Church Fathers Commentary Matthew 10:1-4

"And he called unto him his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of disease and all manner of sickness. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the [son] of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the [son] of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him." — Matthew 10:1-4 (ASV)

Glossa Ordinaria: From the healing of Peter's mother-in-law to this point, there has been a continued succession of miracles. These were performed before the Sermon on the Mount, as we know for certain from Matthew's call, which is placed among them, for he was one of the twelve chosen for the Apostolate on the mount. He now returns to the order of events, picking up again with the healing of the centurion's servant, saying, "And calling to him his twelve disciples."¹

Remigius of Auxerre: The Evangelist related above that the Lord urged His disciples to pray for the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into His vineyard, and He now seems to be fulfilling what He had urged them to do. For the number twelve is a perfect number. It is made up of the number six—which has perfection because it is formed from its own parts (one, two, and three) multiplied together—and the number six, when doubled, amounts to twelve.

Glossa Ordinaria: This doubling seems to refer to the two precepts of charity or to the two Testaments.²

The Venerable Bede: For the number twelve, made by multiplying three by four, signifies that they were to preach the faith of the Holy Trinity throughout the four quarters of the world.

Rabanus Maurus: This number is typified by many things in the Old Testament: the twelve sons of Jacob, the twelve princes of the children of Israel, the twelve running springs in Elim, the twelve stones in Aaron's breastplate, the twelve loaves of the showbread, the twelve spies sent by Moses, the twelve stones from which the altar was made, the twelve stones taken out of the Jordan, and the twelve oxen that supported the bronze sea. It is also typified in the New Testament by the twelve stars in the bride's crown, and by the twelve foundations and twelve gates of the Jerusalem that John saw.³

St. John Chrysostom: He makes them confident not only by calling their ministry a "sending forth to the harvest," but also by giving them strength for it. From this it follows, He gave them power over all unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every sickness and every disease.

Remigius of Auxerre: This openly shows that the crowd was troubled not with a single kind of affliction, but with many. It was out of His pity for the crowd that He gave His disciples power to heal and cleanse them.

St. Jerome: A kind and merciful Lord and Master does not envy His servants and disciples a share in His powers. Just as He Himself had cured every sickness and disease, He imparted the same power to His Apostles. But there is a wide difference between possessing and imparting, between giving and receiving. Whatever He does, He does with the power of a master; whatever they do, they do with a confession of their own weakness, as when they say, In the name of Jesus rise and walk (Acts 3:6).

A list of the Apostles' names is given so that all false apostles might be excluded. The text says, The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother. To arrange them in order according to their merit is His alone who searches the secrets of all hearts. But Simon is placed first, having been given the surname Peter to distinguish him from the other Simon, who was surnamed the Cananaean, from the village of Cana in Galilee where the Lord turned water into wine.

Rabanus Maurus: The Greek or Latin "Petrus" is the same as the Syriac "Cephas"; in both languages, the word is derived from "a rock." This is undoubtedly the rock of which Paul speaks: And that Rock was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4).⁴

Remigius of Auxerre: Some have sought a Hebrew interpretation for the name Peter, which is Greek and Latin, suggesting it means "taking off the shoe," "unloosing," or "acknowledging." But those who say this are contradicted by the facts. First, the Hebrew language has no letter P, but uses PH instead; thus, they call Pilate "Philate." Second, one of the Evangelists used the word as an interpretation of Cephas. The Lord said, You shall be called Cephas (John 1:42), to which the Evangelist adds, which is interpreted, Peter.⁵

Simon is interpreted as "obedient," because he obeyed Andrew's words and came with him to Christ, or because he obeyed the divine commands and followed the Lord at a single word of bidding. Alternatively, some would have it interpreted as "laying aside grief" and "hearing painful things." This is because on the Lord's resurrection he laid aside the grief he had for His death, and he heard sorrowful things when the Lord said to him, Another will gird you and carry you where you do not want to go (John 21:18).

"And Andrew his brother."

St. John Chrysostom: This is no small honor done to Peter. He places Peter first based on his merit, and Andrew based on the nobility he had in being Peter's brother. Mark names Andrew next after the two leaders, Peter and John, but Matthew does not, for Mark has arranged them in order of dignity.

Remigius of Auxerre: Andrew is interpreted as "manly." For just as in Latin "virilis" is derived from "vir," so in Greek, Andrew is derived from ανηρ. He is rightly called manly, for he left all to follow Christ and manfully persevered in His commands.

St. Jerome: The Evangelist couples the names in pairs throughout. He puts Peter and Andrew together, who were brothers not so much in the flesh as in the spirit. He also pairs James and John, who left their earthly father to follow their true Father: James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother. He calls him the son of Zebedee to distinguish him from the other James, the son of Alphaeus.

St. John Chrysostom: Observe that he does not place them according to their dignity, for to me John would seem to be greater not only than the others, but even than his own brother.

