What is the meaning of Matthew 10:13? If the home is worthy Matthew 10:13 opens with, “If the home is worthy….” Jesus has just instructed the Twelve to look for a “worthy” person in every village (Matthew 10:11). Worthiness, here, is about receptivity—people who welcome the message and the messengers. • Worthy homes align themselves with God’s purposes, much like Lydia did when she said, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house” (Acts 16:15). • This discernment guards the gospel from being trampled (see Proverbs 9:8) and echoes Jesus’ later warning: “Do not give dogs what is holy” (Matthew 7:6). • Luke 10:5–6 parallels the scene: a “man of peace” marks a worthy household. Hospitality becomes a tangible sign that hearts are open to Christ and His ambassadors (3 John 5-8). Let your peace rest on it When a house proves receptive, Jesus commands, “let your peace rest on it.” Peace is not a mere greeting; it is a real, transmissible blessing. • In Luke 10:5 Jesus tells the disciples to speak, “Peace to this house,” echoing the priestly blessing, “May the LORD…give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26). • John 14:27 shows the source: “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you.” The disciples extend the very peace Christ imparts. • Old-Testament patterns support this: “Peace to you, and peace to your house” (1 Samuel 25:6). A worthy home receives the shalom of God—wholeness, protection, and well-being—through the presence of Christ’s messengers. But if it is not Jesus also prepares His followers for rejection: “…but if it is not [worthy]….” • Some households will refuse the message; in that case, “shake the dust off your feet” (Matthew 10:14; Mark 6:11). • 2 John 10 applies the same principle to false teachers: “Do not receive him into your home.” • Proverbs 14:7 advises, “Stay away from a fool,” underscoring the need for holy separation. Refusal of the gospel places a home outside the circle of blessing until repentance occurs. Let your peace return to you Finally, Jesus says, “let your peace return to you.” The blessing withdrawn is not lost; it comes back on the messenger. • Luke 10:6 states, “If not, it will return to you,” assuring the disciple that God’s peace cannot be squandered. • Isaiah 55:11 reminds us that God’s word “will not return…empty,” and Philippians 4:7 promises peace that “will guard your hearts.” • Jesus repeats the greeting after the resurrection—“Peace be with you” (John 20:21)—showing the disciple’s peace endures regardless of responses. So the servant moves on unburdened, carrying the same unbroken peace to the next door. summary Matthew 10:13 teaches that Christ’s representatives carry a real, God-given peace. A receptive home receives that peace and the blessings tied to the gospel. A rejecting home forfeits the blessing, but the peace returns intact to the messenger. The verse calls believers to discernment, confidence, and the assurance that God’s peace is never wasted—it either rests on those who welcome Christ or remains with those who faithfully proclaim Him. |
    |