Matthew 10:13
And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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When Jesus tells his disciples to let their "peace" come upon a worthy house, it's not just a wish for general well-being. It's about actively imparting the tangible blessings of God's presence and the message they carry. If that "peace" is rejected, it doesn't vanish; it returns to the messenger, not as personal failure, but as a confirmation that the blessing sought remains with them, unlost and available for those who will receive it.
Jesus is instructing his disciples on how to conduct themselves as they go out to minister, specifically telling them to find a worthy person in each town to host them. When they enter a home, their mission is to bring peace, but they must be prepared for rejection. This verse sets up the consequence of either receiving their peace and blessing, or having that peace withdrawn and returned to the disciples themselves.
When Jesus sent out his disciples, he gave them a powerful greeting. But this wasn't just a polite 'hello' – it carried divine authority.
A Proclaimed Blessing
Jesus tells his disciples, "Let your peace come upon it." This isn't a suggestion or a hopeful wish; it's a proclamation. Their greeting was to be a powerful declaration of God's peace being extended to a household.
Conditions for Peace
The peace doesn't automatically land everywhere. It's conditional on the "worthiness" of the house. This worthiness refers to the readiness of the household to receive the disciples and their message with hospitality and an open heart. When the conditions are met, the peace they bring, the blessing of God's presence and favor, is meant to settle upon that home.
What happens when the peace you offer isn't received? Jesus' instruction here is incredibly comforting and practical, turning potential rejection into a spiritual advantage.
The Unreceived Blessing
Jesus states, "but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you." This is crucial: the disciples' peace, their blessing, doesn't vanish into thin air if rejected. It is meant to return to them.
Spiritual Profit from Rejection
This return isn't a failure. Instead, it's a testament to the disciples' faithfulness. The peace that was intended for the unworthy house now becomes a source of increased blessing for the disciple. It signifies that their message and their own spiritual well-being remain intact, and perhaps even strengthened by their obedience in the face of rejection. Think of it as the blessing redirecting, ensuring that faithfulness is never ultimately lost.
Understand the original words
eirēnē · Greek Noun
The Hebrew concept of 'shalom' (peace) represents wholeness, well-being, harmony, and prosperity in a relational and spiritual sense. In the New Testament, it includes the peace with God brought through Christ.
This instruction reflects the disciples' immediate mission within Jewish villages, emphasizing that their greeting of 'peace' was a tangible blessing tied to their reception, not just a polite phrase.
c. AD 27-30— this verse
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles
Jesus commissions the twelve apostles, giving them specific instructions for their mission to the Jewish people. This includes how to travel, whom to approach, and how to conduct themselves when received or rejected.
c. AD 27-30
Apostles' Itinerant Ministry in Galilee
The apostles begin their mission, traveling from town to town in Galilee, preaching, healing, and casting out demons as Jesus directed. They rely entirely on the hospitality of those who receive them.
c. AD 30
Rejection of the Messengers
In many places, the apostles and Jesus' other messengers face rejection and opposition from religious leaders and the populace, leading to Jesus' warnings about judgment.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Ministry and Teachings
Jesus continues His public ministry, often in conflict with the Jewish authorities, teaching about the Kingdom of God and the consequences of accepting or rejecting His message and messengers.
This passage echoes the same principle, instructing Jesus' disciples to wish peace upon any worthy household they enter and assuring them that their peace will rest there if the inhabitants are receptive.
Acts 13:51When the disciples in Pisidian Antioch faced rejection from the Jewish leaders, they 'shook off the dust from their feet' as a testimony against them, mirroring the instruction to let 'peace return' to those who do not receive the message.
1 Samuel 25:6Nabal's lack of hospitality towards David is described as 'churlish and evil in his doings,' similar to the 'unworthiness' of a house that would cause the disciples' peace to return, highlighting the importance of a receptive spirit.
Psalm 35:13This psalm speaks of the psalmist humbling himself and praying, 'as for me, when they were sick, I wore sackcloth... my prayer turned back into my own bosom,' which parallels the idea of a blessing or prayer intended for others returning to oneself when they are not receptive.
barnesMatthew 10:13: "And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you."
If the house be worthy - That is, if the "family" be worthy, or be willing to receive you as my disciples. Let your peace come upon it - That is, let the peace or happiness which you seek or for which you pray in saluting it (see Luke 10:5), come upon it; or seek their peace and happiness by prayer, instruction, by remaining with them, and imparting to them the blessi…
clarkeMatthew 10:13: "And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you."
If that house be worthy - If that family be proper for a preacher to lodge in, and the master be ready to embrace the message of salvation. Your peace - The blessings you have prayed for shall come upon the family: God will prosper them in their bodies, souls, and substance. But if it be not worthy - As above explained. Let your peace - The blessings prayed for, retur…
When Jesus tells his disciples to let their "peace" come upon a worthy house, it's not just a wish for general well-being. It's about actively imparting the tangible blessings of God's presence and the message they carry. If that "peace" is rejected, it doesn't vanish; it returns to the messenger, not as personal failure, but as a confirmation that the blessing sought remains with them, unlost and available for those who will receive it.
Jesus is instructing his disciples on how to conduct themselves as they go out to minister, specifically telling them to find a worthy person in each town to host them. When they enter a home, their mission is to bring peace, but they must be prepared for rejection. This verse sets up the consequence of either receiving their peace and blessing, or having that peace withdrawn and returned to the disciples themselves.
Jesus is instructing his disciples on how to conduct themselves as they go out to minister, specifically telling them to find a worthy person in each town to host them. When they enter a home, their mission is to bring peace, but they must be prepared for rejection. This verse sets up the consequence of either receiving their peace and blessing, or having that peace withdrawn and returned to the disciples themselves.
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c. AD 33
Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection
Jesus is crucified and rises again, marking the pivotal event of Christian faith. This transforms the understanding of His mission and the subsequent spread of the Gospel.
c. AD 40s-60s
Early Church Spreads the Gospel
The apostles and other early Christians, empowered by the Holy Spirit, take the Gospel message beyond Judea to Gentiles, facing varied receptions and establishing new communities.
"And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you." — When Jesus tells his disciples to let their "peace" come upon a worthy house, it's not just a wish for general well-being. It's about actively imparting the tangible blessings of God's presence and t…
