Breakdown of Matthew 10:5-10

"These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’…" — This mission was intentionally limited to the Jewish people because the time hadn't yet come for the full outpouring of the gospel to all nations. Jesus is establishing a crucial principle: the good…

Matthew 10:5-10 Meaning Explained

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Matthew 10:5-10

These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food.

English Standard Version (ESV)

This mission was intentionally limited to the Jewish people because the time hadn't yet come for the full outpouring of the gospel to all nations. Jesus is establishing a crucial principle: the good news must go "to the Jew first," setting a divine order for His redemptive plan.

What Matthew 10:5-10 means

Jesus has just chosen his twelve closest disciples, giving them authority to heal and cast out demons. Now, He sends them out on their first mission, but with specific instructions not to go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, focusing only on the Jewish people—the "lost sheep of Israel." This limited commission was strategically designed to prepare the way for the gospel, prioritizing the Jews first before its eventual spread to the wider world.

A Targeted Mission Field

Jesus sends out his disciples, but with specific boundaries. Why not let them evangelize everyone, everywhere, right from the start?

In Matthew 10:5-6, Jesus restricts the disciples' initial mission to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel." This wasn't a permanent exclusion of Gentiles and Samaritans, but a strategic, divinely ordered first step.

The Priority of Israel

Divine Order: God's redemptive plan unfolds in stages. The gospel was first offered to the Jews, the people with whom God had made the original covenant and from whom Jesus himself came. It was a "to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile" (Romans 1:16) approach.
Laying the Foundation: This initial focus allowed the disciples to establish the core message of the Messiah within the context of their own people, where the Old Testament prophecies and background were understood.
Avoiding Stumbling Blocks: The intense animosity between Jews and Gentiles (and Samaritans) meant that an immediate, mixed mission could have easily created barriers and resistance, hindering the acceptance of the gospel among the Jews themselves.

A Future Promise

This limitation was temporary. Jesus himself ministered in Samaria (John 4), and later, the apostles would receive the Great Commission to go to "all nations" (Matthew 28:19). This mission was about obedience to Jesus' specific instructions for this time and this task.

The Deep Divide: Jew and Samaritan

The instruction to avoid Samaritans was more than just a geographical note. It points to a profound, ancient tension that shaped Jesus' ministry.

The command to "enter no town of the Samaritans" highlights the deep historical and religious chasm between Jews and Samaritans.

A Troubled History

Understand the original words

Original language

Gentilesἔθνος

ethnos · Greek Noun

All non-Jewish people; biblically, it refers to the nations of the world who were outside the covenant promises given to Israel prior to the gospel's expansion.

SamaritansΣαμαρείτης

Samareitēs · Greek Noun

A people group living in the region between Galilee and Judea who were viewed with hostility by many Jews due to their mixed ethnic heritage and divergent religious practices.

sheepπρόβατα

probaton · Greek Noun

Refers to the people of God, often highlighting their vulnerability, straying from God's guidance, and their need for a Shepherd. In the context of Israel, it highlights their covenantal status but also their spiritual wandering.

lostἀπόλλυμι

apollumi · Greek Adjective/Participle

Historical context

Written: Around 50-60 AD
Author: Matthew the Apostle, traditionally understood
Location: Galilee, likely written from the region
Genre: Gospel narrative with a distinct section of Jesus' discourse and instructions

Historical background

This mission's restriction to 'lost sheep of the house of Israel' was a strategic, temporary measure to avoid alienating the Jewish people during Jesus' earthly ministry, given the deep-seated historical animosity between Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles.

c. 722 BC
Assyrian Exile of Northern Israel
The Assyrian Empire conquered the northern Kingdom of Israel, exiling many of its inhabitants. They then repopulated the area with foreigners, leading to a mixed population and a distinct religious and cultural identity that became known as Samaritan.
c. 129 BC
Destruction of Samaritan Temple
The Hasmonean ruler John Hyrcanus destroyed the Samaritan temple on Mount Gerizim. This event, along with centuries of animosity, solidified the deep hatred between Jews and Samaritans.
c. 20 BC
Pilate's actions at Jerusalem
Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, stirred up intense Jewish anger by bringing Roman military standards with images of the emperor into Jerusalem and later by seizing temple funds. These actions heightened tensions between Roman rule and Jewish religious sensibilities.
c. AD 26-36
Pontius Pilate Governs Judea
Pontius Pilate served as the Roman prefect (governor) of Judea during Jesus' ministry. His administration was marked by insensitivity to Jewish customs, leading to significant unrest and fueling the already strong anti-Roman and anti-Gentile sentiments among many Jews.

