16 “Behold,
I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as
serpents and harmless as doves. 17 But
beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge
you in their synagogues. 18 You
will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a
testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But
when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should
speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should
speak; 20 for it is not
you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.
In
the christian life people are not going to place us and our values
into the light. People are going to not like it when we say people
who do not follow Jesus are going to hell. When we say God does not
allow Gays into heaven or the abortion of a kid is wrong.
Jesus
dismisses any romantic notion of what it means to be his servant. His
people may be like sheep, but they are like sheep among wolves (v.
16), constantly harassed and endangered. For that reason, they need
to be aware of several things.
First, their approach to others needs to be a
combination of wisdom and innocence. Jesus wishes his servants to be
‘wise as serpents’, to be cunning and pragmatic, yet combining it
with the innocence of ‘doves’.
Second, they are to be realistic with regard to the way
in which others will treat them. Matthew writes from within the
church community which has suffered the indignities that Jesus
predicted: being made answerable to governors, kings and Gentiles.
Courts and synagogues will afford no refuge; indeed, they may be the
places of greatest threat and danger (v. 17). So, too, may families;
siblings will have no compunction about betraying their Christian
brothers or sisters, and it is not beyond the bounds of possibility
that parents and children may betray one another (v. 21). Indeed,
Jesus enlarges it to predict that ‘you will be hated by all for my
name’s sake’ (v. 22). If Jesus has suffered the indignity of
being named ‘Beelzebul’ (v. 25), his followers should not expect
exemption from such trials.
Third, in the midst of such trials, Christ’s apostles
are to be free from anxiety. Trials and persecutions will come, but
the apostles will not be left without help. On the one hand, the Holy
Spirit will help them; on the other, they are to remember that they
are walking in Christ’s footsteps (vv. 24–25). There is an
important and interesting Trinitarian perspective to these
encouragements: the Spirit who will speak through God’s people is
the ‘Spirit of your Father’ (v. 20), and the hatred will be ‘for
my name’s sake’, according to Jesus (v. 22). This anticipates the
Great Commission, which promises the enduring presence of Jesus
through the Spirit.
Fourth, the apostles are to work and witness with the
end always in view (v. 22). It is the one who endures to the end who
will be saved (the same phrase appears in 24:13). What is that end?
Matthew says that it is the coming of the Son of Man (v. 23). This
anticipates the teaching of later chapters, in which the appearance
of the Son of Man is shown to be the point to which all of history is
moving. The apostles are to face a lifetime of costly witness always
keeping their eyes on the goal of the coming of the Son of Man and
praying for persevering, enduring grace.1
Instructions
for Future Disciples (Matt. 10:16–23)
The “atmosphere” of this section is different from
that in the previous section. Here the Lord spoke of persecution, but
we have no record that the Twelve suffered during their tour. Jesus
also spoke of a ministry to the Gentiles (Matt. 10:18). The Holy
Spirit had not been given, yet Jesus talked about the Spirit speaking
in them (Matt. 10:20). Matthew 10:22 seems to indicate a worldwide
persecution; yet the Apostles were ministering only in their own
land. Finally, Matthew 10:23 speaks about the return of the Lord,
which certainly moves these events into the future. It is difficult
to escape the conclusion that these instructions apply to witnesses
at some future time.
But, what time? To some degree, some of these
events took place in the Book of Acts; yet Jesus Christ did not
return at that time. And the ministry in Acts was not limited to “the
cities of Israel” (Matt. 10:23). It seems that the period described
in this section closely parallels the time of Tribulation that Jesus
described in His “Olivet Discourse” (Matt. 24–25). In fact, the
statement, “He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be
saved” (Matt. 10:13), is definitely a part of our Lord’s
prophetic discourse (Matt. 24:13; Mark 13:13). It does not refer to a
person keeping himself saved, but rather enduring persecution and
being faithful.
If, then, these instructions apply to that future time
of Tribulation, we can easily understand why Jesus said so much about
hatred and persecution. The Tribulation period will be a time of
opposition. God’s servants will be like sheep in the midst
of wolves. They will need to be “tough-minded but tenderhearted.”
