Jesus was urging his men to flee from foes

JESUS WAS URGING HIS MEN TO FLEE FROM FOES
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Matthew 10:23 23Whenyou are persecuted in one
place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not
finishgoing through the towns of Israel before the Son
of Man comes.
NOTE: In Christian warfare it is sometimes wise to retreatand leave one
battle to go on to a new one. The enemy will not change, and so it is folly to go
on fighting them. Go face a new foe and possible they will respond to the truth
in Jesus and you will win a friend and have a new brother in Christ.
BIBLEHUB COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(23) When they persecute you The counselis noteworthy as suggesting atleast
one form of the wisdomof the serpent. Men were not to imagine that they
were “enduring to the end “when, in the eagernessoftheir zeal, they courted
martyrdom; but were rather to avoid danger insteadof courting it, and to
utilise all opportunities for the continuance of their work. The effect of the
command thus given may be tracedin all the greatpersecutions under the

Roman Empire, Polycarp and Cyprian furnishing, perhaps, the most
conspicuous examples.
Till the Son of man be come.—The thoughtof another Coming than that of
the days of His humiliation and of His work as a Prophet and a Healer, which
had been implied before (Matthew 7:21-23), is now explicitly unfolded. The
Son of Man should come, as Danielhad seenHim come (Daniel 7:13), in the
clouds of heaven, with power and greatglory, to complete the triumph of His
kingdom. It is more difficult to understand the connectionof the words with
the preceding limit of time, “Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel.”
The natural result of such a promise was to lead the disciples to look forward
to that coming as certain to be within the range of their own lifetime, and was
the ground of the generalexpectationof its nearness which, beyond all doubt,
pervaded the minds of men in the Apostolic age. Explanations have been given
which point to the destruction of Jerusalemas being so far “a day of the
Lord” as to justify its being takenas a type of the final Advent, and they
receive at leasta certain measure of support from the way in which the two
events are brought into close connectionin the great prophetic discourse of
Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21. But the question meets us, and cannot be
evaded, Were the two events thus brought togetherwith a knowledge ofthe
long interval by which they were in fact to be divided from eachother, and if
so, why was that knowledge keptfrom the disciples? Some reasons forthat
reticence lie on the surface. That sudden widening of the horizon of their
vision would have been one of the things which they were not able to bear
(John 16:12). In this, as in all else, their training as individual men was
necessarilygradual, and the educationof the Church which they founded was
to be carriedon, like that of mankind at large, through a long successionof
centuries. The whole question will call for a fuller discussionin the Notes on
Matthew 24. In the meantime it will be enough humbly to express my own
personalconviction that what seems the boldestsolution is also the truest and
most reverential. The human thoughts of the Son of Man may not have
travelled in this matter to the furthest bound of the mysterious horizon. He
Himself told them of that day and that hour, that its time was knownneither
to the angels ofheaven, nor even to the Son, but to the Father only (Mark
13:32).

BensonCommentary
Matthew 10:23. But, &c. — As if he had said, I do not say this with a view to
encourage youto rush upon martyrdom before you have a plain and lawful
call to it; on the other hand, it will rather be your duty to prolong your useful
lives to the utmost limits you lawfully may. Therefore, when they persecute
you in one city, flee to another — And though this may contractthe time of
your abode in each, be not discouragedat that, which may, on the whole, be
no inconvenience:for ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel — To
preach the gospelin eachof them, make what haste you will, until the Son of
man shall come — To destroy their capitalcity, temple, and nation. The
destruction of Jerusalemby Titus is often calledthe coming of the Son of man.
See Matthew 24:27;Matthew 24:37;Matthew 24:39; Matthew 24:44;Luke
18:5.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
10:16-42 Our Lord warned his disciples to prepare for persecution. They were
to avoid all things which gave advantage to their enemies, all meddling with
worldly or political concerns, allappearance of evil or selfishness,and all
underhand measures. Christforetold troubles, not only that the troubles
might not be a surprise, but that they might confirm their faith. He tells them
what they should suffer, and from whom. Thus Christ has dealt fairly and
faithfully with us, in telling us the worstwe canmeet with in his service;and
he would have us deal so with ourselves, in sitting down and counting the cost.
Persecutorsare worse than beasts, in that they prey upon those of their own
kind. The strongestbonds of love and duty, have often been broken through
from enmity againstChrist. Sufferings from friends and relations are very
grievous;nothing cuts more. It appears plainly, that all who will live godly in
Christ Jesus must suffer persecution;and we must expectto enter into the
kingdom of God through many tribulations. With these predictions of trouble,
are counsels andcomforts for a time of trial. The disciples of Christ are hated
and persecutedas serpents, and their ruin is sought, and they need the