Key themes

01Divine mission restricted
02Chosen people priority
03Ethnic/religious division

Cross-references

Luke 10:1-12

This passage parallels Matthew 10 by showing Jesus giving a similar commission to a larger group of seventy disciples, but with slightly different instructions regarding their mission field and reception.

Acts 1:8

This verse shows Jesus' later, broader commission to his disciples after his resurrection, which explicitly includes 'all nations,' highlighting the temporary and focused nature of the initial command in Matthew 10:5.

John 4:7-42

This narrative of Jesus interacting with the Samaritan woman and ministering in a Samaritan village demonstrates that a direct encounter and ministry with Samaritans was possible and even fruitful, providing a contrast to the disciples' initial restriction.

Romans 1:16

Paul's declaration that the gospel is 'the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek' echoes the strategic priority given to Israel in Matthew 10:5, even as it points to the eventual inclusion of all peoples.

Matthew 28:18-20

This 'Great Commission' given at the end of Matthew's Gospel supersedes the limited scope of the earlier mission in Matthew 10, commanding the disciples to go to 'all nations' and making disciples of all people.

Scholarly commentary

Matthew 10:5: "These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:"

Into the way of the Gentiles - That is, among the Gentiles, or nowhere but among the Jews. The full time for preaching the gospel to the Gentiles was not come. It was proper that it should be first preached to the Jews, the ancient covenant people of God, and the people among whom the Messiah was born. Afterward he gave them a charge t…
barnes

Matthew 10:5: "These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:"

Judas Iscariot (ὁ Ἰσκαριώτης)The article distinguishes him from others of the name of Judas (compare John 14:22). Iscariot is usually explained as a compound, meaning the man of Kerioth, with reference to his native town, which is given in Joshua (Joshua 15:25) as one of the uttermost cities of Judah toward the coast of Edom southwa…
vincent

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What Matthew 10:5-10 means

Original language

Gentilesἔθνος

ethnos · Greek Noun

All non-Jewish people; biblically, it refers to the nations of the world who were outside the covenant promises given to Israel prior to the gospel's expansion.

SamaritansΣαμαρείτης

Samareitēs · Greek Noun

A people group living in the region between Galilee and Judea who were viewed with hostility by many Jews due to their mixed ethnic heritage and divergent religious practices.

sheepπρόβατα

probaton · Greek Noun

lostἀπόλλυμι

apollumi · Greek Adjective/Participle

Historical background

c. 722 BC

Assyrian Exile of Northern Israel

The Assyrian Empire conquered the northern Kingdom of Israel, exiling many of its inhabitants. They then repopulated the area with foreigners, leading to a mixed population and a distinct religious and cultural identity that became known as Samaritan.

c. 129 BC

Destruction of Samaritan Temple

The Hasmonean ruler John Hyrcanus destroyed the Samaritan temple on Mount Gerizim. This event, along with centuries of animosity, solidified the deep hatred between Jews and Samaritans.

c. 20 BC

Pilate's actions at Jerusalem

Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea, stirred up intense Jewish anger by bringing Roman military standards with images of the emperor into Jerusalem and later by seizing temple funds. These actions heightened tensions between Roman rule and Jewish religious sensibilities.

c. AD 26-36

Pontius Pilate Governs Judea

Pontius Pilate served as the Roman prefect (governor) of Judea during Jesus' ministry. His administration was marked by insensitivity to Jewish customs, leading to significant unrest and fueling the already strong anti-Roman and anti-Gentile sentiments among many Jews.