This opposition will come from organized religion (Matt. 10:17),
government (Matt. 10:18), and even the family (Matt. 10:21).
While believers in scattered parts of the world are
experiencing some of this persecution today, the indication is that
this opposition will be worldwide. “Religion” has always
persecuted true believers. Even the Apostle Paul persecuted the
church when he was the unconverted Saul of Tarsus. Church history
reveals that “organized religion” that has no Gospel has opposed
men and women who have dared to witness boldly for Christ.
Matthew 10:18 states that government will also
share in this program of persecution. The prophetic Scriptures teach
that, in the last days, government and religion will work together to
control the world. Revelation 13 describes a time during the
Tribulation period when a world ruler (the Antichrist) will force the
world to worship him and his image. He will control world religion,
economics, and government; and he will use all three to persecute
those who stand true to Christ.
There will also be a decay of family love and
loyalty. “Without natural affection” is one of the marks of the
end times (2 Tim. 3:3). Jesus quoted Micah 7:6 to prove this point
(Matt. 10:21). The three institutions which God established in this
world are the home, human government, and the church. In the last
days, all three of these institutions will oppose the truth instead
of promote it.
But the Tribulation period will also be a time of
opportunity. The believers will be able to witness to
governors and kings (Matt. 10:18). Their enemies will try to trip
them up, but the Spirit of God will teach the witnesses what to say.
Believers today must not use Matthew 10:19–20 as an excuse not to
study the Word in preparation for witnessing, teaching, or preaching.
These verses describe an emergency situation; they are not God’s
regular pattern for ministry today. Even during the days of the
Apostles, the Spirit gave them their messages when they faced their
enemies (Acts 4:8). This unusual ministry of the Spirit will be
evident during the Tribulation period.
The Tribulation will be a time of opposition and
opportunity; but it will also be a time of obligation. The
ambassadors of the King must “endure to the end” and faithfully
perform their ministry, even if it costs them their lives. In spite
of scourging, rejection by their families, persecution from city to
city, and trials before leaders, the servants must remain true to
their Lord. Their witness will be used by God to win others.
Revelation 7:1–8 indicates that 144,000 Jewish witnesses will carry
God’s Word throughout the world during the Tribulation; and as a
result, great multitudes will come to Christ (Rev. 7:9ff).
No doubt these words in Matthew 10 will become very
precious and meaningful to witnesses during that time. We, today, can
learn from these words, even though their primary interpretation and
application are for God’s servants at a future time. No matter how
difficult our circumstances may be, we can turn opposition into
opportunities for witness. We can trust the Spirit of God to help us
remember what the Lord has taught us (John 14:26). Instead of fleeing
and looking for an easier place, we can “endure to the end,”
knowing that God will help us and see us through.2
The religious system and the government are going to
come against you. But it’s for a purpose. “Opposition,” Jesus
is saying, “brings opportunity. You’ll be brought before
magistrates, judges, kings, and leaders as a representative of Me.”
Whenever you’re called on the carpet because you’re
serving the Lord, or because you’re taking a stand for
righteousness, know this: Jesus said opposition would occur. He also
said He would use it for His sake. You will be brought before people
who will persecute you or come down on you because, in that way, He
can use you as a witness. So don’t tense your shoulders and furrow
your brow when you get called into your boss’s office. Realize the
Lord put you there as a witness for Him.3
How
does this apply to believers in the Western world in the twenty-first
century? There are pockets of hostility against Christianity, and
there seems to be a growing disenchantment among public officials
toward any influence of the Christian faith in the public square. For
the most part, however, Christianity is tolerated in the community,
and we usually do not feel as if we are lambs about to be devoured by
fierce wolves. We may be mocked a little bit, but no one is
threatening to send us to the Colosseum to fight with the gladiators,
to throw us to the lions, or to put us to use as human torches to
light the emperor’s gardens. That’s not where we are. And
sometimes I wonder why we do not see that kind of persecution
happening. Why is the preaching of the gospel in our day in the West
not nearly as dangerous as it was for these apostles on their initial
apostolic mission?
