Vincent's NT Word Studies
1. Commanding (diatasswn). The preposition dia has a distributive force: giving to each his appropriate charge.Their cities (autwn). The towns of those to whom he came - the Galilaeans. Compare iv. 23.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
11:1 {He departed thence to teach and preach} (metebe ekeiqen tou didaskein kai kerussein). In five instances (#7:28; 11:1; 13:53; 19:1; 26:1) after great discourses by Jesus "the transition to what follows is made with the formula, 'And it came to pass when Jesus had ended'" (McNeile). this is a wrong chapter division, for #11:1 belongs with the preceding section. "{Commanding}" (diatass"n, complementary participle with etelesen), means giving orders in detail (dia-) for each of them. Note both "teach and preach" as in #4:23. Where did Jesus go? Did he follow behind the twelve as he did with the seventy "whither he himself was about to come" (#Lu 10:1)? Bruce holds with Chrysostom that Jesus avoided the places where they were, giving them room and time to do their work. But, if Jesus himself went to the chief cities of Galilee on this tour, he would be compelled to touch many of the same points. Jesus would naturally follow behind at some distance. At the end of the tour the apostles come together in Capernaum and tell Jesus all that they had done and that they had taught (#Mr 6:30). Matthew follows the general outline of Mark, but the events are not grouped in chronological order here.