As you go, make this proclamation: 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give. Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts; no sack for the journey, or a second tunic, or sandals, or walking stick. The laborer deserves his keep. Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it, and stay there until you leave. As you enter a house, wish it peace. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; if not, let your peace return to you. Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words– go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet. Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the Day of Judgment than for that town. (Mt 10:7-15)
The instruction which Jesus gives to the apostles seems to be totally unique. No leader who wants to form or propose a movement would give such instructions. The instructions tell them to be healers, restorers, and people of hope. It does not give any status to the apostles and they are in no way to make money out of their work. Their journey should in no way be seen as provided. That is they were not to carry anything (even a sack which probably a beggar would carry)
About the arrival into a village and the related rules are still interesting. They were not to be like religious leaders who visit house after house sharing a new God experience. They were not to visit the villages with new teachings. They were going into the villages to announce the arrival of the kingdom and keep moving. Their mission was urgent.
Their message and their mission were to announce the message that new life was dawning in Jesus. It was a life of peace. If they accept it, well and good. Otherwise it would be like in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19, 24-28). So the mission of the apostles should be such that it has no relation to what the contemporaries would be doing. It was totally a new way of approach.