serpent's wisdom. Be ye harmless as doves. Not only, do nobody any hurt, but
bear nobody any ill-will. Prudent care there must be, but not an anxious,
perplexing thought; let this care be castupon God. The disciples of Christ
must think more how to do well, than how to speak well. In case ofgreatperil,
the disciples of Christ may go out of the way of danger, though they must not
go out of the way of duty. No sinful, unlawful means may be used to escape;
for then it is not a door of God's opening. The fear of man brings a snare, a
perplexing snare, that disturbs our peace;an entangling snare, by which we
are drawn into sin; and, therefore, it must be striven and prayed against.
Tribulation, distress, and persecutioncannot take awayGod's love to them, or
theirs to him. FearHim, who is able to destroy both souland body in hell.
They must deliver their messagepublicly, for all are deeply concernedin the
doctrine of the gospel. The whole counselof God must be made known, Ac
20:27. Christ shows them why they should be of goodcheer. Their sufferings
witnessedagainstthose who oppose his gospel. When God calls us to speak for
him, we may depend on him to teachus what to say. A believing prospectof
the end of our troubles, will be of greatuse to support us under them. They
may be borne to the end, because the sufferers shall be borne up under them.
The strength shall be according to the day. And it is greatencouragementto
those who are doing Christ's work, that it is a work which shall certainly be
done. See how the care of Providence extends to all creatures, evento the
sparrows. This should silence all the fears of God's people; Ye are of more
value than many sparrows. And the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
This denotes the accountGod takes and keeps of his people. It is our duty, not
only to believe in Christ, but to profess that faith, in suffering for him, when
we are calledto it, as wellas in serving him. That denial of Christ only is here
meant which is persistedin, and that confessiononly can have the blessed
recompence here promised, which is the real and constantlanguage offaith
and love. Religionis worth every thing; all who believe the truth of it, will
come up to the price, and make every thing else yield to it. Christ will leadus
through sufferings, to glory with him. Those are best prepared for the life to
come, that sit most loose to this present life. Though the kindness done to
Christ's disciples be ever so small, yet if there be occasionforit, and ability to
do no more, it shall be accepted. Christdoes not say that they deserve a
reward; for we cannot merit any thing from the hand of God; but they shall

receive a rewardfrom the free gift of God. Let us boldly confess Christ, and
show love to him in all things.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
When they persecute ... - The apostles were not permitted to "throw away"
their lives. Where they could preserve them without denying their Lord, they
were to do it. Yet all the commands of Christ, as well as their conduct, show
that they were rather to lay down their lives than deny their Saviour. We are
to preserve our lives by all proper means, but we are rather to die than save
ourselves by doing anything wrong.
Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel... - That is, in fleeing from
persecutors from one city to another, you shall not have gone to every city in
Judea until the end of the Jewisheconomyshalloccur. See the notes at
Matthew 24:28-30. By "the coming of the Son of Man," that is, of "Christ," is
probably meant the destruction of Jerusalem, which happened about thirty
years after this was spoken. The words are often used in this sense. See
Matthew 24:30; Mark 13:26;Luke 21:27, Luke 21:32.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
23. But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another—"into the
other." This, though applicable to all time, and exemplified by our Lord
Himself once and again, had specialreference to the brief opportunities which
Israelwas to have of "knowing the time of His visitations."
for verily I sayunto you—what will startle you, but at the same time show you
the solemnity of your mission, and the need of economizing the time for it.
Ye shall not have gone over—Ye shall in nowise have completed.
the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come—To understand this—as
Lange and others do—in the first instance, of Christ's own peregrinations, as