In his book Christless Christianity, Michael
Horton demonstrates how the gospel has been diluted and radically
altered by the popular preachers of our day. The message of the
gospel has become a message of therapy. If we are not well-adjusted,
God can help us have successful lives. If we will just exercise our
wills and follow a few basic steps, we will be wealthy, healthy, and
happy.
In his book, Horton discusses one of the men who
preaches this kind of message: Joel Osteen, who is perhaps the most
popular preacher in the United States today. In a television
interview, Osteen was asked whether he uses the word sinners.
He replied: “I don’t use it. I never thought about it, but I
probably don’t. But most people already know what they’re doing
wrong. When I get them to church I want to tell them that you can
change.” It is no wonder his church is filled to the rafters. What
is more popular than a Christianity without sin? Later, Osteen was
asked whether Jews, Muslims, and other non-Christians are wrong in
their beliefs. He said: “I don’t know if I believe they’re
wrong. I believe here’s what the Bible teaches and from the
Christian faith this is what I believe. But I just think that only
God will judge a person’s heart.” Even the interviewer, who was
not a Christian, sensed that something did not sound right about this
message, which lacked any concept of sin and judgment.
If God is not holy, wrathful toward sin, and concerned
about justice, Christianity is completely meaningless and
unnecessary. If God is not holy, why should we be concerned about
sin? Why should we be concerned about facing Him at the end of our
lives? If God is not wrathful and is only one big bundle of celestial
love, who needs grace or mercy?
The gospel is not good news to people today because they
are not looking for good news. They are looking for good advice. As
Horton points out in his book, most of the advice they want—how to
have peace with their children, how to get along in their marriages,
and how to be successful in their business relationships—they can
get from the barber or the hair stylist without reading a page of the
New Testament.
But if God is holy, if He has wrath, and if He is
concerned about righteousness and justice (and He is), we need the
cross. The best news we could ever hear is that Christ has come to
satisfy the demands of the righteousness and justice of God, that
Christ has taken on Himself the fullness of the wrath of God directed
against our sin, and that He has clothed us with His own
righteousness, which alone will meet the demands of a holy God. God
is holy, which means we are not holy. That means we need a
Savior. We need the cross.
The problem is that this message is repugnant to wolves.
No sinner wants to hear about his sin. He does not want to hear about
a holy God. But Jesus gave that message to His Apostles and sent them
out among the wolves to preach it—but not before warning them that
they would be despised because of it.4
10:16 sheep in the midst of wolves. Jesus
warns the disciples about the persecution that missionary disciples
will endure. wise as serpents and innocent as doves. The
serpent was the symbol of shrewdness and intellectual cunning (Gen.
3:1; Ps. 58:4–5), while the dove was emblematic of simple innocence
(Hos. 7:11).
10:17 Synagogues were not only places of
worship but also places where discipline was carried out (flog).
10:18 to bear witness before them and the
Gentiles. As Jesus foretold, the early church leaders would be
called before Jewish officials (Acts 4:1–22), the secular
authorities of Israel (Acts 12:1–4), and Rome (Acts 14:5).
10:19–20 Jesus encourages the disciples not to
be anxious because the same Spirit who has guided and
empowered Jesus (4:1; cf. 1:18, 20; 3:1) will speak through his
disciples amid their most difficult challenges.
10:22 hated by all for my name’s sake.
Jesus’ disciples have the privilege of carrying his name, but the
antagonism and hatred that is directed toward him will naturally
shift to them (cf. 24:9). endures … will be saved. Cf. notes
on 2 Tim. 2:11–13 and Jude 21.
1
Campbell, I. D. (2008). Opening up Matthew (pp. 64–66).
Leominster: Day One Publications.
2
Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol.
1, pp. 37–38). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
3
Courson, J. (2003). Jon Courson’s Application Commentary
(p. 75). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.
4
Sproul, R. C. (2013). Matthew (pp. 312–313). Wheaton, IL:
Crossway.
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