and of confirming the mission of his disciples, and establishing the doctrine preached by them, by giving them power and authority over them, to cast them out also: and whereas various diseases frequently followed and attended such possessions; he likewise gave them power to heal all manner of sicknesses, and all manner of diseases, as he himself had done. The expressions are very full and strong, and include all sorts of maladies incident to human bodies, either of men or women; all distempers natural or preternatural, curable or incurable, by human methods: so that at the same time they were sent to preach the Gospel, for the cure of the souls of men, they were empowered to heal the diseases of their bodies; and which, one should think, could not fail of recommending them to men, and of ingratiating them into their affections. (l) T. Bab. Chagiga, fol. 3. 2. (m) T. Bab. Sanhedrim, fol. 65. 2.

But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. A proverbial expression, showing the perfect knowledge God has, and the exquisite care he takes, in providence, of all his creatures, particularly men, and especially his dear children and faithful ministers; as not a sparrow, so not a single hair of a man's head falls to the ground without the knowledge, and will of God: a way of speaking sometimes used to signify, that not the least hurt or damage should befall a person; see Sa1 14:45 and the phraseology of the text was in use, and very well known by the Jews; for so they represent God speaking (i); "do not I number all the hairs of every creature?'' As our Lord applies this particularly to his disciples, his sense is, that they had no reason to be afraid of men, or fear anything that should befall them, for their bearing a faithful testimony to him; for, their valuable lives were under the special and peculiar care of divine providence; not only the days, months, and years of their lives were with God, and put down in his book of purposes and decrees, which could neither be shortened nor lengthened; and not only the more principal, and even all the members of their bodies were written in his book of providence, and a singular care taken of them; but even their very excrescences, the more minute parts, and which were of no great account with them, the "hairs" of their head", even "all" of them, were not only known, but numbered", taken account of; yea, the thing was done already, it was not to be done; a very strong way of setting forth the doctrine of divine providence: a doctrine which the Jews were not unacquainted with, who say (k); "that the events of man, and accidents which come upon him, , "are all by", or "in the hands of God";'' and (l) that "nothing is by chance, but all things are "with design";'' or, as they elsewhere say (m), "a man does not hurt his finger below, but they proclaim concerning it above;'' that is, as the gloss explains it, , "it is decreed" concerning it: which comes very near to the phrase here used. (i) Pesikta, fol. 18. 4. apud Drusium in loc. (k) Piske Tosaphot ad Cetubot, art. 119. (l) Kimchi in Ps. civ. 4. (m) T. Bab. Cholin, fol. 7. 2.

Else it would be most absurd if the flesh should be raised up and destined to "the killing in hell," in order to be put an end to, when it might suffer such an annihilation (more directly) if not raised again at all. A pretty paradox, to be sure, that an essence must be refitted with life, in order that it may receive that annihilation which has already in fact accrued to it! But Christ, whilst confirming us in the selfsame hope, adds the example of "the sparrows"-how that "not one of them falls to the ground without the will of God." He says this, that you may believe that the flesh which has been consigned to the ground, is able in like manner to rise again by the will of the same God. For although this is not allowed to the sparrows, yet "we are of more value than many sparrows," for the very reason that, when fallen, we rise again.

The first virginity is (the virginity) of happiness, (and consists in) total ignorance of that from which you will afterwards wish to be freed: the second, of virtue, (and consists in) contemning that the power of which you know full well: the remaining species, (that) of marrying no more after the disjunction of matrimony by death, besides being the glory of virtue, is (the glory) of moderation likewise; for moderation is the not regretting a thing which has been taken away, and taken away by the Lord God, without whose will neither does a leaf glide down from a tree, nor a sparrow of one farthing's worth fall to the earth.

But grant that these argumentations may be thought to be forced and founded on conjectures, if no dogmatic teachings have stood parallel with them which the Lord uttered in treating of divorce, which, permitted formerly, He now prohibits, first because "from the beginning it was not so," like plurality of marriage; secondly, because "What God hath conjoined, man shall not separate," -for fear, namely, that he contravene the Lord: for He alone shall "separate" who has "conjoined" (separate, moreover, not through the harshness of divorce, which (harshness) He censures and restrains, but through the debt of death) if, indeed, "one of two sparrows falleth not on the ground without the Father's will." Therefore if those whom God has conjoined man shall not separate by divorce, it is equally congruous that those whom God has separated by death man is not to conjoin by marriage; the joining of the separation will be just as contrary to God's will as would have been the separation of the conjunction.