if He had said, "Waste notyour time upon hostile places, for I Myselfwill be
after you ere your work be over"—seems almosttrifling. "The coming of the
Son of man" has a fixed doctrinal sense, here referring immediately to the
crisis of Israel's history as the visible kingdom of God, when Christ was to
come and judge it; when "the wrath would come upon it to the uttermost";
and when, on the ruins of Jerusalemand the old economy, He would establish
His own kingdom. This, in the uniform language ofScripture, is more
immediately "the coming of the Sonof man," "the day of vengeance ofour
God" (Mt 16:28;24:27, 34; compare with Heb 10:25;Jas 5:7-9)—but only as
being such a lively anticipation of His secondcoming for vengeance and
deliverance. So understood, it is parallel with Mt 24:14 (on which see).
Directions for the Service of Christ in Its Widest Sense (Mt 10:24-42).
Matthew Poole's Commentary
Whether this text at all warrants ministers’ flight in a time of persecutionI
doubt; it seemethto be a specialcommand given to the apostles, that they
might have a time before the coming of Christ, here spoken of, to preach the
gospeloverall the cities of Israel. But that in some casesit is lawful to flee I do
not at all doubt, though I do question whether it be to be warranted from this
text. What those casesare is largelydiscoursed, particularly by Mr. Torshell.
Generally it is said, wherever the glory of God, or the goodof others, calls to
us for such a flight. But what may be judged such cases is a more particular
question. Augustine to Honoratus speakethwellin the case. Ministers ought
not to flee rashly, nor out of cowardice, northat they might live elsewhere
lazily, nor when their flight will betray the church of God: not where the
persecutionis general;but where the persecutionis particular, againstsome
of them, and there will be enough left for the care of the church in their
absence, andwith the consentof the church, they may flee. But this is too
large a case to be spokento here; especiallyconsidering (as I said) that I do
not think that any flight is to be justified from this text, the precept being
particular for specialreasons.

Till the Son of man be come. There is a wonderful variety of interpreters’
senses ofthis text, founded upon the various comings of Christ mentioned in
holy writ. He was already come in the flesh, so as it, speaking of a time to
come, could not be meant of that: nor can it be understood of his second
coming to judgment, for they have gone through the cities of Israel long ago.
Christ is therefore said in Scripture to come, when he appeareth in some great
work of providence, whether of judgment or mercy. This makes some
interpret it of the destruction of Jerusalem;in which sense some think the
coming of Christ is mentioned, Matthew 24:1-51. Some, of the resurrection of
Christ, from whence they say Christ’s epocha commenced. Others understand
it of the effusion of the Spirit in the day of Pentecost;this they ground on John
14:17,18, where they think Christ’s coming, promised John 14:18, is the
coming of the Spirit, promised John 14:17. Undoubtedly, in the general, our
Saviour means, till the time be accomplishedwhen you must leave preaching
to the Jews and go to the Gentiles, and my kingdom shall be further extended
than it is at present; which dispensationof God may for aught I know be
calledthe coming of Christ, being an eminent actof God’s providence, by
which Christ was more showedto the world, and his kingdom further
extended.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
But when they persecute you in this city,.... Or any city into which they went,
and preachedthe Gospel;and would not suffer them to go on in their work,
they were not to desist, but to go elsewhere,where they might hope for a
better reception, and a longer continuance, and so of doing more good:
flee ye into another; not so much for their own safety, though this, according
to the circumstances ofthings, is lawful, but for the further spreading of the
Gospel. The exhortation is not to take methods to avoid persecution, or to
make an escapefrom it, but to perseverance under it: the sense is, they were
not to be discouraged, and to leave off, because ofpersecutionin one place,
but to persistin the ministration of the Gospel, by carrying it to other cities;

