Matthew the apostle shared how Jesus told His disciples, “ Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be you therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” Jesus continued, “But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues. And you shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what you shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what you shall speak. For it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaks in you. 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. And you shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endures to the end shall be saved.”, and in chapter ten and verse twenty-three of his book, Matthew shared how Jesus told His disciples, “when they persecute you in this city, flee into another” where we read:
But when they persecute you in this city, flee into another: for verily I say unto you, You shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.
The verse reads, “But when they persecute you in this city, flee into another:” Matthew began with the words, “but when” which means “moreover and at the time and moment” “they persecute you” or “people whether male or female mistreat, are hostile toward, harass, trouble and molest the disciples” “in this city” or “within one certain dwelling place, abode or habitation”, “flee” which means “seek safety by flight, vanish, avoid and escape safely out of danger” “into another” or “in one other certain dwelling place, abode or habitation”. Matthew share how Jesus told His “apostles” to “escape personal danger” if it occurs in one particular “city” by going to another “city”.
The verse continues, “ for verily I say unto you, You shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.” Matthew added the word, “for” which means “because, since and on account that” “verily” or “truly and surely” “I say” which means “Jesus utters, declares and proclaims” “unto you” or “toward the disciples or apostles”, “You shall not have gone over” which means “the disciples will not have passed, finished, performed, executed, fulfilled and completed” “the cities” or “the dwelling places, abodes or habitations” “of Israel” which refers to “belonging to the family, nation or descendants of Israel ”, “till” or “until” “the Son of man” which refers to “the term used by Christ himself, doubtless in order that he might intimate his Messiahship and also that he might designate himself as the head of the human family, the man, the one who both furnished the pattern of the perfect man and acted on behalf of all mankind” “be come” or “has appeared, arisen and shown Himself”. Matthew shared how Jesus told His disciples they would not have reached all of Israel until Jesus returned again.
When we consider Matthew's words in this verse, we see Jesus instruction to His “apostles” when they were “persecuted” for sharing His “gospel”. When one city rejected and “persecuted” them, they were to “escape” to another one, and He assured them they would not reach all of “Israel” before He returned to them again. God loves people, and His desire is for them to have a relationship with them through His Son Jesus. Though they may face opposition, persecution and difficulties here on earth, He has an eternal purpose in mind for their lives. Those who are wise shall not only understand these things, but also depend upon Him for wisdom and strength when these things occur.
Next time Matthew shares how Jesus told His disciples, “the disciple is not above his master”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
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