Matthew 10:11 - Exposition

Parallel passages: Mark 6:10 ; Luke 9:4 (the twelve); Luke 10:5-8 (the seventy). Matthew alone mentions the command to inquire who is worthy. And into whatsoever city or town ; village (Revised Version); cf. Matthew 9:35 , note. Ye shall enter, inquire ; search out (Revised Version). Much more is implied than merely asking some chance passer-by (cf. Matthew 2:8 ). Who in it is worthy ; i.e. equivalent by moral rate ( ἄξιος )—in this case to the privilege of your lodging with him; elsewhere to the offer of peace ( Matthew 9:13 ), to the favour of an invitation ( Matthew 22:8 ), to walking with Christ clothed in white ( Revelation 3:1-22 :47, to punishment ( Revelation 16:6 ). And there abide till ye go thence; go forth (Revised Version); i.e. finally ( Revelation 3:14 ). The object of this command, which was reckoned so important as to be recorded in all three parallel passages ( vide supra ), is to prevent; partly favouritism and rivalry, partly waste of time. For "when a stranger arrives in a village or an encampment, the neighbours, one after another, must invite him to eat with them. There is a strict etiquette about it, involving much ostentation and hypocrisy; and a failure in the due observance of this system of hospitality is violently resented, and often leads to alienations and feuds among neighbours. It also consumes much time, causes unusual distraction of mind, leads to levity, and every way counteracts the success of a spiritual mission"; cf. St. Luke's "Go not from house to house" ( Luke 10:7 ). It is, on the other hand, quite unnecessary to see here, with Meyer and Weiss, a prohibition to go to the synagogues or indeed to anywhere else where they could gain a hearing during their stay. Our Lord is referring only to lodging and food ( Luke 10:7 ).