Great Themes of the Bible
Preachers and Preaching 189 privately, besides the benefit they had by His public preaching. He opened the Scriptures to them, and opened their understandings to understand the Scripture. To them it was given "to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven", and to them they were made plain. Those that design to be teachers must first be learners; they must receive that they may give. They must be "'able to teach others" (2 Tim. ii. 2). Gospel truths must be first committed to them before they be commissioned to be Gospel ministers. To give men authority to teach others that have not the ability is but mockery to God and the Church.
It is "sending a message by the hand of a fool" (Ps. xxvi. 6).
Christ taught His disciples before He sent them forth (Matt. v. 2); and afterwards, when He enlarged their commission, He gave them more ample instructions (Acts i. 3)
2. CHRIST's COMMISSION (a) He, first, called them to Him. He had called them to come after Him before; now He calls them to come to Him, admits them into greater familiarity, and will not have them to keep at such a distance as they had hitherto observed. Those that "humble themselves" shall thus be "exalted". The priests under the law were said to "draw near, and approach"' unto God nearer than the people. The same may be said of Gospel ministers. They are called to draw near to Christ, which, as it is an honour, so it should strike an awe upon them, remembering that Christ will be sanctified in those that "come nigh unto him''. It is observable, when the disciples were to be instructed they came unto Him of their own accord (Matt. v. 1). But now they were to be ordained, He called them. It well becomes the disciples of Christ to be more forward to learn than to teach. In the sense of our own ignorance we must seek opportunities to be taught. In the same sense we must "wait for a call'', a clear call, ere we take upon us to "teach others"'; for 'no man ought to take the honour to himself"'.
(6) He, secondly, "'gave them power". The word for power used means authority. Authority is given them, in His name, to command men into obedience, and, for the confirmation of that authority, to command devils, too, into subjection. All rightful authority is derived from Jesus Christ. All power is given to Him, without limitation; and the subordinate powers that be, are ordained of Him. Some of His honour He puts on His ministers, as Moses put some of his on Joshua. It is an undeniable proof of the fullness of power Christ used as mediator, that He could impart His power to those He employed, and enable them to work the same miracles that He wrought, in His name. He gave them power over unclean spirits, and over all manner of sickness. The design of the Gospel was to "'conquer the devil"? and to "cure the world'. These preachers were sent out destitute of all external advantages to recommend them. They had no wealth, or learning, or titles of honour, and made a very mean figure. It was therefore requisite they should have some extraordinary power to advance them above the scribes.
He gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out. The power that is committed to the ministers of Christ is directly levelled against the devil and his kingdom. The devil, as an "unclean spirit', is working both in doctrinal error (Rev. vi. 13) and in practical debauchery (2 Pet. ii. 10), and in both these ministers have a charge against him. This, here, is meant of a power to cast him out of the bodies of people; but that was to signify the destruction of his "spiritual kingdom"', and all the works of the devil; for which purpose the "Son of God was manifested"'.
He gave them power "'to heal all manner of sickness'. He authorised them ''to work miracles" for the confirmation of their doctrine, to prove that it was of God. And they were to work useful miracles for the illustration of it, to prove that it is not only faithful but "well worthy of all acceptation"', that the design of the Gospel is to heal and to save. What an emphasis is laid upon the extent of their power—''all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease'? without exception, even of those that are reckoned incurable and the ''reproach of physicians'. In the grace of the Gospel there is a salve for every sore, a remedy for every malady. There is no spiritual disease so malignant, so inveterate, but there is a sufficiency in Christ for the cure of it.
(c) We note, thirdly, the number and names of those that were commissioned. An angel and apostle both signify the same thing, "'one sent on an errand, an ambassador''. All faithful ministers are sent of Christ. But those that were first, and immediately sent by Him, are eminently called '"'apostles'', the prime ministers of state in His kingdom.