He that receiveth you, receiveth me: and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me.

“Enough had been said above to persuade those who should have to entertain the Apostles. For who would not with all willingness take in to his house men who were so courageous, that they despised all dangers that others might be saved? Above He had threatened punishment to those who should not receive them, He now promises reward to such as should receive them. And first He holds out to those who should entertain them the honour, that in so doing they were entertaining Christ, and even the Father; He who receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me. What honour to be compared to this of receiving the Father and the Son?”

“The Lord when He sends forth His disciples to preach, teaches them that dangers are not to be feared, that natural affection is to be postponed to religion—gold He had above taken from them, brass He had shaken out of their purses—hard then surely the condition of the preachers! Whence their living? Whence their food and necessaries? Therefore He tempers the rigour of His precepts by the following promises, that in entertaining the Apostles each believer may consider that he entertains the Lord.”

“"And he who does not take up his cross." Thus it has been said, "he who loves father," etc.; nay, I say more: he who loves himself more than me is not worthy of me. For nothing can fill the whole affection except God. And therefore Deuteronomy 6:5: "You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, and with your whole soul, and with your whole strength." Hence he says, "he who does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me." He means that whoever is not prepared even to suffer death for the sake of the truth, and that death most of all, namely the death of the cross, is not worthy of me; nay, he ought even to glory in the cross, as is found in Galatians, the last chapter, 14: "But far be it from me to glory, save in the cross of the Lord." And in this he foretells his own death, and the manner of his death; 1 Peter 2:21: "Christ suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps." Again, it is expounded otherwise: for he takes up the cross who afflicts the flesh, as is found in Galatians 5:24: "They who are Christ's have crucified their flesh with its vices and concupiscences," etc. Again, the cross is borne in the heart, when one is grieved for sin, as the Apostle said, 2 Corinthians 11:29: "Who is scandalized, and I am not on fire?" Again, this does not suffice, unless one follows the Lord. Hence also, "and follows me." If you fast, if you have compassion for your neighbor, but not for my sake, you are not worthy of me. For it is a great thing to follow the Lord, as is found in Ecclesiasticus 23:38: "It is a great glory to follow the Lord." But they might say, what shall we get from this? Therefore he shows the penalty of the disobedient; hence he says, "he who finds his soul shall lose it." Soul is taken for life. When someone is in danger of losing his money, he is accustomed to say, "I have lost my money"; and if he is freed from the danger, he says he has found his money. Similarly, if someone is in danger of the body, and is freed by some occasion, he says he has found his life. Whoever, therefore, finds his life, and has been in danger for my sake, and denies me in order to find his life, is not worthy of me. And "he who shall have lost his soul," that is, his life — that is, if he shall have exposed himself to death for my sake — "shall find it"; Proverbs 8:35: "He who shall find me, shall find life, and shall draw salvation from the Lord." "He who receives you, receives me." Here he sets down the remedy. You say that we should act thus. Whence shall we be able to live? Give us some indulgence. Just as the Pope gives to legates the power of granting indulgence, so the Lord gives a reward to those who receive them. And he sets down three things, of which two pertain to the lesser ones. He says therefore, "He who receives you, receives me" — because they will have God, since you are my members, since a member is of the member. Hence, "receives me." But they might say: you are poor; it is no great thing to receive a poor man, or even you. Nay, "he who receives me, receives him who sent me," because, as is found in John 5:23, "he who honors the Son, honors also my Father." It is a great thing to have God as a guest, as it was reckoned to Abraham for praise, as is found in Hebrews 13:2. Again, another thing will follow, namely the reward of a prophet. Hence, "he who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive the reward of a prophet." There are two excellent things in a prophet. Namely, prophecy — Joel 2:28: "I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy"; likewise the gift of justice — 1 Corinthians 1:30: "But of him you are, who is made unto us wisdom and justice." "He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet." It can be understood thus: he who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet, that is, because he is a prophet, shall receive the reward of a prophet. Or otherwise: you say that we should receive apostles; but there will come some false prophets, or false apostles. Therefore he says: I do not insist upon the truth, but upon the name. For whoever receives in the name of a prophet shall have a reward. And what reward? The same which you would have if you received a true prophet. Hence he says, "the reward of a prophet," that is, which he would have for a prophet. Again, it makes no difference who that one is, whether one or another. For he who receives a prophet receives the reward of a prophet, because the prophet is thereby made more ready to exercise his work; because not only those who do, receive a reward, but also those who consent to those who do, as is found in Romans 1, at the end. Hence, if you cooperate toward the good, from that good you receive a reward; if you minister the supports of life, you receive a reward; because otherwise he would not be able to fulfill his office. And the same holds for what follows: "he who receives a just man in the name of a just man, shall receive the reward of a just man." But someone might say: if Peter, or Elijah, were to come, I would gladly receive him; therefore he adds, "and whoever shall give a drink to one of these little ones," that is, of the faithful, as is found below in chapter 25:40: "Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me," etc.; as if to say: I care not whether they are great or small. Someone might say: I am poor, I have nothing to give; therefore he adds, "a cup of cold water": he does not say "of hot water," on account of the lack of wood, lest he be able to excuse himself thus; hence he means to say: whatever least thing one shall have done, he will have his reward. And he confirms this, saying, "Amen I say to you, he shall not lose his reward"; Isaiah 40:10: "Behold, the Lord shall come"; and it follows: "and his reward is with him, and his work before him."”

“He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet,.... By "a prophet" is meant, not one that foretells things to come, but a preacher of the Gospel; for as prophesying sometimes signifies preaching, so a prophet designs a minister of the word: and to "receive" him, is not only to embrace his doctrine, but to entertain him in a kind, and generous manner; and he that does this, "in the name of a prophet", not as coming in the name of another prophet, but upon this account, and for this consideration, because he himself is a prophet; so the phrase, "in the name", or on the account of anything, is often used in the Misnic writings (s): he that regards such a person, and shows him respect, by an hospitable entertainment of him; not because he may be related to him after the flesh; or because he may be a man of good behaviour, of a singular disposition and temper, of much learning and eloquence, of great natural parts and abilities; but because he is a faithful minister of the Gospel; he shall receive a prophet's reward: either a reward from the prophet himself, who shall interpret the Scriptures to him, preach the Gospel to him, lead him more fully into the truths of it, and guide him to the true, and more clear and distinct sense of the sacred writings; which is an ample reward for his kind entertainment of him: or else, that reward which God has appointed, prepared, and promised, to them who receive his prophets; and which indeed is no other, than what the prophets themselves shall receive, even the reward of the inheritance, the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world, a reward of grace, and not of debt; since both, in their way, serve the Lord Christ. And he that receiveth a righteous man, in the name of a righteous man. He that is kind and liberal to any good man, whether he is a minister of the Gospel or not, who appears to have the work of grace upon his soul, and is justified by the righteousness of Christ, and expects eternal life on that account; if he shows respect to him, purely because he has the image of Christ stamped on him, and the righteousness of Christ imputed to him, and not on any natural, worldly, or civil accounts, he shall receive a righteous man's reward; either from the good man himself, who will not fail to pray for his benefactor, to wish him well, and give him all the assistance he can in his Christian course; to exhort, comfort, instruct him as much, and as far as his Christian experience will furnish him with; or else the same reward of grace the righteous man himself shall have, namely, eternal life, as God's gift, through Jesus Christ our Lord. (s) Misn. Zebachim, c. 1. sect. 1. 2, 3, 4. & 4. 6. &. 6. 7. & 7. 1, 2, 3, 4.”