I would like to open with an illustration from the book Jesus Freaks: Jaun and his wife Maria felt God calling them to become missionaries in Columbia. Once, while travelling between villages, Jaun met about fifty armed guerillas. He took the opportunity to share the gospel with them, and twenty received Christ. As he says, they exchanged “pistols for epistles.” But with the threat, at least twenty churches were closed with the pastors fleeing the area, concerned for their lives and the lives of their families. Jaun and Maria chose to stay, yet they do not look down on those who left. Jaun says, “If I am to die because I preach the Word of God, then I would rather die than leave the church.”(1)
The book continues to explain, “Faith in God frees us to talk about Him; fear of man keeps our mouths shut, worrying about what others will think. Faith liberates. Fear incapacitates. However, there is one type of fear that does free us: the fear of God . . . [The fear of the Lord] is a revelation of who God really is in all His power as the creator of the universe. It is a revelation of the God to whom the devil and all his forces are an insignificant bother. It is the fear that Jesus talked about in Matthew 10:28 when He told us not to fear those who can kill the body and not the soul.”(2) If we have the fear of God, we will be ready to face persecution. And with this in mind, I want to invite you to stand in honor of the reading of God’s Word in Matthew 10:21-31:
21 Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 22 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. 24 A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! 26 Therefore, do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. 27 Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Have Endurance and Wisdom (vv. 21-23)
So, let us get started by looking at verses 21-23, where Jesus encouraged His disciples to have both endurance and wisdom when facing persecution. We first read about family members betraying one another to death (v. 21). Commentator Adam Clarke says, “That men should think they did God service, in putting to death those who differ from them in their political or religious creed, is a thing that cannot be accounted for, but on the principle of an indescribable depravity.”(3) So, could such a thing ever occur? Yes, and history is replete with examples. In Nazi Germany, neighbors informed on Jews, and on others who were considered undesirable by the regime. And during the Covid lockdowns, when state and local governments outlawed church gatherings, people called and snitched on their friends and family who attended church.
Jesus said, “You will be hated by all for My name’s sake” (v. 22). This flies in the face of the modern prosperity gospel that speaks of having favor with men. When you meet a Christian who is spoken about highly by everyone, that might not be a good thing. To please men is to be loved by men; to please Christ is to be hated by men. According to Jesus, those who endure hatred and persecution to the end will be saved (v. 22); not that they are saved through works, as in the work of endurance, but those who endure are the ones who have truly accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord. It is evident that they are true believers, as they are faithful “to the end” (v. 22) – to the end of their life here on earth.
Jesus said in verse 23, “When they persecute you in this city, flee to another.” Clarke says there is a remarkable repetition of this clause found in the original manuscripts, which reads like this: “But when they shall persecute you in this city, flee ye into another; and if they persecute [you] in the other, flee ye unto another.”(4) There is a double emphasis placed on fleeing, stressing its significance. This is not cowardice. It is a decision to live, to preach another day. Clarke notes that “it is prudence and humility to avoid persecution . . . [This is] advice to those who might imprudently draw upon themselves persecution,”(5) hoping to rush into martyrdom. Here is a question to ponder: “What example are we setting when we suffer persecution or martyrdom by taunting our adversaries?”
Jesus continued to say, “You will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes” (v. 23). “Gone through the cities of Israel” may be understood as to complete the journey through the cities; to finish the survey; and to preach in every single one of them.(6) Let me remind you that it is the responsibility of Jesus’ disciples to preach the gospel from city to city, from nation to nation (Acts 1:8), and from generation to generation (even up until today) until Christ returns. Jesus said in Matthew 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
But, some of you will point out, “The text only says that they will preach through the cities of Israel (v. 23). That is a much smaller task than preaching the gospel ‘in all the world’ (Matthew 24:14); and so, this must mean that the Son of Man will come at some time in their near feature.” It has been noted that the phrase “before the Son of Man comes” could “refer either to the outpouring of the [Holy] Spirit on the day of Pentecost, or to the [fall] of the Jewish state” that happened in A.D. 70.(7) Commentor J.B. “Lightfoot supposes the meaning to be, ‘before the Son of man is revealed by His resurrection’.”(8) Whenever it was or is, that Jesus is to appear, does not change the fact that His disciples have been tasked with preaching the gospel in every city and every nation.