Remigius of Auxerre: James is interpreted as "the supplanter," or "one who supplants," for he not only supplanted the vices of the flesh but even held that same flesh in contempt when Herod put him to death. John is interpreted as "the grace of God," because he, above all, deserved to be loved by the Lord. It was from this favor of His special love that he leaned on the Lord's bosom at supper.

"Philip and Bartholomew." Philip is interpreted as "the mouth of a lamp" or "of lamps," because when he had been enlightened by the Lord, he immediately sought to communicate that light to his brother through his words. Bartholomew is a Syriac, not a Hebrew, name, and is interpreted as "the son of him who raises water,"ⁱ that is, of Christ. Christ raises the hearts of His preachers from earthly to heavenly things and suspends them there, so that the more they penetrate heavenly things, the more they might saturate and intoxicate the hearts of their hearers with the drops of holy preaching.

"Thomas, and Matthew the Publican."

St. Jerome: In this pair of names, the other Evangelists put Matthew before Thomas and do not add "the tax collector," so that they would not seem to scorn the Evangelist by bringing his former life to mind. But Matthew, writing of himself, both puts Thomas first in the pair and styles himself "the tax collector," because where sin abounded, grace abounded all the more (Romans 5:20).

Remigius of Auxerre: Thomas is interpreted as "an abyss" or "a twin," which in Greek is Didymus. Didymus is rightly interpreted as an abyss, for the longer he doubted, the more deeply he believed in the reality of the Lord's passion and the mystery of His divinity, which forced him to cry out, My Lord and my God! (John 20:28). Matthew is interpreted as "given," because by the Lord's bounty he was made an Evangelist from a tax collector.

"James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus."

Rabanus Maurus: This James is the one who, in the Gospels and also in the Epistle to the Galatians, is called the Lord's brother. For Mary, the wife of Alphaeus, was the sister of Mary the mother of the Lord. John the Evangelist calls her "Mary the wife of Clopas," probably because Clopas and Alphaeus were the same person. Or, it could be that Mary herself, on the death of Alphaeus after the birth of James, married Clopas.⁶

Remigius of Auxerre: It is well said, "the son of Alphaeus," that is, "of the just" or "the learned," for he not only overthrew the vices of the flesh but also despised all care for it. The Apostles are witnesses to his worthiness, as they ordained him Bishop of the Church of Jerusalem.ⁱⁱ

Ecclesiastical history, among other things, tells of him that he never ate meat, drank neither wine nor strong drink, abstained from bathing and from wearing linen garments, and prayed night and day on his bended knees. So great was his merit that he was called by all "the Just."

Thaddaeus is the same person whom Luke calls "Jude of James" (that is, the brother of James), whose epistle is read in the Church and in which he calls himself the brother of James.

St. Augustine of Hippo: Some copies have "Lebbaeus," but what would prevent the same man from having two or even three different names?⁷

Remigius of Auxerre: Jude is interpreted as "one who has confessed," because he confessed the Son of God.

Rabanus Maurus: Thaddaeus or Lebbaeus is interpreted as "a little heart," that is, a worshipper from the heart.

"Simon Chananaeus, and Judas Scarioth, who also betrayed him."

St. Jerome: Simon the Cananaean is the same one who in the other Gospel is called "the Zealot." "Cana" signifies "Zeal." Judas is named Iscariot, either from the town where he was born or from the tribe of Issachar—a prophetic omen of his sin, for Issachar means "a reward," thus signifying the payment of the betrayer.

Remigius of Auxerre: Iscariot is interpreted as "the memory of the Lord," because he followed the Lord; or "the memorial of death," because he plotted in his heart how he might betray the Lord to death; or "strangling," because he went and hanged himself. It should be known that there are two disciples with this name who are types of all Christians: Jude the brother of James represents those who persevere in the confession of the faith, while Judas Iscariot represents those who leave the faith and turn back.

Glossa Ordinaria: They are named two by two to express their union as partners yoked together.⁸

St. Augustine of Hippo: Therefore, He chose these men for His disciples, whom He also named Apostles. They were humbly born, without honor and without learning, so that whatever great things they did, it would be He who was in them and doing it. He had among them one who was evil, whom He would use in the accomplishment of His Passion. This man would also serve as an example to His Church of how to endure evil people.⁹

St. Ambrose of Milan: He was not chosen among the Apostles unknowingly, for that truth is great which cannot be harmed even by having an adversary as one of its own ministers.¹⁰

Rabanus Maurus: He also willed to be betrayed by a disciple so that you, when betrayed by an intimate friend, might patiently bear that your judgment has erred and that your favors have been thrown away.

1. ord.
2. Greg. Hom. in Ev., xvii, 1
3. and cf. Tertullian, cont. Marc. iv, 13
4. e Beda
5. ap. Rabanus
6. e Beda
7. De Cons. Evan., ii, 30
8. non occ.
9. City of God, book xviii, ch. 49
10. Ambrosiaster, in Luc. 6