Matthew 10 40

Matthew 10:40 kjv

He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

Matthew 10:40 nkjv

"He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.

Matthew 10:40 niv

"Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.

Matthew 10:40 esv

"Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.

Matthew 10:40 nlt

"Anyone who receives you receives me, and anyone who receives me receives the Father who sent me.

Matthew 10 verses

Matthew 10 40 Meaning

Matthew 10:40 proclaims a profound chain of identification and authority, where the reception of Jesus's commissioned messengers is intrinsically linked to receiving Jesus Himself, and in turn, receiving God the Father who sent Jesus. This verse elevates the ministry of the disciples by stating that their welcoming or rejection directly implicates one's stance towards Christ and, ultimately, God. It underscores the spiritual unity between the Father, the Son, and those whom the Son sends, asserting that welcoming them is an act of spiritual communion with the Divine.

Matthew 10 40 Context

This verse is embedded within Jesus's instructions to His twelve apostles as He sends them out for their first mission (Matthew 10). The chapter details their commissioning, the powers He grants them (to heal and cast out demons), and specific guidelines for their travel and interactions. It also forewarns them of persecution and opposition. Leading up to verse 40, Jesus outlines the serious implications of rejecting the apostles' message (Mat 10:14-15), implying severe judgment for those who do not receive them. Following verse 40, Jesus speaks of specific rewards for receiving a prophet or a righteous person in their capacity (Mat 10:41-42), demonstrating the practical consequences of welcoming or rejecting those sent by God. The overall context establishes the disciples' authoritative role as divine representatives, emphasizing the profound spiritual significance of how people respond to their ministry. The principle builds upon the Jewish understanding of shaliach, where an agent (emissary) represents the one who sent him, making the actions performed by the agent as if performed by the principal. Jesus elevates this concept to a divine level.

Matthew 10 40 Word analysis

• He who receives (ὁ δεχόμενος, ho dechomenos):

  • Dechomenos comes from the verb dechomai, meaning "to take, receive, welcome, accept."
  • It implies a willing, open-hearted acceptance and hospitality, not merely passive acknowledgement. It signifies welcoming a person into one's home or life.
  • The participle form emphasizes a continuous action, "the one who is continually receiving."
  • Significance: It's about spiritual receptivity, embracing the person, their message, and their mission.

• you (ὑμᾶς, hymas):

  • Second person plural pronoun, directly addressing the twelve apostles whom Jesus is commissioning.
  • Significance: Represents any true messenger of Christ who is sent in His authority. The principle extends beyond the original twelve to all who are genuinely sent by Christ to proclaim His message.

• receives Me (ἐμὲ δέχεται, eme dechetai):

  • Eme (Me) is emphatic.
  • Dechetai is the same verb "receives."
  • Significance: This is a radical statement of identification. Jesus identifies Himself so completely with His representatives that welcoming them is equivalent to welcoming Him. It elevates the status and importance of His messengers.

• and he who receives Me (καὶ ὁ ἐμὲ δεχόμενος, kai ho eme dechomenos):

  • Reinforces the direct connection established in the first clause, providing a bridge to the ultimate source.

• receives Him who sent Me (δέχεται τὸν ἀποστείλαντά με, dechetai ton aposteilanta me):

  • Aposteilanta is the active participle of apostellō, meaning "to send forth, commission." This is the root word for "apostle" (apostolos - one who is sent).
  • "Him who sent Me" explicitly refers to God the Father.
  • Significance: The chain of identification reaches its pinnacle in God. Welcoming Christ's messengers is welcoming Christ, which in turn is welcoming God Himself. This underscores the unity within the Godhead and the authority behind the entire mission.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "He who receives you receives Me": This establishes the immediate proxy relationship. The disciples are Christ's proxies; their reception (or rejection) directly reflects on Him. This gives their mission immense dignity and seriousness. It’s not just receiving a person, but receiving Christ through them.
  • "and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me": This extends the chain of divine identification. Jesus, being sent by the Father, similarly acts as the Father's proxy. Thus, welcoming Christ is equivalent to welcoming the Father. This emphasizes the profound oneness of the Father and the Son, where accepting one means accepting the other, extending to their delegated agents. The entire statement underscores a divinely ordained hierarchy of authority and representation, culminating in God the Father.

Matthew 10 40 Bonus section

The verse implicitly highlights the ultimate consequence of rejecting Jesus's messengers: if receiving them is receiving God, then rejecting them is rejecting God. This grave implication aligns with other warnings given by Jesus regarding unresponsiveness to His message and messengers (e.g., "it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town," Mat 10:15). It establishes the concept of delegated authority, which is critical for the understanding of the Church's mission throughout history. It is a powerful affirmation of the spiritual oneness between Christ and His body, the Church, extending even to individual messengers. The theological depth here also supports the doctrine of Christ's perfect revelation of the Father – one cannot truly know the Father except through the Son. This passage validates the authority of the disciples to act on behalf of Christ and, by extension, God, demanding respect and responsiveness from those to whom they are sent.

Matthew 10 40 Commentary

Matthew 10:40 succinctly encapsulates the profound theological truth of identification: divine commission means that an authorized messenger carries the presence and authority of the sender. For the disciples, this meant their welcome or rejection was not merely a personal matter but held ultimate spiritual significance regarding their relationship with Jesus Christ and God the Father. This verse elevates the importance of hospitality towards true servants of God, transforming an act of human kindness into an act of divine reception. It speaks to the unique relationship between the Father and the Son, where Jesus perfectly represents the Father, and those He sends perfectly represent Him. Therefore, extending grace and openness to God's genuine emissaries is seen as an act of obedience and honor directed towards God Himself. Conversely, rejection implies a turning away from God. This principle serves as a foundational concept for understanding all legitimate Christian ministry: those who faithfully preach Christ are vehicles through whom Christ, and thus the Father, interacts with the world.

• Practical Usage Examples:
  • When a believer welcomes and supports a missionary genuinely proclaiming the Gospel, they are effectively participating in Christ's mission and showing hospitality to God Himself.
  • Listening to and embracing sound biblical teaching from a faithful pastor is, in essence, listening to and embracing Christ's words.
  • Rejecting the authoritative, true message of salvation proclaimed by Christ's faithful followers is, by extension, rejecting Christ and God who sent Him.