Verse by Verse

24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.

25 It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!

26 Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.

27 “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops.

28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.

30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

a disciple is not above his teacher (v.24) — and shouldn’t expect better treatment

Beelzebub (v.25) — probably from the Philistine word for “chief demon” — Baal — the Jews associated him with Satan

there is nothing covered that will not be revealed (v.26) — Some commentaries say this means that the persecutors’ unbelief will eventually come to light at the judgment (1 Corinthians 4:5), and that is certainly true. But others say it means that the truth of the kingdom message will eventually be revealed in spite of the persecution, which is also true. Perhaps the Lord meant both, but the next verse makes me lean toward the second meaning.

fear Him (v.28) — There is One to fear. By some strange perversion there are those who say that Jesus here meant the devil. Satan has no power to fling soul and body into Gehenna, and we are never told from Genesis to Revelation to fear the devil. We are always told to fear God. Men may destroy the body, but there is One Who can take hold of the body and the [soul], and condemn them to the place of rubbish and ruin. Fear Him! — Morgan, page 109

__________

What if they should even go so far as to kill the body, as they often did and will yet do, especially to the Jewish saints in the great tribulation. (We mention again that all these words have a future meaning and fulfillment during that time of Jacob’s trouble, after the removal of the church. The Jewish believers will know the comfort of these words, as saints during this age know them.) If they kill the body they cannot kill the soul and the killing of the body and faithful testimony given through martyrdom will enrich the Lord as well as the disciple. We may not be called upon to surrender thus our bodies, yet the principle of it is ours; fear nothing outward, nothing temporal, whatever it may be. “but fear rather Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” And He who is able to do that and will do it at the Great White Throne to the unsaved, is God. He then is to be feared alone. O course all this is not to be read as referring to the believer. He who has believed is passed from death unto life, he does not come into judgment. Once saved means always saved. We must, however, not overlook the fact that among the twelve there was one who was not saved. It was the first warning coming to Judas. He looked to outward things and was a thief. — Gaebelein, page 214.

copper coin (v.29) — farthing, a coin of very little value

16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

17 But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.

18 You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.

19 But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak;

20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

21 “Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.

22 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

23 When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

testimony to (v.18) — their arrests would give them opportunities to proclaim the kingdom before governors, kings and Gentiles

children will rise up (v.21) — Micah 7:6 — Verse 21 refers to the viciousness of the persecution toward those who proclaim the Messiah.

Son of Man comes (v.23) — the second coming at the end of the Tribulation

The coming of the Son of Man which is mentioned is His second coming. The giving of the testimony by Jewish disciples concerning the Kingdom of the heavens is according to the words of our Lord to continue till He comes again. How are we to understand this? The testimony which was begun by the apostles up to the time when Israel rejected once more the offers of mercy from the risen Lord, when He was still waiting for their repentance as a nation, is an unfinished testimony. After that offer was again rejected [after Pentecost] the great parenthesis, the church age, began, and during this age (which is not reckoned in the Old Testament) there is no more Jewish testimony of the kingdom of the heavens. Israel nationally is set aside, blindness in part is theirs till the fullness of the Gentiles is come in. When the church is complete and the rapture of the saints has taken place, then the Lord begins to deal with His people Israel again. There is the seventieth week of Daniel 9 yet to come … In this coming last week of seven years the church testimony is finished and Jewish believers will take up the unfinished testimony to the nation and proclaim once more “The Kingdom of the heavens is at hand.” The 24th chapter in this Gospel is a continuation of the 10th chapter, inasmuch as Matthew 24 shows us the unfinished testimony of the 10th chapter, finished and completed. (Matthew 24:5-32). In Matthew 24 we read of the great tribulation, so likewise here in the tenth chapter. In Micah 7 we read of a dark picture and there the Spirit of Christ reveals a tribulation, which His lips on the earth proclaim to His disciples. Then during the tribulation (never now) it will mean enduring to the end and salvation will come then by the visible return of the Son of Man from heaven. What our Lord said in verses 17 -18 about persecutions from Jews and Gentiles for these witnesses will find its final great fulfillment in that great tribulation, when not alone the unbelieving nation will persecute the believing and witnessing Jewish remnant, but nations as well. — Gaebelein, pages 209-210.

