The National tribune., 1890-05-15
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Duties Taught by n Study of the Inter-
national Sunday school Lesson Appointed for
Nav 95 1900 ST Iuke 10. LIN

structOns to The Twelve and to The Seventy
This is plain to one reading st. Matt, 10, and
st. Luke, 8. We may therefore consider them
rs practically one. From the account by st.
Matthew it seems the instructions were for The
Twelve, while from st. Lukes account they
were for The Seventy. st. Luke alone men,
tiOns the commission to The Seventy But he
also jointly with SITS. Matthew and Mark gives
report of the sending forth of The Twelve.
st. John says nothing of the commission to The
Twelve nor Of that to The Seventy. In strict
ness to chrOnologic order st. Luke mentions
first the instructions to The Twelve. (9:1-6.)
In what follows we shall be more interested in
tho instructions impaired and their meaning
than in the persons to whom given.
9. Data
The accounts to be studied are ST. Matt,
10: l, 5-14; st Mark, 6:7-1O, and verse ii as far
IA to the words against them; st. Luke,
Q: Is and 10:4-11. By this plan we confine
ourselves to the commission to The Twelve
But the instructions being entirely similar we
gain the information desired, to wit knowl-
edge of the outfit of Christ's ministers in his
own day.
3 T;me
Our Savior sent forth The Twelve in, we may
say, Feb, A. ID. 90. This was eight to nine
months before he commissioned The Seventy.
The Twelve were formally instructed after
about two and one half years from the baptism
of Christ, or about one year before the death Of
Jesus. st, Matthew, who gives one of the &C
counts of the instructions issued to The Twelve,
was himself one of that number.
4. Place.
The commissions to The Twelve were pre-
sented to them at probably some point in the
vicinity of Nazareth, Christs own country"
tSt. Mark, g. L. Most likely the instructions
to The Seventy were received by them at Ca
pernaum.
5. The distractions.
Christ made tho issue of his commissions a
quite formal affair. He called The Twelve to-
gether. From the character Of the call and the
manner of our Savior IL was evident the 0eca-
sion was a specially important one. (For the
names of The Twelve SEQ st. Matt, 10: "a; St
Mark, 3: 1913; st. Luke, 6: 14-16; Acts, l:
49, He was to bestow on The Twelve great
powers and privileges. But they were not to
monopolize their advantages. Those who freely
receive must freely give. Christ took occasion
TO remind The Twelve Of that grand principle.
(St. Matt, 10: 81 They were to be intrusted
with great powers aud the temptation might
originate to put such ability to work miracles
into the market as financial scheme. Christ
forbade such a mercenary and blasphemous use
OF power Bat 10 seems there was occasion to
caution the Apostles. The Twelve paid moth
ing for their power so they were to charge
ubLulUR lot tAa EGeTClbb- he arc NOT Taught
that clergyman are not to receive fair compen-
sation for their services. Verse 10 of st. Mat
thews account states plainly, the workman is
worthy OF his meat or hire" Compare St.
Luke, 10: ~ Even now no minister has right
to put salvation into the market nor to offer it
to the highest bidder. Usa., So ~
We shall notice in detail (d) the instruc-
lions given to The Twelve; (b) their provis-
visions; lcl their powers.
a. The instructions. /. They were 10 go two
by two. This was not only the case with The
Twelve, (st. Mark, $40 but also with The
Seventy. (St. Luke, I0:l.l There are advan-
tages in coupling clergymen. Zee, / o. 10.)
We notice tendency thus 70 do. Moses aud
Aaron, Elijah and Elisha, Peter and John, Paul
and Barrabas Paul and Silas, Baruabas and
Mark, Augustine and Alypius. Basil and Greg
DRY Nazianzum Bernard of Clairvaux aud &c
rard, Huss and Jerome, Luther and Melanc-
thon, Wesley and Fletcher Thus, too as BeZa-
lcel and Aholiab, Zcrubbabel and Jehoshua.
Modern revival work has tended in a similar
direction, giving Moody aud Sankey. Whtte
and Bliss Sccdham aud Johnston. Hammond
and Bentley, A. r. Graves aud w. S. Hiilman,
Taggart and Johnston. Needham aud Stebbins.
z. The Apostles were not to go to the Gen
tiles. Work for the heather was a later con-
sidegation. tSt. Matt, "a: I4) They were to
begin at home among their own nationality
with Isracites, lost sheep of the house of Israel
"A people needing religious help and instruc-
ton. Begin at home. Religious work should
begin in ones own heart and then reach out
into tho home, the neighbOrhood, town, state,
nation, etc.
g. As they were not yet 10 go 10 the Gentiles,
so they were not for the present TO work for the
Samartans The Samaritans were Gcntiles.
They were not to leave Palestine 10 labor for
the heather, nor were they 10 work first for the
heather who were in their very midst Their
dutyas ministers was. before all other duties, TO
preach for the erring aud ignorant of their own
nation.
!. We have a statement as to the nature Of
their preaching. They were TO declare that
the Kingdom OF heaven was at hand. The
Jewish ceremonial system was nearly at an end
and the Christian Church WAS soon 20 be estab-
lished by the death aud resurrection of Christ.
3. They were TO salute man by the way.
The idea conveyed is that OF dispatch. Oh
shanan's idea that they were not to try to gain
favor by ohsequiousness is not SO correct as
that they were to avoid all tedious processes
requiring time and in fact Improbable. They
were 10 be- in haste. Oriental salutations were
very formal and prolonged Jewish canon
granted To man who was an important re-
ligIOus mission exemption from formal saIuta-
tons. Gods business is deemed more impor-
tant than human etiquet. e XII, 4: 29l
6. On entering town they were to ascertain
where their presence would be agreeable.
There were pious Jews in almost every place
jews open to the truth and seeking light
Residing with such they would not be likely
to be spoken against by their hosts They
would have sympathy III their work. Once
settled with family they we're to make that
their home or headquarters while in town
There were no hotels then as now. In many
cases the Apostles would be- entertained with
out expense Going from house TO house is
liable 70 lead TO scandal. As a rule separations
might be attended with some friction. Then
IL should DO known in town whore the
Apostles could DO found. so that persons want
ing to consult with them would be able to as
certain their whereabouts.
z. They were not 10 BIO squeamish rs to kinds
aud quality of food. Anxious TO reach the
souls OF men, they must avoid the appearance
of wanting theirs instead of them.
8. They were 20 accept remuneration for
services Working for the spiritual welfare of a
town, they were entitled TO at least the merely
material. They certainly were warranted in
accepting hospitality without being embar-
rassod because it was offered to them in
courtesy. The people were more indebted to
them than they TO tho people.
D. Accepting the hospitality of a residence
they were, when entering, to salute the family
Tho salutation was to be verbal We see ia
form in st. Luke, %. This was and is the
oriental salutation. In religious sense il
carries the idea OF special Heavenly blessing,
:" Let your peace come upon it"-let IL bs
benefited by your stay, conversation, instruo.
ton, miraculous bestowments and by your
Good News (GospeI). "Let your peace return
TO QUIET tho family mistreating Won be
A nh a.f.. Al re