Matthew 10:23 - Exposition

Matthew only; but even this verse is not free from what appear to be reminiscences of the words recorded in Matthew 24:14 , Matthew 24:16 ). But when they persecute you in this city. Act wisely ( Matthew 24:16 ); flee to another city; you will find work there. Flee ye (cf. Matthew 23:34 , and supra , Matthew 23:17 , note) into another ; into the next (Revised Version); εἰς τηραν . There are occasions when the duty is rather to spread the message than to seal it with death or to have one's lips closed by imprisonment. But only "he that is spiritual" ( 1 Corinthians 2:15 ) will be able to understand which course of action the special circumstances require. Our Lord's example ( Matthew 12:15 ) was followed by Christians in the earliest ( Acts 8:1 ; Acts 9:25 , Acts 9:30 ; Acts 14:6 ; Acts 17:10 , Acts 17:14 ) and in later times. Codex Bezae and some Western authorities, including Tatian's 'Diatess.,' add, "And if out of this they persecute you, flee into another;" but this is a not unnatural gloss upon the true text. For verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over; through (Revised Version); οὐ μὴ τετέσητε : literally, hare completed , like the harvest ( Ruth 2:23 ). The cities of Israel (cf. Matthew 24:6 ) till the Son of man ( Matthew 8:20 , note) be come . The mere fact that there was no persecution of the kind just spoken of until after our Lord's death in itself refutes the opinion that these words refer to his rejoining his disciples on their mission ( Matthew 11:1 ; cf. Luke 10:1 ). They may, perhaps, refer to his coming in the fall of Jerusalem, but rather look forward to h is complete return in his second advent, as apparently Agathangelus, in Resch, loc. cit. , understands them. The cities of Israel are named because work among the Jews lay at the basis of the commission. If an exact fulfilment of the words is demanded, it is perhaps to be seen in tile fact that there will be some Jews unconverted until the Lord's return.