Most of my other commentaries say that this coming of the Son of Man referred to here by the Lord in verse 23 is a reference to judgment on Israel for disbelief and that it was fulfilled by the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

This didn’t make much sense to me because the Lord’s comment in verse 22 that “he who endures to the end will be saved,” can only refer to the Tribulation so the next verse must also. But I was a little confused by the phrase “you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes,” so I emailed Ricky Kurth and asked him. Here’s his reply:

You are right and the commentaries are wrong.  The context is all Tribulation, which the Jews the Lord was speaking to would have lived to see if the dispensation of grace hadn’t interrupted the prophetic program.I think these words may have been the Lord’s way of letting them know that the kingdom would not be ushered in by their efforts.  That is, that the kingdom wouldn’t be established because the little flock will be successful in converting the entire nation of Israel.  Rather, it will be established by the power of the Second Coming of Christ.  

Psalm 110:1 says,

“The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool”

We know that happened after Christ ascended into heaven.  Verse 2 then says,

“The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies”

That’s a description of the Second Coming and of how the Lord will rule in the kingdom.  But the next verse says,

“Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power …”

In other words, it will take the Second Coming of Christ to make the people of Israel willing to obey.  That will mean that the kingdom won’t be established by the little flock converting the nation.

The little flock Ricky refers to is the small group of Jews who did believe and accept Christ as Messiah during His ministry and in the early chapter of Acts before the offer of the Kingdom was withdrawn for a time.

8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

9 Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts,

10 nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.

11 “Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out.

12 And when you go into a household, greet it.

13 If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.

14 And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.

15 Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!

two (v.10) — refers to tunics, sandals, and staffs — They were to go as they were with no spare provisions.

a worker is worthy of his food (v.10) — They were to be fed by those to whom they ministered. — (A similar principle is in effect in this age for leaders in the church — 1 Timothy 5:18.)

peace (v.13) = a harmonious relationship between God and man and the sense of rest and contentment that results  (Vine)

shake off the dust (v.14) — a symbolic act of rejection

assuredly (v.15) = truly, amen

These instructions (when not restated elsewhere as seen above in the case of paying church leaders) were specifically for the twelve apostles at this specific time in Christ’s ministry when the Kingdom was being offered to Israel. Later, when the Kingdom had been rejected and He was about to be arrested, He gave these same men different instructions. And He said to them, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?” So they said, “Nothing.” Then He said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one. For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ For the things concerning Me have an end” (Luke 22:35-37).

The general meaning in all three Gospels is the same: “Make no elaborate preparations, but go as you are.” They are not to be like persons traveling for trade or pleasure, but are to go about in all simplicity. It is not that they are purposely to augment the hardships of the journey, but that they are not to be anxious about equipment. Freedom from care rather than from comfort is the aim. Their care is to be for their work, not for their personal wants.

When they entered a village, they were to seek out one who had a good reputation and request hospitality there. If they were entertained in the home of a disreputable person, it could injure their testimony and jeopardize their ministry. Once they found a suitable home, they were to stay there even though another might offer then greater convenience or comfort. — Pentecost, page 194.

5 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying:“Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans.

6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

7 And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’

way of the Gentiles (v.5) — they were to avoid any contact with Gentiles

rather (v.6) = very, very much — exclusively

What does it mean? It meant that the promised Kingdom for Israel, and through Israel to the nations, the Kingdom with all its earthly blessings, was about to come. It was heralding the fact of the presence of the King to set up the Kingdom, if His own would have it. Such a preaching of the Kingdom of the heavens is not given now. After the church age closes by the removal of the church from the earth into heaven, as is foreshadowed by the vessel which Peter saw coming out of heaven and again received into heaven, then the kingdom will again draw nigh in the person of the returning King and Lord with His saints. — Gaebelein, pages 206-207

__________

Israel was the nation with which God had entered into a covenant through Abraham, David and Jeremiah, and to which He had promised a Savior and Sovereign who would redeem and reign. The Old Testament anticipated blessings for Gentiles (Genesis 12:3; Isaiah 60:3; Amos 9:12). But blessings on Gentiles were to come through Israel’s Messiah. Such blessings could not come to them until Messiah ruled over His covenant people. At the time of the ministry of the Twelve, a message needed to go to Israel announcing to that nation that her King had arrived. Israel herself needed to come to faith before blessings could flow out from Israel to the nations of the earth.

