In the previous post an examination of every opportunity Jesus took advantage of for teaching the people was made. In not one of them did we find a description of Jesus approaching a home, knocking on the door and giving a presentation about the kingdom of God. The Bible tells us that the twelve were with him. (Luke 8:1) The question must now be asked did Jesus instruct his disciples to carry out their witnessing work in a way different from the example he set? Did he instruct them to go from door to door indicating that this was the best way to assure that all people received a personal witness?
The Watchtower states:
“What methods did Jesus and his disciples use to preach the good news? They went to the people wherever they could be found—in public areas and in private homes. The preaching work included searching for deserving ones from house to house. (Matt. 10:11; Luke 8:1; Acts 5:42; 20:20) This systematic method showed impartiality. (The Watchtower May 2016 pg. 10 par. 10)
Does Matthew show that the disciples went on a systematic search from house to house for persons interested in listening to the message?
“Into whatever city or village you enter, search out who in it is deserving, and stay there until you leave. Matthew 10:11
Why does Matthew say stay there until you leave? The parallel account in Luke states:
But wherever you enter into a home, stay there and leave from there. Luke 9:4
Were they searching for interested ones or for a place to lodge? Later when Jesus sent out the 70 disciples, he gave them similar instructions:
. . .Wherever you enter into a house, say first: ‘May this house have peace.’ And if a friend of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if there is not, it will return to you. So stay in that house, eating and drinking the things they provide, for the worker is worthy of his wages. Do not keep transferring from house to house. Luke 10:5-7
On this verse the Greatest Man book comments:
“Instead of directing the 70 to go to synagogues, Jesus tells them to enter private homes, explaining: “Wherever you enter into a house say first, ‘May this house have peace.’ And if a friend of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him.” What is to be their message? “Go on telling them,” Jesus says, “the kingdom of God has come near to you.” Regarding the activity of the 70, Matthew Henry’s Commentary reports: “Like their Master, wherever they visited, they preached from house to house.” (The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived pg. 72)
It is puzzling why both The Greatest Man book and Matthew Henry’s Commentary comments on Luke 10:5,6 but neither one comments on verse 7. On that concluding phrase “Do not keep transferring from house to house” the Pulpit Commentary states:
“Verse 7. – And in the same house remain…. Go not from house to house. Similar instructions were given in the case of the sending out the twelve as missionaries. One house and family were to be selected as the centre of their work (see note on Luke 9:4). Eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire.
Luke 9:4. – And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart. On entering any new place they were to select, after due and careful inquiry (Matthew 10:11), a family likely and able to assist them in their evangelistic work. This “house” they were to endeavour to make the centre of their efforts in that locality. This rule we find continued in the early years of Christianity. In the history of the first Churches, certain “houses” in the different cities were evidently the centres of the mission work there. We gather this from such expressions in St. Paul’s letters as “the Church which is in his house” (comp., too, Acts 16:40, where the house of Lydia was evidently the head-quarters of all missionary work in Philippi and its neighbourhood). (The Pulpit Commentary)
Also Jesus instructions “go on telling them, ‘the Kingdom of God has come near to you.” do not occur until verse 9 and was not part of his instructions of what to say at the house but “wherever you enter into a city.” This is not to say that this scripture proves that the disciples did not go from house to house after they found accommodations. But neither can it be used as proof that they did. The instructions are for how to go about finding accommodations. And when we think back to the activity of Jesus himself who set the pattern for their work by remaining in a house and teaching there or going out from there, it is more likely that the disciples did as he did. The Greatest Man book also says: “Instead of directing the 70 to go to synagogues, Jesus tells them to enter private homes”. This gives the impression that during their ministry the disciples did not preach in the synagogues. But nowhere does Jesus tell them to avoid going to the synagogues and confine their preaching to private homes.
In fact, on this note, the Pulpit Commentary states:
“It is, on the other hand, quite unnecessary to see here, with Meyer and Weiss, a prohibition to go to the synagogues or indeed to anywhere else where they could gain a hearing during their stay. Our Lord is referring only to lodging and food” (The Pulpit Commentary)
The Expositor’s Bible comments:
“How, then, were they to be supported? About this they were to give themselves no concern. They were now to put in practice the great command, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness,” relying on the promise, “all these things shall be added unto you.” But in no miraculous way are they to look for the provision of their wants. They are to be maintained by those among whom and for whom they labour. This was to be no burden, but a privilege, reserved for those who were found “worthy.” (Matt. 10:11) Nor was it to be divided among as many as possible. They were to stay on with the same person who first received them, as the one whom the Master had chosen for the honour; while, if any refused to recognise it as a privilege, there was to be no weak solicitation, but a dignified withdrawal.” (The Expositor’s Bible)
The NICNT comments:
The disciples can travel light because they will be able to rely on hospitality from strangers (the need to “make enquiries” indicates that the potential hosts are not yet known to the disciples). This expectation belongs naturally in a Middle Eastern culture; see Gen. 18:1-8 for the classic example (cf. Gen. 19:1-8; Jdg. 19:15-21). The search for somebody “worthy” is further explained in Mat. 10:13-14 : there will be suitable and unsuitable hosts, depending on their openness to the disciples’ message. The word “worthy” is a repeated motif of this section: the worker is “worthy” of his keep, and potential hosts are “worthy” or “unworthy.” The discrimination required reminds us of Jesus’ maxim in Mat. 7:6 about placing treasure only before those who are able to appreciate it. By this time there were no doubt people in most Galilean villages who had been among the crowds following Jesus, and such sympathizers would be likely to be willing hosts for his disciples. (The New International Commentary on the New Testament)
Interestingly, this very point was made in Watchtower articles prior to 1975:
“Once a person accepts the hospitality of another he comes under obligation to conduct himself as an appreciative guest. Jesus Christ called attention to this when he told his disciples: “Stay in that house, eating and drinking the things they provide . . . Do not be transferring from house to house.” (Luke 10:7) In saying what he did, Jesus was making it clear that his disciples should not unappreciatively leave the home of one who extended hospitality to go to another place where the householder could provide more comfort and better food. Applying the principle of Jesus’ admonition, we can see that it would be unkind to cancel an invitation simply because later something better in a material way was offered to us. (The Watchtower June 15, 1975 pg. 360)
“When Jesus sent out his disciples to preach the Kingdom message in cities and villages, he told them to find lodging for themselves in local homes. While in the house the disciples would be able to speak to the people, for Jesus said: “Wherever anyone does not take you in or listen to your words, on going out of that house or that city shake the dust off your feet.” They were to stay only where people would listen to their words about the Kingdom. Evidently some householders would listen and become disciples and others would reject the opportunity to learn. (Matt. 10:7-14; Luke 10:1-7) So by both the example of Jesus and personal experience the disciples learned how others could be discipled in the privacy of their homes. (The Watchtower May 1, 1973 pg. 271 par. 13)
Hence it is clear that when Jesus sent his disciples out to preach there are no explicit instructions for them to go from door to door. Rather they would have followed the example he set in preaching at the synagogues and in other public places. They would also use the accommodations offered them as places for people to gather and hear the message as had their Lord. In the next article we will examine the activity of Paul and the Apostles in the book of Acts and seek to answer the question: “Did the Apostles Preach From Door to Door?”