Matthew 10:1 – “Jesus called His twelve disciples together and gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness.”
Here is one of the most breathtaking moments in the Gospels. Jesus, who has already astonished crowds with His teaching and miracles, doesn’t keep the power to Himself. Instead, He gathers His twelve closest followers—fishermen, a tax collector, a zealot, ordinary men with no formal religious credentials—and delegates His own authority to them.
This single verse marks a turning point: the mission is no longer just Jesus doing the work. It’s Jesus empowering others to continue it.
What Kind of Authority Was This?
The word “authority” (Greek: exousia) means the right and the power to act. Jesus wasn’t giving them a motivational speech or a new technique. He was transferring His own delegated right to confront two realms of brokenness:
- Spiritual oppression — “cast out evil spirits” (unclean spirits/demons)
- Physical suffering — “heal every kind of disease and illness”
Jesus treats both as real enemies of human flourishing, and He authorizes His disciples to push them back.
Jesus had already modeled this ministry repeatedly. Now He trusts His followers enough to send them out to do the same things in His name.
Why This Moment Matters So Much
This commissioning shows several profound truths:
- Jesus’ ministry is meant to multiply
The kingdom of God isn’t advanced by one superstar. It’s advanced when ordinary followers are equipped and sent. - Authority comes from relationship, not qualification
These twelve weren’t seminary-trained theologians. They were learners who had walked with Jesus, watched Him, and believed in Him. That was enough. - The gospel comes with visible demonstration
When the disciples went out (as described in the following verses), they weren’t just announcing that the kingdom was near—they were showing it through healings and deliverances.
Jesus Himself later promised something even broader:
“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in Me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these…” (John 14:12)
What About Us Today?
This verse raises an honest question for modern believers:
Does this same authority still apply?
No matter what your Christian background is, the core principle remains powerful:
- The mission continues.
- The Holy Spirit is still given to empower witnesses (Acts 1:8).
- Followers of Jesus are still called to bring healing (physical, emotional, relational) and freedom from oppression.
We may not see dramatic exorcisms or instant physical healings every single day (though many still witness them regularly in various parts of the world), and I can personally testify to having seen both dramatic deliverances and instantaneous physical healings myself. At the same time, I realize that not everyone experiences or observes these things in the same way or frequency—and that’s okay. The principle still endures:
What we have freely received from Jesus, we are meant to freely give.
We are still called to:
- Pray boldly for someone’s healing or deliverance
- Speak words of truth and freedom into places of spiritual bondage
- Bringing compassion and practical help to the sick, the broken, and the oppressed
- Live with the confidence that Jesus’ authority backs us when we step out in faith for His kingdom
A Final Challenge
Jesus didn’t call the twelve because they were already powerful. He called them, trained them, and then gave them power.
The same Jesus still calls ordinary people today.
He still trains us through His Word and Spirit.
And He still sends us—with authority—to bring light into dark places, healing into hurting lives, and freedom where bondage has held sway.
The question is:
Are we willing to be sent?
Because when ordinary disciples say “yes” to the One who holds all authority, extraordinary things still happen.
May we have the courage to step into the same commissioning that changed the world two thousand years ago.