Be Certain to Look Like Jesus (vv. 24-25)
In verses 24-25, Jesus was telling His disciples that they would be persecuted, just as He was. He stated in John 15:20, “A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.” William Faye, in a video from his study Share Jesus Without Fear, comments as follows: “I am convinced that one of the reasons you and I are not persecuted for our faith, is because you or I do not look enough or sound enough like Jesus. In fact, Jesus reminds us that when we are persecuted for doing what is righteous, the blessing will be double. I hope everyone [watching this video] becomes the most persecuted group in the United States, because you will be the most effective and you will be the most obedient.”(9) Now, I understand his point, but I do not wish persecution on anyone.
In the second half of verse 25, Jesus introduced a rather strange word – “Beelzebub.” This was the god of the Ekronites. The word signifies “lord of the flies.” This idol was so called, either because it was in the form of a fly, or else from the abundance of flies gathered around it, because of the stench of the sacrifices. Because it was a lifeless idol, it was unable to drive away the flies. Now, in most manuscripts it is read as “Beelzebul.” It is sometimes rendered as “lord of dung,” or a dunghill god; and it is generally held the Jews called the god of the Ekronites by this name out of contempt.(10)
Jesus said, “If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!” (v. 25). As the Jews looked upon all the deities of the Gentiles as demons, or devils; and since Beelzebub was the chief of them, they thought there could be no more reproachful name given to Jesus than this.(11) He was called by this name in Matthew 12:24, where the Pharisees said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” Jesus was saying that if they called Him Beelzebub, they would call His followers even worse names. Commentator John Gill says, “If Christians are called by ever such hard names, even devils, they should not be disturbed at it; since their Lord and Master was called the prince of them.”(12)
Preach the Word Fearlessly (vv. 26-28)
In verse 26, when Jesus said, “Do not fear them,” this “speaks of “double fearlessness.” They are not to be afraid, because ‘there is nothing covered that will not be [revealed], and nothing hidden [that] will not be known.’ The meaning of [this] is that the truth will triumph . . . When James the Sixth threatened to hang or exile [the Scottish theologian] Andrew Melville, Melville’s answer was: ‘You cannot hang or exile the truth.’ Even when the Christian is involved in suffering and sacrifice, and even martyrdom for his faith, he must remember that the day will come when things will be seen as they really are.”(13)
Clarke says, “God sees everything. This is consolation to the upright and dismay to the wicked; [that] He will bring into judgment every work, and every secret thing, whether good or bad.”(14) We are assured in Ecclesiastes 12:14 that “God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.” Commentator William Barclay assures us, “The day will come when . . . the power of the persecutor, and the heroism of the Christian witness, will be seen at their true value, and each will have its true reward.”(15) With this knowledge in mind, Jesus’ disciples “are not to be afraid to speak with boldness the message they have received.”(16) They are to preach the Word fearlessly!
In verse 27, when He spoke of being “told in the dark” and “hearing in the ear,” Jesus was talking about the things He taught His disciples in private. The Jewish doctor of the law “who explained the law in Hebrew, had an interpreter always [beside] him, in whose ears he softly whispered what he said. This interpreter [then] spoke aloud what had been thus whispered to him . . . and to this custom [Jesus] evidently alludes. The spirit of our Lord’s direction appears to be this: Whatever I speak to you is for the benefit of mankind. Keep nothing from them; declare explicitly the whole counsel of God.”(17)
Jesus said to preach what He had told them on the housetops (v. 27) – kerussate, from the root word kerusso, meaning to preach. The houses in Judea were flat-roofed “upon which they could stand or walk; and battlements [or walls] were made about them to prevent their falling off, according to the law in Deuteronomy 22:8.”(18) Here, many religious actions were performed. For example, Peter prayed on a housetop (Acts 10:9). In addition to prayer and meditation, the housetops were used for the purpose of announcing things in the most public manner. As an example, among the Muslims, a crier proclaims all times of public worship from the housetops.(19)
J.B. “Lightfoot thinks that this may be an allusion to that custom, when the minister of the synagogue, on the Sabbath eve, sounded with a trumpet six times, upon the roof of a very high house, that from [there] all might have notice of the [arrival] of the Sabbath. The first blast signified that they should [cast] off their work in the field; the second that they should cease from their [work] in the city; the third that they should light the Sabbath candle.”(20) “In allusion to this, our Lord [commands] His disciples to blow the trumpet of the everlasting gospel; and loudly proclaim to [everyone] the truths and mysteries of grace, which He had made known to them.”(21)
In verse 28, Jesus said not to fear those who kill the body. Do not fear men. They can take away your physical life, if God so allows, but they can never kill your soul. If you are martyred, your life will continue with the Lord. So, who are we to fear? “Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Was Jesus saying to fear the devil? No! Gill says, “This is a description of God, and of His power, who is able to do that which men cannot. All they can do, by divine permission, is to kill the body; but He is able to ‘destroy,’ that is, to torment and punish, both body and soul in hell, in everlasting [destruction].”(22) So, it is the Lord we should fear. Proverbs says, “The fear of the LORD prolongs days, but the years of the wicked will be shortened” (10:27).