For you say, seeing we assemble without order, and assemble at the same time, and flock in large numbers to the church, the heathen are led to make inquiry about us, and we are alarmed lest we awaken their anxieties. Do ye not know that God is Lord of all? And if it is God's will, then you shall suffer persecution; but if it is not, the heathen will be still. Believe it most surely, if indeed you believe in that God without whose will not even the sparrow, a penny can buy, falls to the ground. But we, I think, are better than many sparrows.

In this passage, Jesus demonstrates his foresight in all things. The word without refers not to will but to foreknowledge. Some things happen because of his direct will, but some happen merely with his approval and consent. And so on the literal level, he is showing the subtlety of his foresight and his previous knowledge of events.On the spiritual level, however, a sparrow falls to the ground when it looks at what is below it and falls to earth, ensnared by the vices of the flesh, given up “to dishonorable passions.” It loses its freedom together with its honor. For a sparrow is either borne always upward, or else it comes to rest by alighting on mountains or hills (the hills are metaphors for Scripture). And such a person is one who has been raised aloft by the Word but has his mind on earthly concerns.

What is sold is the body and soul. It is a sin to sell them to anyone, because Christ redeems from sin and is the Redeemer of body and soul. So when persons sell themselves for the sake of an insignificant sin, it is like two sparrows being sold for a penny. They were born for flying and to be carried to heaven on spiritual wings, but they are overtaken by the price of their immediate pleasures, and by such actions they trade away all their eternal treasures for the sake of temporal luxury.

Figuratively; That which is sold is our soul and body, and that to which it is sold, is sin. They then who sell two sparrows for a farthing, are they who sell themselves for the smallest sin, born for flight, and for reaching heaven with spiritual wings. (vid. Ps. 124:7.) Caught by the bait of present pleasures, and sold to the enjoyment of the world, they barter away their whole selves in such a market. It is of the will of God that one of them rather soar aloft; but the law proceeding according to God's appointment decrees that one of them should fall. In like manner as, if they soared aloft they would become one spiritual body; so, when sold under sin, the soul gathers earthly matter from the pollution of vice, and there is made of them one body which is committed to earth.

Thus, lest they should think, when killed and butchered, that as men forsaken they suffered this, He introduces again the argument of God's providence, saying on this wise: "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall into a snare without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered." "For what is viler than they?" saith He; "nevertheless, not even these shall be taken without God's knowledge." For He means not this, "by His operation they fall," for this were unworthy of God; but, "nothing that is done is hid from Him." If then He is not ignorant of anything that befalls us, and loves us more truly than a father, and so loves us, as to have numbered our very hairs; we ought not to be afraid. And this He said, not that God numbers our hairs, but that He might indicate His perfect knowledge, and His great providence over them. If therefore He both knows all the things that are done, and is able to save you, and willing; whatever ye may have to suffer, think not that as persons forsaken ye suffer. For neither is it His will to deliver you from the terrors, but to persuade you to despise them, since this is, more than anything, deliverance from the terrors.

Having set aside fear of death, that the Apostles should not think that if they were put to death they were deserted by God, He passes to discourse of God's providence, saying, Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing, and one of them does not fall to the ground without your Father?

If these little creations fall not without God's superintendence and providence, and if things made to perish, perish not without God's will, you who are immortal ought not to fear that you live without His providence.

(Verse 29 onwards) Are not two sparrows sold for an assarion? Yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. The Lord's discourse is attached to itself, and the following depend on the preceding. Wise reader, always beware of a superstitious understanding; so that you do not conform the Scriptures to your own senses, but join your senses to the Scriptures, and understand what follows. Above he had said: 'Do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul'; now he speaks consequently, 'Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father.' And the meaning is this: If small and worthless animals do not perish without God as their author, and if there is providence in all things, and those things which are destined to perish do not perish without the will of God, then you who are eternal should not fear living without the providence of God. This meaning I have stated above: Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth more than they? And afterwards: Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, and so on. But if the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, God clothes it, how much more will he clothe you, you of little faith! Some forcefully interpret the two sparrows as representing the soul and the body. Even five sparrows, according to Luke (Luke XII), which are sold for two pennies, are referred to the senses. But how that understanding is adapted to the whole body of the Gospel message is not of little difficulty.

