Mt 10:7-15
Free gifts: What Jesus says to the Twelve is addressed to those who were proclaiming that the kingdom of heaven was at hand at the time that Matthew was writing his Gospel. It is also addressed to every Christian, who, by the fact of baptism (cf Mt 28:16-20), is a missioner today. A follower of Jesus continues to do what Jesus did. He or she cures the sick, raises the dead, cleanses lepers, and drives out demons. These gifts, which have been freely conferred by God, are to be freely given away. Since it cost the disciples nothing to receive the gifts, they are to mirror their master and set no price on their use.
Free gifts: What Jesus says to the Twelve is addressed to those who were proclaiming that the kingdom of heaven was at hand at the time that Matthew was writing his Gospel. It is also addressed to every Christian, who, by the fact of baptism (cf Mt 28:16-20), is a missioner today. A follower of Jesus continues to do what Jesus did. He or she cures the sick, raises the dead, cleanses lepers, and drives out demons. These gifts, which have been freely conferred by God, are to be freely given away. Since it cost the disciples nothing to receive the gifts, they are to mirror their master and set no price on their use.
The instruction to wish peace to the house which is entered carries with it a corresponding promise that the greeting will manifest itself as effective. In this way, the missioner is like the Old Testament prophets, whose words were effective. If there is no worthy recipient in the house which is offered the gift of peace, then the offerer will receive it back and forsake that house. Peace, in other words, is the reward for hospitality and faith.
For Matthew, judgment awaits those who hear the good news of the kingdom but fail to act on it. Sodom and Gomorrah, the Old Testament book of Genesis’ example of the epitome of sin, will get off easier on the day of judgment than those people who hear and do not practice the word of Jesus as it is proclaimed by his followers-missioners.