and it seems to be a spur to them to make haste, and fulfil their office of
preaching the Gospel, in the land of Judea: nor need they feargoing on too
fast, lest they should have no places to preachin;
for verily I sayunto you, this is a certainand indisputable truth not to be
calledin question, being strongly affirmed by truth itself,
ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, or "finished" them; that is,
their tour through them, and their ministry, or the preaching of the Gospelin
them,
till the son of man be come; which is not to be understood of his second
coming to judgment, but either of his resurrectionfrom the dead, when he
was declaredto be the Son of God, and when his glorificationbegan; or of the
pouring forth of the Spirit at the day of Pentecost, whenhis kingdom began
more visibly to take place, and he was made, or manifested to be the Lord and
Christ; or of his coming to take vengeance onhis enemies, that would not have
him to rule over them, and the persecutors ofhis ministers, at the destruction
of Jerusalem.
Geneva Study Bible
But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say
unto you, Ye shall not have {i} gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man
be come.
(i) Bring to an end, that is, you will not have gone through all the cities of
Israeland preachedin them.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary
Matthew 10:23. Ταύτῃ and τὴν ἄλλην are to be understood δεικτιῶς. Jesus
points with the finger in the direction of various towns. Your sphere is large
enough to admit of your retreating before persecutionin order to save others.
γάρ] A ground of encouragementfor such perseverance.
οὐ μὴ τελέσητε, κ.τ.λ.]You will not have completed your visits to the towns of
the people of Israel; i.e., you will not have accomplishedin all of them your
mission, associatedas it will be with such flights from town to town Comp. the
analogous use of ἀνύειν (Raphel, Krebs, Loesner, on this passage), explere, in
Tibull. i. 4. 69 (Heyne, Obss. p. 47);consummare, in Flor. i. 18. 1 (see Ducker
on the passage). The interpretation: to bring to Christian perfection
(Maldonatus, Zeger, Jansen, following Hilary; Hofmann, Weissag. u. Erfüll.
II. p. 267 f.), is an erroneous makeshift, by way of removing the second
coming farther into the future. Observe that here, too, as in Matthew 10:5, the
apostolic ministry is still confined to Israel.
ἕως ἂν ἔλθῃ] until the Sonof man will have come, i.e. the Messiah, suchas He
has been promised in Daniel’s vision (Matthew 8:20), who will then put an end
to your troubles, and receive you into the glory of His kingdom. Jesus means
neither more nor less than His secondcoming (Matthew 24), which He
announces even at this early stage, andas being so near, that Matthew 24:14,
and even Matthew 26:28, are not to be reconciledwith this view. Different
elements of the tradition, which, in the course ofexperience, came to view the
prospectas more remote,—a tradition, however, that was still the product of
the existing γενεά (Matthew 24:34, Matthew 14:28). The interpretations which
explain awaythe final coming, content themselves, some with the idea of a
vague coming after or coming to their help (Chrysostom, Theophylact, Euth.
Zigabenus, Beza, Kuinoel; even Origen and Theodoret, Heracleonin
Cramer’s Cat. p. 78);others with the coming through the Holy Spirit (Calvin,

Grotius, Calovius, Bleek), orwith supposing that the, as yet too remote,
destruction of Jerusalemis referred to (Michaelis, Schott, Glöckler, Ebrard,
Gess);and others, again, explaining it allegoricallyofthe victory of Christ’s
cause (Baumgarten-Crusius). On the prediction of the secondcoming itself,
see on ch. 24.
Expositor's Greek Testament
Matthew 10:23. ὅταν δὲ: the thought takes a new comforting turn, much
needed to reconcile disciples to the grim prospect. With courage and loyalty
effort for self-preservationis quite compatible. Therefore, whenthey
persecute here flee there.—ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ, in this city, pointing to it, this
standing for one.—φεύγετε,flee, very un-heroic apparently, but the bravest
soldier, especiallyan old campaigner, will avail himself of coverwhen he can.
εἰς τὴν ἑτέραν: the reading of [62] [63] is to be preferred to ἄλλην of the T.R.,
the idea being: flee not merely to another city numerically distinct, but to a
city presumably different in spirit (vide Matthew 6:24 and Matthew 11:16),
where you may hope to receive better treatment. Thus the flight, from being a
mere measure of self-preservation, is raisedto the dignity of a policy of
prudence in the interest of the cause. Why throw awaylife here among a
hostile people when you may do goodwork elsewhere?—Αμὴνγὰρ:reasonfor
the advice solemnly given; an important declaration, and a perplexing one for
interpreters.—οὐ μὴ, have no fear lest, ye will certainly not have finished—
τελέσητε. In what sense? “gone over” (A.V[64]) in their evangelising tour, or
done the work of evangelising thoroughly? (ad fidei et evangelicaevirtutis
perfectionem—Hilary). The former is the more natural interpretation. And
yet the connectionof thought seems to demand a mental reference to the
quality of the work done. Why tarry at one place as if you were under
obligation to convert the whole population to the kingdom? The thing cannot
be done. The two views may be combined thus: ye shall not have gone through
the towns of Israelevangelising them in even a superficial way, much less in a
thorough-going manner. Weiss takes the word τελ. as referring not to mission
work but to flight = ye shall not have used all the cities as places of refuge, i.e.,
there will always be some place to flee to. This is beneath the dignity of the

