Matthew
10:16-33
Lesson 19
10:16-33
Lesson 19
Matthew 10:16-33
Preparing the disciples 16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. 17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; 18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. 19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. 20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. 21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. 22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. 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. 24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. 25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? 26 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. 27 What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. 28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. 32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. |
Margin notes:
"Wolves." (10:16) - Wolves are hypocritical religious leaders and false prophets (Matthew 7:15). "They will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you." (10:17) - "They will deliver you up to the (religious) courts and whip you." Just as Jesus predicted, the disciples were dragged into court, imprisoned, beaten (Acts 5:40), whipped, and sometimes murdered for their faith (Acts 12:1-3). "Ye shall be brought before governors and kings." (10:18) - "You will be brought before the civil authorities." "Take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you." (10:19) - "Don't worry about what to say or how to say it" (Exodus 4:12). Also, see Jesus' words in Luke 21:14-15. "Children shall rise up against their parents." (10:21) - As prophesized in Micah 7:6. "He that endureth to the end shall be saved." (10:22) - Believers who remain faithful will be saved. This is a vital message, so Jesus repeats it in Matthew 24:13, Mark 13:13, Galatians 6:9, and Revelation 2:10. "Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come." (10:23) - "You won't finish visiting all the cities of Israel until I return." "The disciple is not above his master." (10:24) - This means, if they persecute the master (Christ), imagine what they will do to His followers. Read also John 15:20. "Beelzebub." (10:25) - Originally called Baal. Prince Baal was the pagan God of the city of Ekron, worshipped by the Philistines (2 Kings 1:2). Jews mocked Baal and his followers by adding the word Zebub (meaning lord of the flies) to his name. In time, the name Baalzebub became Beelzebub, which eventually became a name for Satan (Matthew 12:24). Scribes tried to insult Jesus by accusing Him of being in league with Beelzebub (Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15). "Fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.: (10:28) - "The reference is not to Satan, as many suppose, but to God who alone has power to destroy both soul and body in hell." ("The New Scofield Reference Bible," published by Oxford University Press, New York, New York; page 1008) "Farthing." (10:29) - A small denomination coin. "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven." (10:32) - This is Jesus' promise to remember us in heaven. Jesus repeats His promise in Luke 12:8 and Revelation 3:5. "But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven." (10:33) - This promise is repeated in Mark 8:38, Luke 9:26, 12:9, and 2 Timothy 2:12). |