Two Views of Matthew 10:5

Matthew 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7As you go, preach this message: `The kingdom of heaven is near.’

Pre-Millennial

 If we dig into our Pre-Millennial handbag for a clue as to why Jesus would say this, we come up empty. We could say something like, “God is God and we are just men. . .someday on the other side of glory maybe we will know why Jesus said this.” We would have to conclude that Jesus was mistaken about the “Kingdom of Heaven being near” part. Some would say that “near” is a relative term where Moses to Jesus = 1,500 years and Jesus to Kingdom of Heaven (Parousia) = 2,000+ . . .so “near” is actually longer than then entire Jewish age.

Preterist

But, on the other hand, if we dip our hand into the Preterist handbag. . .the answer is in our face! Jesus had a multi-faceted mission on Earth . . . one thing He would do is open the gates of Heaven to everybody (not just Jews). The opening of the gates would happen at the Parousia (Coming with consequences – or second coming).

1 Cor 15: 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

The above verse talks about the resurrection of the dead in Christ at the Parousia. . . those who are alive when Jesus returns go directly to Heaven when they die (1Thes 4:17).

Jesus knew that before the gates of Heaven where to be opened, He would destroy all dominion, authority and power. Preterists believe that this is the judgment and subsequent destruction of Jerusalem that would occur in 70AD. Jesus knew about this. Even John the Baptist knew it.

Matthew 3:7 But when he (John the Baptist-RV) saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9And do not think you can say to yourselves, `We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. (NIV)

The “Ax is already at the root?” How could Jesus not be concerned about His people? This is why Jesus was obsessed with warning the Jews of the coming destruction prior to 70 AD. He wanted to convert as many Jews over to the new covenant before the old covenant ended because after the Temple, Alter and Levitical Priesthood fell in 70AD it was impossible to become righteous in God’s eyes – outside of Jesus.

Matthews Gospel continues. . .

 Matthew 10:8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. 9Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; 10take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep.

11″Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave. 12As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town.

15I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. 16I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

17″Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. 18On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

21″Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

So much of the above passage doesn’t fit the Pre-Millennial mold that it is embarrassing to them.

1. There is a lot of persecution predicted but not at the hands of the Romans. . . it is the Jews so . . . Who is the enemy of God?

Matthew23: 29″Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. 30And you say, `If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your forefathers!

33″You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. 35And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36I tell you the truth, all this will come upon this generation.

37″O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. 38Look, your house is left to you desolate.

2. It says, “it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.”  These towns were destroyed in 70AD. What more can we do to them? I guess we could reconstruct them and re-tear-them-down like the “Left Behind” books suggest..

3. It says, “21″Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another.”  Sounds oddly like another prophecy in Matt 24.

Matthew 24:9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

15″So when you see standing in the holy place `the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel–let the reader understand– 16then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

Doesn’t sound like there should be a two thousand year gap.

3. Here’s a pesky problem. . .Jesus said,” I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.” So. . .who was Jesus talking to? Verse 5 says. . .

Matt10:5These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles. . . .etc.

If Jesus was talking to the twelve disciples. . .which He was. . .how could His return that He prophesies in Matthew 24 be 2,000 years after their natural lifetime?