Trust That God Is in Control (vv. 29-31)
In verse 29, Jesus said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.” The copper coin (assarion) is equal to four grains of silver, and represented a thing of lowest value.(23) In Leviticus 14:1-7, “two birds, or sparrows . . . were used in cleansing the leper; one was killed, and the other let loose into the open field.” Before the priest performed the ritual, God knew ahead of time which sparrow would be sacrificed, and which would be set free.(24) Rabbi Simeon said, “Even a bird is not taken without heaven [knowing]; how much less the life of man!” The intended meaning is that everything is under God’s care, and nothing occurs apart from His knowledge.(25) No sparrow, and especially no person, will fall apart from the Father’s will or permission. Just as the hairs on our head are all numbered, so are all our days.
In verse 31, Jesus said, “Do not fear therefore.” Gill observes that our Lord’s view, from this consideration, is “to animate His disciples to a free, open, and constant preaching of His gospel, not regarding their lives for His sake; for since their heavenly Father, in His providence, takes care of the [smallest] . . . creatures, so that the life of one of them is not taken away without His will, much more will He take care of them; nor could their valuable lives be lost without His will and pleasure.”(26) We are not meant to tiptoe around, concerned about worse case scenarios, being afraid to live. As Helen Keller said, “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing!” God already knows when it is our time, so what have we to fear when our life is in His hands? We must brave the elements and boldly face what lies ahead!
Time of Reflection
In closing, I want to circle back to verse 22. Jesus said that “He who endures to the end will be saved.” No one is saved through works. We read in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” We should do good works, not to be saved, but out of gratitude for the salvation we have already received by God’s grace. The same is true with enduring persecution. We should endure, because we love the Lord so much that we would risk our lives to proclaim His name; and we do so, believing that should our life here on earth end, we will be at home with the Lord. This kind of assurance and conviction comes from truly knowing Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
We read in Revelation 12:11, that “they overcame . . . by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” We read in 1 John 1:7, that “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Do you know Jesus, the Lamb of God, who can take away your sin? If you will confess Him as Savior and Lord, you will be forgiven of your sin and receive eternal life; thereby overcoming death. John 3:16-17 declares, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” If you want to be saved, then I invite you to come, walk the aisle, and pray to receive Jesus into your heart today.
NOTES
(1) D.C. Talk, Jesus Freaks II (Minneapolis: Bethany House Publishers, 2002), pp. 62-63.
(2) Ibid., p. 63.
(3) Adam Clarke, “Matthew to the Acts,” Clarke’s Commentary, vol. 5 (Nashville: Abingdon), p. 121.
(4) Ibid., p. 122.
(5) Ibid., pp. 121-122.
(6) Ibid., p. 122.
(7) Ibid., p. 122.
(8) Ibid., p. 122.
(9) William Faye, Share Jesus Without Fear, Video #3.
(10) John Gill, “John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible,” Bible Study Tools: https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/matthew-10-25.html (Accessed June 21, 2025).
(11) Ibid., https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/matthew-10-25.html (Accessed June 21, 2025).
(12) Ibid., https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/matthew-10-25.html (Accessed June 21, 2025).
(13) William Barclay, “The Gospel of Matthew,” The Daily Study Bible, vol. 1 (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1958), p. 396.
(14) Clarke, p. 123.
(15) Barclay, p. 396.
(16) Ibid., p. 396.
(17) Clarke, p. 123
(18) Gill, https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/matthew-10-27.html (Accessed June 21, 2025).
(19) Clarke, p. 123.
(20) Ibid., p. 123.
(21) Gill, https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/matthew-10-27.html (Accessed June 21, 2025).
(22) Ibid., https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/matthew-10-28.html (Accessed June 21, 2025).
(23) Clarke, p. 124.
(24) Gill, https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/matthew-10-29.html (June 21, 2025).
(25) Clarke, p. 124.
(26) Gill, https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/matthew-10-29.html (June 21, 2025).
