23 `And whenever they may persecute you in this city, flee to the other, for verily I say to you, ye may not have completed the cities of Israel till the Son of Man may come.
And the brethren immediately, through the night, sent forth both Paul and Silas to Berea, who having come, went to the synagogue of the Jews;
And Saul was assenting to his death, and there came in that day a great persecution upon the assembly in Jerusalem, all also were scattered abroad in the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles;
`And then they shall see the Son of Man, coming in a cloud, with power and much glory;
And after the ceasing of the tumult, Paul having called near the disciples, and having embraced `them', went forth to go on to Macedonia;
And there came thither, from Antioch and Iconium, Jews, and they having persuaded the multitudes, and having stoned Paul, drew him outside of the city, having supposed him to be dead; and the disciples having surrounded him, having risen he entered into the city, and on the morrow he went forth with Barnabas to Derbe.
they having become aware, did flee to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra, and Derbe, and to the region round about, and there they were proclaiming good news.
And the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the first men of the city, and did raise persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and did put them out from their borders; and they having shaken off the dust of their feet against them, came to Iconium,
and their counsel against `him' was known to Saul; they were also watching the gates both day and night, that they may kill him, and the disciples having taken him, by night did let him down by the wall, letting down in a basket.
From that day, therefore, they took counsel together that they may kill him; Jesus, therefore, was no more freely walking among the Jews, but went away thence to the region nigh the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and there he tarried with his disciples.
Therefore were they seeking again to seize him, and he went forth out of their hand, and went away again to the other side of the Jordan, to the place where John was at first baptizing, and remained there, and many came unto him, and said -- `John, indeed, did no sign, and all things, as many as John said about this one were true;' and many did believe in him there.
And Jesus was walking after these things in Galilee, for he did not wish to walk in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him,
And on their having withdrawn, lo, a messenger of the Lord doth appear in a dream to Joseph, saying, `Having risen, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and be thou there till I may speak to thee, for Herod is about to seek the child to destroy him.'
and having risen, they put him forth without the city, and brought him unto the brow of the hill on which their city had been built -- to cast him down headlong, and he, having gone through the midst of them, went away. And he came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and was teaching them on the sabbaths,
`And then they shall see the Son of Man coming in clouds with much power and glory,
`Watch therefore, for ye have not known the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man doth come.
`And, if that evil servant may say in his heart, My Lord doth delay to come,
for as the lightning doth come forth from the east, and doth appear unto the west, so shall be also the presence of the Son of Man;
`Because of this, lo, I send to you prophets, and wise men, and scribes, and of them ye will kill and crucify, and of them ye will scourge in your synagogues, and will pursue from city to city;
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Matthew 10
Commentary on Matthew 10 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 10
This chapter is an ordination sermon, which our Lord Jesus preached, when he advanced his twelve disciples to the degree and dignity of apostles. In the close of the foregoing chapter, he had stirred up them and others to pray that God would send forth labourers, and here we have an immediate answer to that prayer: while they are yet speaking he hears and performs. What we pray for, according to Christ's direction, shall be given, Now here we have,
These things, though primarily intended for direction to the apostles, are of use to all Christ's ministers, with whom, by his word, Christ, and will be always to end the world.
Mat 10:1-4
Here we are told,
Mat 10:5-15
We have here the instructions that Christ gave to his disciples, when he gave them their commission. Whether this charge was given them in a continued discourse, or the several articles of it hinted to them at several times, is not material; in this he commanded them. Jacob's blessing his sons, is called his commanding them, and with these commands Christ commanded a blessing. Observe,
Now this was the same that John the Baptist and Christ had preached before. Note, People need to have good truths pressed again and again upon them, and if they be preached and heard with new affections, they are as if they were fresh to us. Christ, in the gospel, is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever, Heb. 13:8. Afterwards, indeed, when the Spirit was poured out, and the Christian church was formed, this kingdom of heaven came, which was now spoken of as at hand; but the kingdom of heaven must still be the subject of our preaching: now it is come, we must tell people it is come to them, and must lay before them the precepts and privileges of it; and there is a kingdom of glory yet to come, which we must speak of as at hand, and quicken people to diligence from the consideration of that.
When they had saluted the family after a godly sort, they must by the return, judge concerning the family, and proceed accordingly. Note, The eye of God is upon us, to observe what entertainment we give to good people and good ministers; if the house be worthy, let your peace come and rest upon it; if not, let it return to you, v. 13. It seems then, that after they had enquired for the most worthy (v. 11), it was possible they might light upon those that were unworthy. Note, Though it is wisdom to hearken to, yet it is folly to rely upon, common report and opinion; we ought to use a judgment of discretion, and to see with our own eyes. The wisdom of the prudent is himself to understand his own way. Now this rule is intended,
Now in this case we have here,
Mat 10:16-42
All these verses relate to the sufferings of Christ's ministers in their work, which they are here taught to expect, and prepare for; they are directed also how to bear them, and how to go on with their work in the midst of them. This part of the sermon looks further than to their present mission; for we find not that they met with any great hardships or persecutions while Christ was with them, nor were they well able to bear them; but they are here forewarned of the troubles they should meet with, when after Christ's resurrection, their commission should be enlarged, and the kingdom of heaven, which was not at hand, should be actually set up; they dreamed of nothing then, but outward pomp and power; but Christ tells them, they must expect greater sufferings than they were yet called to; that they should then be made prisoners, when they expected to be made princes. It is good to be told what troubles we may hereafter meet with, that we may provide accordingly, and may not boast, as if we had put off the harness, when we are yet but girding it on.
We have here intermixed, I. Predictions of trouble: and, II. Prescriptions of counsel and comfort, with reference to it.
He tells them what they should suffer, and from whom.
These hard things Christ's disciples must suffer,
Yes, this is soon said; but when it comes to the trial, racks and tortures, dungeons and galleys, axes and gibbets, fire and faggot, are terrible things, enough to make the stoutest heart to tremble, and to start back, especially when it is plain, that they may be avoided by a few declining steps; and therefore, to fortify us against this temptation, we have here,