Next we notice the message the Twelve were to preach: “The kingdom of heaven is near (Matthew 10:7). This was the message that Israel had first heard from John and the message that Christ had been publicly proclaiming. — Pentecost, page 193.

I copied pretty much everything Gaebelein and Pentecost had to say on these verses because all the other commentaries missed the mark by a huge margin, claiming that the Lord’s instructions to go to Israel only really just meant to go to Israel first and then, because Israel rejected it, to take the same message to the Gentiles. They all see the current church age in the latter verses of this chapter even though Paul says over and over again that that message was given to him exclusively.

The most important thing to realize about these verses is that, while it was Christ’s death and resurrection that saves us, His ministry on earth was not to us, for us, or about us. It was to Israel in fulfillment of all the Old Testament promises to that nation. And even the promises regarding the Gentiles in the Old Testament are (in the future) to be fulfilled through Israel. That’s why Paul says in Colossians 1:26 that: the mystery … has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints.

Attempts to apply the Lord’s earthly ministry to us today, if not interpreted in this light, can only lead to confusion and contradiction.

1 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.

2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;

4 Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.

disciples (v.1) = pupils

apostles (v.2) = sent ones

The apostles names are listed in pairs, perhaps the arrangement in which they were sent out.

Bartholomew (v.3) — probably the same as Nathanael in John 1.

Alphaeus (v.3) — married to a relative (sister?) of Mary, Jesus’ mother, so James and Judas were cousins (first cousins?) of the Lord.

Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus (v.3) — some manuscripts just say “Thaddaeus.” He was called Judas in Luke 6:16.

Canaanite (v.4) = Cananaean. He had been a member of the nationalist party known as the Zealots, who resisted Herod the Great by force, so he is sometimes referred to as Simon the Zealot.

All the apostles were Galilean except Judas Iscariot (v.4), who was Judean. Iscariot probably means “of Kerioth,” a town in Judea.

The twelve messengers, whose names are given in the second, third and fourth verses, stand as such always in relation to Israel. [The Lord] tells them later, “Ye shall also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28). Even in the New Jerusalem there will be this distinction. “Her shining was like a most precious stone, as a crystal like jasper stone; having a great, high wall; having twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names inscribed, which are those of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel … And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb” (Revelation 21:12-14). The twelve apostles thus stand in prominent and definite relation to Israel. Here among the twelve, who are sent forth is also the name of Judas the Iscariot, who delivered Him up. After his awful end another was rightly and divinely chose in his place, that is Matthias. — Gaebelein, pages 204-205.

32 As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a man, mute and demon-possessed.

33 And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the multitudes marveled, saying, “It was never seen like this in Israel!”

34 But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons.”

35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.

37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

The account of the dumb man only appears in Matthew.

ruler of demons (v.34) — Satan. This is the first recorded time that the rulers of Israel accused the Lord of blasphemy.

cities and villages (v.35) — in Galilee

sheep having no shepherd (v.36) — Numbers 27:17; Ezekiel 34

But what scenes met His eye as He passed thus ministering among the crowds of people? He beheld them as worn out, harassed and cast away as sheep not having a shepherd. His loving heart was moved with compassion for them. In this loving sympathy He reveals Himself as the Shepherd of Israel. Long before His Spirit in the prophets had spoken of the scene we behold here. “Son of Man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds: Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do not feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? … And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd; and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, where they were scattered. My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill; yea, My flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth and none did search and seek after them” (Ezekiel 34). In the same chapter we read what Jehovah the Shepherd of Israel says: “I will both search My sheep and find them out … I will seek out My sheep … I will bring them out from the people and gather them from the countries … I will feed them in a good pasture … I will feed My flock and I will cause them to lie down … I will seek that which was lost … I will make with them a covenant of peace,” etc. He came thus to His own as the Shepherd, but they did not want Him. — Gaebelein, pages 201-202.

27 When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, “Son of David, have mercy on us!”

28 And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”

29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.”

30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See that no one knows it.”

31 But when they had departed, they spread the news about Him in all that country.

This account only appears in Matthew.

