MATTHEW 10: 16-23 [THE MESSIAH REVEALED]
PERSISTENCE THROUGH PERSECUTION
[Acts 4:8-21]
Previously the Twelve's mission had been depicted as being received in a relatively friendly manner. In this passage, the disciples were warned that many who rejected the Kingdom message would not leave it at passive unbelief. They would take active steps to reject and persecution the messengers of the Kingdom. These verses look beyond the immediate mission of the disciples to the future missionary mission of the church.
Jesus had no visionary dreams of quick or easy success. He does not speak of warm reception and success but of disappointments and heartaches. He prepares His followers for a long, difficult battle. He openly tells them that the missionary aspect of the mission of His followers would be countered with serious and even deadly opposition. Yet Jesus also knew that danger and even threat of death could not defeat a soul set ablaze by His eternal love (CIT).
Suffering is an unavoidable part of missionary activity. How much suffering did Christ expect us to be ready to endure in His service? Let's look and see.
I. NATURES CONTRASTED, 10:16.
II. BEWARE AND BE CONFIDENT, 17-20.
III. ENDURE TO THE END, 21-23.
The Lord’s words concerning response to the ministry are not encouraging. Jesus though knew the spiritual battle in to which He sends them so in verse 16 He begins telling His disciples what to expect. “Behold I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.”
The I is emphatic. Jesus who sent them was not only the source of the mission and the power, but the reason for the trouble. Hostility is the general attitude of the world (Titus 3:3), especially toward the gospel. To make clear the dangers involved in the mission of the Twelve, Jesus uses four types of animals. He sent them out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Wicked men are like wolves: violent, clever, aggressive, and skilled at stalking and attacking [because they love to devour and destroy]. God’s people, especially His ministers, are like sheep among them. Because of their changed nature and disposition, they would be non-aggressive and defenseless. Yet by faith in the Good Shepherd's ability to protect, defend, and provide for them, they were to go, for some of these wolves would become sheep.
Since they must go It would be essential for them to “be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.” The serpent is wise or keen in avoiding danger (Gen. 3:1; Ps. 58:5). They are wary, prudent, and sharp of senses in regards to their safety. The disciples were not to be biting or deceptive though, but pure or innocence as doves or not forcibly opposing the enemy. The dove is the emblem of peace and purity (Song 5:2) intent (Rom. 16:19). Doves are also symbols of good tidings. Not only, do no one any hurt, but bear no one any ill–will.
[“Innocent” translates akeraioi, “unmixed, pure”(Romans 16:19 and Philippians 2:15).] They were to avoid all things which gave advantage to their enemies, all meddling with worldly or political concerns, all appearance of evil or selfishness, and all underhand measures. Christ foretold troubles, not only that the troubles might not be a surprise, but that they might confirm their faith.
It looked unkind for Christ to expose to so much danger those who had left all to follow Him. Yet He knew that the glory reserved for His sheep, when in the great day they shall be set on His right hand, would be a recompensed sufficient for sufferings as well as services. [Henry, Matthew: Matthew Henry's Commentary: On the Whole Bible. electronic ed. Peabody : Hendrickson, 1991, S. Mt 10:16.]
II. BEWARE AND BE CONFIDENT, 17-20.
In verses 17 & 18 Jesus informs them that persecution for the sake of Jesus and His Kingdom would become an opportunity for further testimony. [17] “But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues [18] and you will even he brother before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentile.
Christ gives them a warning to beware of men (Jn. 2:24-25) for [they were few and] men as a whole would be against them. They will be opposed by Jewish leaders (17) and by Gentile authorities (18). Their fellow men will betray them over to local councils where they will be whipped or flogged. The disciples will also be dragged before governors and kings. They would be judged and punished by religious people and also by the secular world.
The reason God permits or purposes opposition is to make His disciples witnesses. God designed these persecutions as opportunities to bear witness. Their willingness to endure persecutions for the cause of Jesus Christ bears forceful witness to it's truthfulness as do their words of hope and faith. Note that the punishments came for “My” or Christ's sake.
Our Lord spoke plainly to His followers of the perils and persecutions which awaited them in doing His work, yet He sent them out in spite of the cost. These disciples did not shrink from service even after suffering for His name sake.
The early church went through tragic waves of persecution under ten Roman emperors. During this time, perhaps as many as 175 million Christians were killed. Until the rule of Constantine, Christians were systematically scourged, beaten, and burned. Caesar Nero had believers dipped in hot wax so he could ignite them and use them as torches in his palace gardens. [Courson, Jon: Jon Courson's Application Commentary. Nashville, TN : Thomas Nelson, 2003, S. 75.]
Verses 19 & 20 promise that the inner prompting of the Holy Spirit would tell them what to say in each situation they would face. “But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say, (20) For it is not you who speak. but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.”
Christ does not want them concerned with what they would say, but that they would endure. Anticipating this situation thorough examination might have alarmed even the bravest disciple who would be called upon to answer for their witnessing for Jesus. Governors, kings, and their courts could intimate and overwhelm those standing beneath their authority.
