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Chapter 37—The First Evangelists
This chapter is based on
Matthew 10
;
Mark 6:7-11
;
Luke 9:1-6
.
The apostles had accompanied Jesus on foot through Galilee.
They had walked and talked with the Son of God and learned how
to work for humanity. As Jesus ministered to the multitudes, His
disciples were eager to lighten His labor. They assisted in bringing
the afflicted ones to the Saviour and promoting the comfort of all.
They watched for interested hearers and explained the Scriptures to
them.
But they needed an experience in laboring alone. They were
still in need of much instruction and patience. Now, while He was
personally with them to counsel and correct them, the Saviour sent
them forth as His representatives.
The disciples had often been perplexed by the teaching of the
priests and Pharisees, but they had brought their perplexities to Jesus.
He had strengthened their confidence in God’s Word and in a great
measure had set them free from their bondage to tradition. When
they were separated from Him, every look and word came back
to them. Often when in conflict with enemies of the gospel, they
repeated His words.
Calling the Twelve about Him, Jesus told them to go out two
and two through the towns and villages. Thus they could counsel
and pray together, each one’s strength supplementing the other’s
weakness.
Evangelistic work would be far more successful if this example
were more closely followed.
The disciples were to enter into no controversy as to whether
Jesus was the Messiah; but in His name they were to “heal the sick,
cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have
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received, freely give.”
Jesus devoted more time to healing the sick than to preaching.
Wherever He went, the objects of His compassion were rejoicing in
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