Son of David (v.27) — Son of David is His title as He stands in relation to His earthly people, and in this passage we have Him called by this name for the first time in the Gospel. The cry these two men utter is specifically Jewish, and surely no Gentile will cry to Him as Son of David. Later in the Gospel a Gentile woman cried after Him, “Have mercy on me, Lord, son of David; my daughter is miserably possessed by a demon. But He did not answer her a word” (Matthew 15:23). When she called again, she said, “Lord, help me,” and after she had taken her place with the dogs the Lord acknowledged her faith. — Gaebelein, pages 197-198.

__________

Since “Son of David” was a messianic title, these men were revealing that they had heard Christ’s presentation of Himself as Messiah and were appealing to Him for a messianic miracle. Although Christ, in ministering to the needs of people, sometimes performed miracles when faith apparently was absent (cf. Luke 22:51), in responding to a request for a messianic miracle, He demanded faith. Thus Christ asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” (v.28), and they confessed, “Yes, Lord.” Again they addressed Him with the messianic title of “Lord” (cf. Psalm 110:1). In response to their faith, the petition was granted and Christ removed their blindness. — Pentecost, pages 225-226.

__________

See that no one knows it (v.30) — The leaders of the nation had already indicated their determination to reject Christ; and so He commanded these blind men, “See that no one knows about this” (Matthew 9:30). Christ had previously said that He had no further evidence to give this nation apart from the sign of Jonah (Matthew 12:39). Thus Christ did not intend that these men become witnesses to the nation. — Pentecost, page 226.

18 While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.”

19 So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.

20 And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment.

21 For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.”

22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.

23 When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing,

24 He said to them, “Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him.

25 But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose.

26 And the report of this went out into all that land.

This account also appears in Mark 5:22-43 and Luke 8:41-56.

ruler (v.18) — Jairus, a ruler in the local synagogue

blood (v.20) — By reason of her trouble, she was excommunicated religiously. The Hebrew economy did not permit a woman so suffering to take any part or place in the worship of God. She was shut out from temple and synagogue worship. She was divorced from her husband by the same law. She was ostracized from society. — Morgan, page 95.

hem (v.20) — Law-abiding Jews wore a blue ribbon in the hem of their tunics (Numbers 15:38-41; Deuteronomy 22:12).

The woman’s action was significant. A subject knelt to touch the hem of a king’s robe to show loyalty and submission to his authority. Such an action preceded the presentation of a request to the king by the subject. Hence the woman’s act showed her recognition of the royal authority that belonged to Christ. — Pentecost, page 224.

musicians (v.23) — professional mourners hired to play dirges

16 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse.

17 Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

Most of my commentaries say these verses are a warning that the dispensation of law and the dispensation of grace cannot be mixed. This cannot be right. Years later, Paul makes it very clear that he was the messenger of the dispensation of grace and that his message was a mystery up until that time. And Christ, in the very next chapter of Matthew, sends His 12 apostles out with these instructions: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand'” (Matthew 10:5-7). So He certainly isn’t referring to the Church as the Body of Christ—a group that none of His listeners had never heard of and couldn’t possibly know would ever exist.

Morgan and Pentecost do make good cases that Christ, in these verses, is warning not to force the kingdom He is offering onto the old system of the Pharisees or on the superseded message of John the Baptist.

Thus the King said in effect to these questioning men [the disciples of John], Do not attempt to measure this new thing by that old thing. The old was right as long as it lased; but this is new. There are new motives, new forces, new impulses coming into play; and you must not try to place the new within the narrow limits of the old. It is Christ’s clear declaration that the new covenant [with Israel — the kingdom] which He had come to initiate, demanded new methods of expression; the purple of royalty, instead of the sackcloth of sorrow; the laughter of triumph, instead of the weeping of defeat. — Morgan, page 93.

__________

To the Pharisees He said one cannot make an old garment acceptable by superimposing something new on it. And to John’s disciples He said that what He was offering could not be superimposed on Pharisaism so as to reform it. What He offered also could not be contained in the old system. Rather, what He was introducing had to be entirely separated from the old. The incident closed with Christ’s words that if men would taste His wine, that is, if they would accept what He was offering them [the kingdom], they would not want the old. However, the Pharisees, having tasted the old, were satisfied with it; they had no desire for what He was offering them. — Pentecost, page 157.