So Jesus instructs them not to worry because thought, word, tone, and gesture will be given them in that hour. Special crises brings special help. Full inspiration of the highest degree is promised. Peter and James before the Sanhedrin, Stephen before the mob, Paul before Felix, Festus and Agrippa, all knew the truth of these words. You too will experience the closeness of Jesus when your opportunity to testify publically arises. Our part is to be ready to confess Jesus, the Holy Spirit's part is to make us wise when we do.
III. ENDURE TO THE END, 21-23.
Jesus warns His disciples of the extreme extent what they could suffer and from whom in verse 21. “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise lip against parents and cause them to be put to death."
The persecution was not going to be confined to mistreatment by religious, political, and military strangers. The prophet Micah spoke of the day of God's visitation as a time when "a man's enemies will be the members of his own household" (Mic. 7:6). Jesus states that faithful witnesses will meet opposition from the members of their own families. Brother will betray brother, and children will have their parents put to death. This betrayal occurred within Jesus' own family who tried to take Him away saying He had lost His mind. Yet because of His standing firm for the Father, His Mother and at least two of His brothers were converted (Acts 1:1 4).
Do not be deceived. a lost person has greater loyalty to this world system than he or she does to family relations. There is no hate like hate within a family. If I had a lost family member I would pray daily for his or her salvation. I would join or start a prayer group and pray particularly for the salvation of lost family members.
Today, Muslim converts experience this threat of death as do some Catholic converts and Jewish converts. In many communistic, totalitarian (e.g. North Korea) and other countries in the world today the threat of death is still real.
Christ has dealt fairly and faithfully with us, in telling us the worst we can meet with in his service. He would have sitting down and count the cost that the call ministry might be. It is a difficult teaching, but the primary allegiance of disciples must be to Jesus and to their new family of Kingdom disciples, not to their natural families.
Verse 22 holds up endurance as a need for those being saved. “You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.”
Jesus’ warning is further enlarged as He now includes that all would hate them because of Him. His nature, authority, and position so contrary to those of the world that when pressed, they must rebel or submit. The over-whelming majority rebel. Regardless of rank, station, race, nationality, sex, or age. Those that testify of Jesus in the power of the Spirit prove that the family bonds between God and man have also been ruptured when man stands against God.
The final statement brings forth the radiance of His eternal glory from behind these dark clouds of difficulty. "It is the one who endures to the end who will be saved.” Obviously they are not saved or spared from persecution [but they are shielded against spiritual harm and delivered into the coming kingdom]. They are saved or sanctified by perseverance and even should their end be death they shall enjoy eternal salvation. Christ is saying no matter how much or long you suffer for His name sake, it will be worth it. Endurance is the mark of a maturing disciple (7:21, 24; 13:21)
Enduring and persevering is not the same as never failing. It is getting back up when one stumbles to continue the course of the Christ-like life. It is continuing to serve Christ even though sin or fear or doubt may occasionally cause the servant to falter and even fall. Sin can be confessed and therefore not only forgiven but cleansed out of one's life and record (1 Jn. 1:9). The exhortation here is to persevere not so as to be eternally saved but for the sanctification that their victory will win. [Glasscock, Ed. Moody Gospel Commentary. Matthew. 1997. Chicago: Moody Press. P. 230.]
Verse 23 looks beyond the mission of the Twelve to a future mission to the world which will last until the coming in glory of the Son of Man, and will include Israel despite her blindness. “But whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to another; for truly I say to you, you will not finish the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes” [Mt 16:27-28.]
The new thought is comforting in the grim prospect of persecution. Even those courageous and loyal enough to endure persecution should not stay anywhere where death might occur. They instead are instructed to flee to another [allēn, another kind of] city where they might receive better treatment. Paul often did, fleeing from Thessalonica to Berea, from Berea to Athens. Even if the missionary should need to continuously flee he will never touch all the cities.
The concluding thought is most difficult. It seems best to conclude that the “coming” of Jesus mentioned here is His return to earth. Therefore, this verse anticipates a continuing mission to Israel until the second coming of Christ. [Comfort, Philip Wesley: Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol 11. Carol Stream, IL.: Tyndale House Publishers, 2005. S.152.] These words will find their fullest manifestation in the days of the Tribulation when the gospel will be carried throughout the entire world before Jesus Christ returns in power and glory to establish His kingdom on the earth (Matt. 24:14). Just like in the Apostles’ task and our worldwide task, we will never be able to finish going to all the cities of the world before Jesus returns (16:28; 24:30, 44; 25:31; 26:64).
IN CLOSING
Christ's warning to His Apostles widens to include those who encounter persecution on and trials in His service. He prepares us to expect opposition even from those whom we might expect support. Whatever difficulties we encounter will not only be temporary but they will be used to save us. He bids us to is task in spite of it's costs because of the value of each new sheep added to His fold.
Be assured that your service is of great value to Jesus. He who loves you enough to die for you wouldn't needlessly send you into harms way. Keeping on mission knowing that what you do and what you endure for His name sake will one day be a cause of great rejoicing.
Dear reader, if you do not have a personal relationship with God; this prayer is for you:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner in need of forgiveness. I believe that You died on the cross to take the punishment that I deserve for my sins and that You were raised from the dead. Please forgive me of my sins and come into my heart and life as my Savior and Lord. From this day forward, please be glorified in and through me. Thank You for Your amazing grace. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
