Matthew 10:40-42 Summary

In Matthew 10:40-42 Jesus gave four points on hospitality. 1) Receive us, receive Jesus. We represent Christ wherever we go. Do we receive other believers as we would treat Christ? 2) Receive a prophet. The prophet speaks God’s word publicly. Salvation is a gift but those who have done more will be rewarded with more. 3) Receive a righteous person. In the New Testament righteousness is by faith. Do we welcome those who have faith in Christ? 4) Give little ones a friendly reception. How do we treat new converts? When others welcome us are we gracious guests? Our neighbors need the Gospel. If they welcome us, they welcome Jesus.

Little Ones

In Matthew 10:42 Jesus said, “whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.” Who is a little one? Is it left open to interpretation? Certainly new Christians are little ones in the faith, but also humble Christians can be little ones in their own eyes. A cup of cold water might be considered the minimum hospitality. Do we welcome “little” disciples as we might define them? What about disciples who are unrighteous and have not grown? If so, Jesus promises that we will surely be rewarded.

Prophets & Righteous People

In Matthew 10:41 Jesus said, “He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward.” A prophet “is someone inspired by God to foretell or tell-forth (forthtell) the Word of God.” Jesus further said, “he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.” One preaches God’s word and the other acts upon God’s word. Bengel’s Gnomon [1] says, “A prophet is one who speaks, a righteous man one who acts, in the name of God, and is distinguished for his remarkable righteousness.” Welcome a preacher or righteous person, receive the same reward in heaven.

[1] Johann Albrecht Bengel. Gnomon Novi Testamenti, or Exegetical Annotations on the New Testament. 1742.

Receiving the Father

Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Seventh Day churches, some Baptists, some Calvinists and others all claim to be the one true church. How should we treat people of other denominations? Would God call it a sin to exclude those who receive Jesus from sharing in a common communion? What would Jesus say about this? In Matthew 10:40 He said, “he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.” Why would we not receive anyone who receives Jesus and our heavenly Father? If we receive those who receive Jesus, we receive our Father in heaven. Can we receive each other as fellow believers of the important things and not divide over lesser issues?

Receiving the Son

Sometimes we may be reluctant to allow others to bless us with a gift. Some people have even gotten angry when others give to them. We need to allow others the blessing of blessing us without rejecting their love. In Matthew 10:40 the disciples were taught this by Jesus, when He said, “He who receives you receives Me.” What that means is, when people receive Christians, they are in effect receiving Christ Himself. A compliment is a kind of gift. When someone pays us a compliment bragging is wrong, but so it rejecting it. Simply say, thank you. We need to learn to be thankful receivers as well as givers.

Like New and Old Treasures

In Matthew 13:51-52 Jesus spoke of those who convert from an Old Testament faith to the kingdom of heaven as being “like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.” We have treasures from both Old and New Testaments. We have treasures from both old and new music styles. It requires some maturity and education for a church to sing old and new songs in worship. Grandchildren honor grandparents’ music choices and grandparents know it is biblical to “sing a new song” (Psalm 33:3; Psalm 40:3; Psalm 96:1; Psalm 98:1; Psalm 144:9; Psalm 149:1; Isaiah 42:10; Revelation 5:9).

Like a Drag Net

In Matthew 13:47-50 Jesus said, “the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind.” Like a dragnet, the kingdom also picks up people indiscriminately. Trawlers then separate from the catch the useful fish and throw “the bad away.” At the final judgment “angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire.” Many moderns don’t like to hear about hell, but the Bible does not shy away from it. Angels will only confirm what we have already chosen. Don’t choose to neglect salvation. “There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

Like a Costly Pearl

In Matthew 13:45-46 Jesus said, “the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls.” Since ancient times pearls have been highly sought after and prized. They are formed by the hand of God. The buried treasure was found by accident. The pearl was found by an individual who was looking. He too recognized the life-changing magnitude of his discovery, “when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” He responded with an absolute commitment to the kingdom of heaven. What is the most prized thing in our lives? Is anything else worth more than the kingdom of heaven?

Like Buried Treasure

In Matthew 13:44 we read, “the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.” Buried treasure is not just fiction but a historic reality and a business. Treasure hunters include archaeologists and marine salvage operators. Two separate half billion dollar fortunes were recovered in 1985 and 2007. Yet, the most valuable treasure of all is the kingdom of heaven and few are finding it today. The kingdom of God is in this world but hidden. Most people are not like the man who “for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” Are we yet ready to sacrifice everything for heaven?

Like Yeast

In Matthew 13:33 Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven” (yeast). What about yeast helps us understand the kingdom of heaven? The woman used, three measures, about 27 kilograms (60 pounds). That is far more bread than one family needs, “a woman took and hid [it] in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.” Could this refer to the three major branches of Christianity: Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant? Is it Christianity or idolatry which creates human traditions and doctrines contradicting the teachings of Jesus? Only Jesus has the authority to define the kingdom of heaven, and He defines it as much larger than our narrow views.