9 As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.

10 Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples.

11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

12 When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.

13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

14 Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?”

15 And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

tax office (v.9) — toll booth, probably on the caravan route from Damascus to the East

Levi was a custom-house official. The Talmud distinguishes between the tax collector and the custom-house official. The Gabbai collected the regular real estate and income taxes and the poll tax; the Mockhes, the duty on imports, exports, toll on roads, bridges, the harbor, the town tax, and a great multiplicity of other variable taxes on an unlimited variety of things, admitting of much abuse and graft. The very word Mockhes was associated with the idea of oppression and injustice. The taxes in Judea were levied by publicans, who were Jews, and therefore hated the more as direct officials of the heathen Roman power. Levi occupied the detestable position of a publican of the worst type — a little Mockhes, who himself stood in the Roman custom-house on the highway connecting Damascus and Ptolemais, and by the sea where all boats plied between the domains of Antipas and Philip. The name “publican,” which applied to these officials, is derived from the Latin word publicanus — a man who did public duty. The Jews detested these publicans not only on account of their frequent abuses and tyrannical spirit, but because the very taxes they were forced to collect by the Roman government were a badge of servitude and a constant reminder that God had forsaken His people and land in spite of the Messianic hope, founded on many promises of the ancient prophets. The publicans were classed by the people with harlots, usurers, gamblers, thieves, and dishonest herdsmen, who lived hard, lawless lives. They were just “licensed robbers” and “beasts in human shape.” — Pentecost, page 155.

house (v.10) — Matthew’s house (Mark 2:15; Luke 5:29) — the phrase in Greek, meaning “at home” indicates that Matthew owned the house and wrote the account.

go and learn (v.13) — to Hosea 6:6

The prophecy of Hosea deals with spiritual adultery, spiritual harlotry. The great agonizing emphasis of the prophetic message is that God is wounded in His love, because of the infidelity of His people to the Covenant. And this is the cry of God, “O Ephraim, what shall I do unto the?” Then He tells these people that their goodness is as the morning cloud, it vanishes and is gone. You bring Me sacrifices as though I wanted them. Ephraim, Judah, it is not sacrifice that I want from you; it is mercy toward you that I want; and I would fain find a way unto you in love and mercy.

Jesus looked at these men who thought they knew the law and the prophets, and said to them: you do not understand the God Who is revealed in your own writings. He was talking to the teachers, to the men who were interpreting the prophets, and He said “Go ye and learn what this meaneth, I desire mercy and not sacrifice.” Go and learn what the heart of God is; go and find out, that according to your own writings, God is far more anxious to have mercy than He is to receive any offering that a man brings to Him. — Morgan, pages 92-93

righteous (v.13) — used (here) ironically to mean “self-righteous”

to repentance (v.13) — not in many older manuscripts

That John’s disciples (v.14) continued as an entity is evident from the fact that they approached Jesus with a question about fasting. John had demanded repentance in connection with his baptism, and fasting coupled with prayer was a sign of that repentance. With this practice the Pharisees were in full agreement.

Messiahs’ millennial kingdom is often likened in Scripture to a wedding feast. Messiah is the Host. He is pictured as having invited guests. When the feast is set, His guests do not assemble to fast but to rejoice. In the Gospels, Christ is seen as offering Himself as Messiah. He offered to bestow the millennial blessing covenanted by God upon the nation that had been summoned to the feast. John and Jesus both proclaimed, “The kingdom of heaven is near” (Matthew 3:2; 4:17). It was inappropriate that those who had responded to this invitation and had been persuaded that Jesus is the Messiah should give themselves to fasting (v.15). — Pentecost, pages 156-157.

friends of the bridegroom (v.15) — wedding guests

This is Christ’s defense of the right of His people to be merry; and that right to be merry is the fact that He is with them. If that be true, then we have the right to be merry always. What He said about sorrow was fulfilled. He was taken away from them, and they fasted and were sad through those days of darkness; but He came back, and, standing on the slope of Olivet, He said, “Lo, I am with you alway,” Then there is no more room for mourning; no more room for the sad face of agony; but there is room for mirth, room for joy, and room for gladness. — Morgan, page 93.