Matthew 10:23

But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. BUT WHEN THEY PERSECUTE YOU IN THIS CITY, FLEE YE INTO ANOTHER, [ eis (G1519) teen (G3588) alleen (G243)] - 'into the other.' This, though applicable to all time, and exemplified by our Lord Himself once and again, had special reference to the brief opportunities which Israel was to have of "knowing the time of his visitation." FOR VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU - what will startle you, but at the same time show you the solemnity of your mission, and the need of economizing the time for it -- Ye shall not have...

23._And when they shall persecute you. _He anticipates an objection that might arise. If we must encounter the resentments of the whole world, what shall be the end of all this? (593) Though it may not be safe for them to remain in any place, yet Christ warns them not to despair, but, on the contrary, when they have been driven from one place, to try whether their labors in some other place may be of any avail. It is a mistake, however, to suppose that this is a bare permission: for it is rather a command given to the disciples, what it is the will of Christ that they should do. He who has sustained one persecution would willingly withdraw as a soldier who has served his time. But no such exemption is granted to the followers of Christ, who commands them to fulfill their whole course with unabated zeal. In short, the apostles are enjoined to enter into fresh contests, and not to imagine...

16-42 Our Lord warned his disciples to prepare for persecution. 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. He tells them what they should suffer, and from whom. Thus Christ has dealt fairly and faithfully with us, in telling us the worst we can meet with in his service; and he would have us deal so with ourselves, in sitting down and counting the cost. Persecutors are worse than beasts, in that they prey upon those of their own kind. The strongest bonds of love and duty, have often been broken through from enmity against Christ. Sufferings from friends and relations are very grievous; nothing cuts more. It appears plainly, that al...

Verse Matthew 10:23. _BUT WHEN THEY PERSECUTE YOU_] It is prudence and humility (when charity or righteousness obliges us not to the contrary) to avoid persecution. To deprive those who are disposed to do evil of the opportunities of doing it; to convey the grace which they despise to others; to accomplish God's designs of justice on the former, and of mercy on the latter, are consequences of the flight of a persecuted preacher. This _flight_ is a _precept_ to those who are highly necessary to the Church of Christ, an _advice_ to those who might imprudently draw upon themselves persecution, and of _indulgence_ for those who are weak. But this _flight_ is highly criminal in those mercenary preachers who, through love to their flesh and their property, abandon the flock of Christ to the wolf. See _Quesnel_. In this city, flee y

WHEN THEY PERSECUTE ... - The apostles were not permitted to “throw away” their lives. Where they could preserve them without denying their Lord, they were to do it. Yet all the commands of Christ, as well as their conduct, show that they were rather to lay down their lives than deny their Saviour. We are to preserve our lives by all proper means, but we are rather to die than save ourselves by doing anything wrong. YE SHALL NOT HAVE GONE OVER THE CITIES OF ISRAEL ... - That is, in fleeing from persecutors from one city to another, you shall not have gone to every city in Judea until the end of the Jewish economy shall occur. See the notes at Matthew 24:28. By “the coming of the Son of Man,” that is, of “Christ,” is probably meant the destruction of Jerusalem, which happened about thirty years after this was spoke

EXPOSITION For introductory notes to this chapter, see Matthew 9:35. MATTHEW 10:1 Parallel passages: Mark 6:7; Luke 9:1. The prayer (Matthew 9:38) is answered in the persons of those who were taught to pray. Christ establishes his new agency. AND WHEN HE HAD CALLED UNTO HIM. From the circle of the bystanders. HIS TWELVE DISCIPLES. Who had already been chosen to be specially with him (cf. Matthew 9:35, note; and...

BUT WHEN THEY PERSECUTE YOU IN THIS CITY,.... Or any city into which they went, and preached the Gospel; and would not suffer them to go on in their work, they were not to desist, but to go elsewhere, where they might hope for a better reception, and a longer continuance, and so of doing more good: FLEE YE INTO ANOTHER; not so much for their own safety, though this, according to the circumstances of things, is lawful, but for the further spreading of the Gospel. The exhortation is not to take methods to avoid persecution, or to make an escape from it, but to perseverance under it: the sense is, they were not to be discouraged, and to leave off, because of persecution in one place, but to persist in the ministration of the Gospel, by carrying it to other cities; and it seems to be a spur to them to make haste, and fulfil their office of preaching the Gospel, in the land of Judea: nor nee...

Matthew 10:1. _And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him._ The lesson to be learnt from these names are, first, that these men are mentioned in couples, and I think that, as a rule, God's servants work best in pairs. In other senses than the matrimonial one, it is not good that man should be alone. Moses needs Aaron; Peter needs Andrew; James needs John. It is well to be of such a temperament and disp

SON OF MAN (_ See Scofield) - (Matthew 8:20). _...

MATTHEW 10:23 e`te,ran {C} Although it is possible that the additional clause (perhaps in the form preserved in D, a;llhn eva.n de. evn th|/ avllh|/ diw,kousin u`ma/j( feu,gete eivj th.n a;llhn, “… and if in the other they persecute you, flee to the next”) may have dropped out accidentally because of homoeoteleuton(a;llhn … a;llhn), the Committee preferred to regard the words as a natural continuation, inserted in order to explain the following statement, ouv mh. tele,shte ta.j po,leij tou/ VIsrah.l e[wj @a'n# e;lqh| o` ui`o.j tou/ avnqrw,pou (which was taken to mean, “You will not exhaust the cities of Israel [as cities of refuge], before the Son of Man comes”). In deciding between the two short readings...