10:5,6
First to the Jews. Jesus’ ministry was initially restricted to Israel (though there are one or two exceptions noted in the gospels, such as the Roman centurion and the Syro-Phonecian woman). So the disciples were not to go to the Gentiles. Nor were they to go to the Samaritans. There was great hostility between Jews and Samaritans. This traced its roots back to the Assyrian time when Gentiles were brought into Samaria and there was much intermarriage. So the Samaritans were considered as impure by the Jews. Sometimes God will restrict what we are to do. Not everyone is to try and do everything all of the time!
10:7
They were to proclaim the message “the kingdom of heaven has come near”. This does not mean they were the only words that the disciples had to say! The gospel involves a clash of kingdoms, the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the world. So there is conflict and change. God’s kingdom brings justice and righteousness. It brings concern for the poor, it brings healing for the sick, it brings repentance.
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