However, you must know that the story of the sparrows is figurative, since foresight in matters like these makes no difference at all to God. As the apostle said, “Is it for oxen that God is concerned?” It is for the sake of humanity that he has foresight of sparrows, which he gives to us for our use. The “penny” is symbolic of something seemingly worthless.

"Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And not one of them shall fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of much more value than sparrows." So that they would not fear that they are abandoned, He says, "If not even a sparrow is caught without My knowledge, how shall I abandon you whom I love?" And to show His precise knowledge and forethought for us He says that even the hairs of our head are numbered by Him. But do not think that the sparrows are snared by God's doing; rather, that even the snaring of sparrows is not unknown to Him.

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? It has already been stated that they are not to be feared, because they cannot... Again, if they are not to be feared, because the little they can do cannot be done without divine providence. First, he shows divine providence over the birds of the air; secondly, over men (v. 30); thirdly, he inculcates security (v. 31). He says, therefore, Are not two sparrows... By sparrows he gives us to understand small birds, sold for a penny? In this he notes their low value, because, as one is the smallest number, so a penny the smallest coin. But note, according to Augustine, that something is said to be valuable in two ways: either according to the order of nature, and then one sparrow is more valuable than a denarius; or according to our use, and then a denarius is more valuable. But it is objected that Luke (12:6) says five sparrows and two pennies. The answer is that the difference is small: if two are sold for a penny and five for two pennies, there is only a slight difference. And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father, i.e., without his providence. Why does he say this? Because it agrees with the word of the Law (Lev c. 14) that when anyone is cured of leprosy, he offered two sparrows. One was immolated, but the other was dipped with cedar wood and hyssop in the blood of the bird that was killed; later the living bird was set free. He wills, therefore, that two be accepted and one not killed; and this is not done without God's providence. Hilary explains it this way: "By the two sparrows are understood the body and the soul, and they are surrendered for a penny, i.e., for a slight pleasure: 'Behold, for your iniquities you were sold and for your transgressions your mother was put away' (Is 50:1). And only one of them falls to the earth, namely, the body, but the soul moves to judgment." But it is written that God has no care for oxen; therefore, neither for sparrows. But it should be known that he provides for all creatures according to the mode of their nature; although among creatures is this diversity that some are naturally free and the rest not. The free creature has the power to do what he wills; the unfree does not have this power. Hence he provides for the rational creatures as free, but he provides for the rest as slaves, just as the head of a household provides for the free in one way and for the slaves in another. For he provides for the free for their own sakes, for the slaves in as much as they are of use to the master and according as each is more capable of serving. In the same way divine mercy distributes to the rational creatures for their own sake, because all is done on account of their good or of their evil. Hence all things are reward or punishments for them in view of their merits. But everything done for the irrational creature is either for man's welfare or for the completeness of the universe, as it says in 1 Kings (c. 13) that a certain prophet was killed by a lion, and this on account of his guilt. As a mouse is killed by a cat to preserve the good of the universe; for this is the order of the universe, that one animal lives off another.

MISSION OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES. ( = Mar 6:7-13; Luk 9:1-6). (Mat 10:1-5) And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power--The word signifies both "power," and "authority" or "right." Even if it were not evident that here both ideas are included, we find both words expressly used in the parallel passage of Luke (Luk 9:1) --"He gave them power and authority"--in other words, He both qualified and authorized them. against--or "over."

Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing?--In Luke (Luk 12:6) it is "five sparrows for two farthings"; so that, if the purchaser took two farthings' worth, he got one in addition--of such small value were they. and one of them shall not fall on the ground--exhausted or killed without your Father--"Not one of them is forgotten before God," as it is in Luke (Luk 12:6).