16 “I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the gentiles. 19 When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you at that time, 20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 Sibling will betray sibling to death and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, 22 and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in this town, flee to the next, for truly I tell you, you will not have finished going through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
24 “A disciple is not above the teacher nor a slave above the master; 25 it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will
26 “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered and nothing secret that will not become known. 27 What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. 28 Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, fear the one who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 And even the hairs of your head are all counted. 31 So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.
32 “Everyone, therefore, who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven” Matthew 10:16-33.
Here, the hostility the apostles will face comes into sharp focus. They are being sent out like sheep in the midst of wolves — an image of vulnerability and helplessness before fierce attackers. Yet the apostles are not to be passive when enemies assail them. They are to be as shrewd as serpents, prudently anticipating threats and finding ways to survive. But they must at the same time be as simple as doves. The word for simple means “unmixed,” suggesting that the apostles’ shrewd tactics should be animated by pure motives and single-mindedness for their ministry. Shrewdness should never lead them to seek survival or advantage in a way that compromises their integrity.
Yet the disciples must not be afraid of their opponents. They must still proclaim the gospel. It would be tempting to stop preaching the gospel or to soften its message in order to make things easier and protect themselves from suffering. But Jesus entrusts the full gospel message to his disciples, and others are dependent on them to proclaim it for their salvation. Therefore, Jesus says, even though they will be persecuted like their teacher and Lord, they must not be afraid. What they learned from Jesus they must speak in the light, not being afraid to proclaim it on the housetops.
Such bold proclamation may lead to martyrdom. If faced with the choice between dying for the sake of Christ or denying him to save one’s life, we must remember that the worst thing our enemies can do is kill the body; they cannot kill the soul. Better to save one’s soul than to save one’s physical life. Therefore we should fear God much more than our persecutors, for only God has power over the body and soul. In other words, we should have a healthy fear of the Lord because God alone can destroy both soul. Better to save one’s soul than to save one’s physical life. Therefore we should fear God much more than our persecutors, for only God has power over the body and soul. In other words, we should have a healthy fear of the Lord because God alone can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.
In the face of persecution, if the disciple acknowledges Jesus before his enemies, Jesus will acknowledge him before my heavenly Father, so that even if his enemies harm his body God will save his soul. But the disciple who rejects Christ to save his life here on earth cannot rely on Jesus to defend him on judgment day: whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.
In sum, Jesus addresses the Twelve in a very straightforward way about the opposition they will encounter on the mission he is giving them (10:16–33). Matthew records these words for future disciples, whose lot will be the same.
Dear friends, do not back down from sharing with others your experience of God’s love. Just tell others what youn have experienced personally about how much God loves you. This is the mission of all people in the world. Share with others how much Jesus Christ loves you. Give them examples in your own life.
Pray in gratitude today for all the love Christ has shown you.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.
From the Bible:
“Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love” 1 John 4:8.
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God” 1 John 4:7.
“We love because he first loved us” 1 John 4:19.
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