What does Matthew 10 mean when it says we will receive a 'prophet's reward'?

Fritzpw_Admin · September 23, 2025, 6:50pm

Matthew 10 contains some of Jesus’ most challenging instructions—promises of blessing mixed with warnings of hardship. But the phrase “prophet’s reward” has puzzled many believers.
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In Matthew 10, Jesus sends out His disciples with authority to heal, preach, and cast out demons, but He also warns them of rejection, persecution, and division—even among families. Yet tucked inside this weighty chapter is a curious statement about receiving a “prophet’s reward.”

The text suggests that those who welcome and support God’s messengers will share in the blessing those messengers receive. But what does that mean in practice? Is it about eternal rewards, earthly provision, spiritual insight—or something else entirely? And what about the connection between welcoming a prophet and welcoming Christ Himself?

Throughout history, prophets were rarely popular. They carried messages people didn’t want to hear, often at great personal cost. Still, God honored those who stood by them—whether by offering shelter, food, or simply believing their words. Could Jesus be calling His followers to a similar kind of solidarity today?

At the same time, the concept of a “reward” raises its own questions. How should Christians think about rewards in light of grace? Does this promise apply equally to modern-day believers who support gospel work, or was it directed specifically to those alive during Christ’s ministry?

This phrase challenges us to wrestle with both the meaning of discipleship and the nature of God’s blessings.

So, what do you think—what exactly is the “prophet’s reward” Jesus speaks of in Matthew 10?

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ILOVECHRIST · September 24, 2025, 12:16pm

In Matthew 10:40–42, Jesus promises that anyone who welcomes a prophet—or, by extension, a disciple—will receive the “prophet’s reward.” At first glance, this might sound transactional: help a messenger, get a bonus. But in context, it’s much deeper and distinctly Christian.

First, it’s important to recognize that Jesus is drawing a direct connection between Himself and His messengers. To welcome a prophet is, in essence, to welcome God’s truth, and ultimately, Christ Himself. So, the “reward” is not just a casual thank-you; it’s participating in the blessings of God’s mission. In practical terms, this could mean providing hospitality, encouragement, or resources to those proclaiming the Gospel—simple acts of faithfulness that place one in solidarity with God’s work.

Historically, prophets often faced hostility, rejection, or worse. Yet God honored those who stood by them. In the same way, Jesus affirms that supporting His messengers—whether in His first-century ministry or today—is never overlooked. The “prophet’s reward” acknowledges both the sacrifices of the messenger and the faith of those who back them. It’s a shared blessing: the believer participates in the spiritual fruit of the mission, experiencing joy, grace, and sometimes even protection in the midst of trials.

Regarding earthly versus eternal reward, the Christian tradition tends to see this promise as both. Earthly support may be met with tangible blessing or a sense of peace and purpose, but ultimately, the reward is spiritual and eternal—entrusting believers into God’s care, aligning them with His purposes, and granting fellowship in the kingdom of God. It’s not about earning favor, because grace is freely given, but about entering into the rhythm of God’s work in the world.

So, in essence, the “prophet’s reward” invites Christians to understand discipleship as relational and participatory. Welcoming God’s messengers is a way of welcoming Christ Himself, and the blessings—spiritual, communal, and sometimes practical—flow from God’s recognition of that faithful heart. In modern terms, supporting gospel work, whether through encouragement, resources, or prayer, aligns believers with this same promise: God sees, honors, and blesses those who stand with His mission.

KPuff · September 24, 2025, 12:45pm

Thanx @ILOVECHRIST for that thorough and biblically sound explanation.

I think we do better service to understanding this passage when we think of the word “reward” as “due”. In other words, the person who accepts and partners with a worker will recieve the same thing the worker is due.

Matthew 10:40-42
"He who receives you receives Me, and
(i.e. He who welcomes and accepts you, welcomes and accepts me)
he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.

He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward.
(i.e. He who welcomes and accepts one who speaks the words of God, will reap the same blessing, experience the same expected result as the one who speaks for God will enjoy)

And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.

And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward."

The idea presented is one of “partnering” in the work of God. Supporting the work of one who is sent by God is partnering in that work, and God will reward both of them the same. He is saying, not only those doing the front-line work are considered worthy of reward, but also those who agree with them, support them, and encourage them. The saint who prayed while his brother fought with lions in the colleseum recieves the same from God as if he were in the arena himself.

The actual “reward” is conspiculously not mentioned, and for very good reasons. We walk by faith, by obedience, by partnership in the work, and not stained by any sense of investment for a larger return. God promsies a return, a recompense, a result only He can imagine, but The Holy Spirit does not lead us to work for that reward, but to selflessly, sacrificially, work for the Glory of God.

“…present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12:1

“Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus…” Phil. 2:5

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31

etc.

2-cents
KP

astandardchristian · October 1, 2025, 8:18pm

Let’s look at this passage to understand what Jesus meant:

Luke 14

**¹²**He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. **¹³**But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, **¹⁴**and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

So what Jesus tells this person to give to those who cannot repay, and what will be the result? He will be repaid at the resurrection.

This man is spending money to buy food, potentially pay for servants to serve the food, cooks, etc. He is giving a feast! Did Jesus say, do it out of the goodness of your heart? No. Did he say YOU MUST do it to have salvation no? He said if you do this, you are going above and beyond what is expected of you. There is no law of Moses that says the well off must give feasts to the poor and crippled. But IF you DO you will get a reward! Now we don’t know what this “reward” is? Is it money, is it someone intangible? We don’t know.

What we DO know if a reward is of value. If it wasn’t of value it would not be a reward, it would be useless. We also know that Jesus will repay at the resurrection which is during Jesus’ earthly kingdom.

So what is a prophets reward? We don’t know, again we know it is valuable!

The nature of value is some will have this and some won’t. In the Kingdom of Jesus at the resurrection there will be some Christians who are given great heaps of wealth and authority, and some whose entire work burns up, they themselves receive eternal life and that is very good! But they will have nothing in terms of treasure.

Paul tells us how it.

1 Corinthians 3

**¹²**Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— **¹³**each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. **¹⁴**If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. **¹⁵**If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

And for those Catholics that think Paul is talking about salvation he isn’t, he is talking about your ministry and how you can build a mega church and can do all these things, but God sees the heart and will your work survive the fire? If not you will be saved, but your work will burn up.

Again Paul is encouraging us to follow his example and go above and beyond. Why? Because it how you earn the rewards in the Kingdom. Paul was greedy for his FULL REWARD in the Kingdom building tents so he could preach the gospel for free.

1 Corinthians 9

**⁷**For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. **¹⁸**What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

**²⁴**Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. **²⁵**Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. **²⁶**So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. **²⁷**But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

So Paul worked hard so that he could receive his full reward and win the prize. And no the prize is not salvation, that is through grace not works, but it is through going above and beyond his rights as an Apostle and following the advice of Jesus.

Luke 6

³²“If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. **³³**And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. **³⁴**And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. **³⁵**But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

When Jesus returns and raises us from the dead he will have the wealth of all the nations brought to him on his glorious throne in Jerusalem, and he will repay everyone for what they gave and sacrificed for the Kingdom.

Revelation 22

12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.