situation, especiallyin view of what follows.—ἕως ἔλθῃ ὁ υἱὸς τ. ἀ. Here again
is the peculiar title Song of Solomonof Man: impersonal, but used
presumably as a synonym for “I”. What does it mean in this connection? And
what is the coming referred to? The latter question can be best answeredat a
later stage. It has been suggestedthat the title Son of Man is here used by
Christ in oppositionto the title Song of Solomon of David. The meaning of
Matthew 10:23 on that view is this: do not think it necessaryto tarry at all
hazards in one place. Your work anywhere and everywhere must be very
imperfect. Even successwill mean failure, for as soonas they have received
the tidings of the kingdom they will attachwrong ideas to it, thinking of it as a
national kingdom and of me as the “Son of David”. No thorough work can be
done till the Son of Man has come, i.e., till a universal Gospelfor humanity
has begun to be preached(Lutteroth). This is a fresh suggestion, not to be
despised, on so obscure a subject. We are only feeling our way as to the
meaning of some of Christ’s sayings. Meantime, all that we can be sure of is
that Christ points to some event not far off that will put a period to the
apostolic mission.
[62] CodexSinaiticus (sæc. iv.), now at St. Petersburg, published in facsimile
type by its discoverer, Tischendorf, in 1862.
[63] CodexVaticanus (sæc. iv.), published in photographic facsimile in 1889
under the care of the Abbate Cozza-Luzi.
[64] Authorised Version.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
23. when they persecute you] Such words indicate that these “instructions”
have a far wider range than the immediate mission of the Apostles. They are
prophetic, bringing both warning and consolationto all ages ofthe Church.

till the Son of man be come] The passage in Luke 21, which is to a greatextent
parallel to this, treats of the destruction of Jerusalem;and no one who
carefully weighs our Lord’s words canfail to see that in a realsense He came
in the destruction of Jerusalem. Thatevent was in truth the judgment of
Christ falling on the unrepentant nation. In this sense the Gospelhad not been
preachedto all the cities of Israelbefore Christ came. But all these words
point to a more distant future. The work of Christian missions is going on,
and will still continue until Christ comes againto a final judgment.
Bengel's Gnomen
Matthew 10:23. Τὴν ἄλλην—κἂνἐκ ταύτης διώκωσινὑμᾶς φεύγετε εἰς
ἑτέραν, the other[469]—andif they persecute you from this city, flee ye into
another) This is the most ancient Latin reading,[470]and also that of
Orige[471][472]contra Celsum (p. 51, Ed. Hoesch.[473]), where, insteadof
φεύγετε εἰς τὴν ἄλλην” [as in E.M.], we find φεύγετε εἰς τὴν ἑτέραν· κἂνἐν τῇ
ἑτέρᾳ δίωκωσι, πάλιν φεύγετε εἰς τὴν ἄλλην.” Flee ye into the other;[474] and
if they persecute you in that other, flee ye againinto the other.[475]Francis
Lucas[476]ofBruges quotes old Latin Codices in favour of that reading.
Thence, too, the Anglo-Saxon versionhas—“andthonne hi on thœre eovv
ehtath, fleoth on tha thryddan;” i.e. “and when they persecute you in that
[city], flee to the third.” Ambrose[477]also, in his treatise, De Fugâ Seculi (ch.
4), says, “But if they shall persecute you in one, flee ye into another.” And
Juvencus[478]renders the passagethus:—
[469]E. V. another.—(I. B.)
[470]The words κἄν—ἑτέρανare not found in E. M.—(I. B.)

[471]rigen (born about 186 A.D., died 253 A.D., a Greek father: two-thirds of
the N. Test. are quoted in his writings). Ed. Vinc. Delarue, Paris. 1733,1740,
1759.
[472]ORIGEN was born at Alexandria, in Egypt, about A.D. 185;and died at
Tyre, about A.D. 254.—(I. B.)
[473]DAVID HOESCHELIUS, born at Augsburgh 1556. He was a laborious
and successfulEditor. Among the authors he edited were Origen, Philo
Judæus, Basil, and Photius. He died 1617.—(I. B.)
[474]τὴν ἑτέρκν.—ἕτερος signifies originally, other in opposition to one,
though it has also the force of other in oppositionto many.—(I. B.)
[475]τὴν ἁλλην.—ἄλλος signifies originally, other in oppositionto many,
though it is used also to representother in oppositionto one. Here τὴν ἄλλην
appears to have the force of the former.—(I. B.)
[476]FRANCIS LUCAS was born at Bruges in the sixteenth century. He
studied under Arius Montanus, and became a Doctorof Louvain, and Deanof
the Church of St Omer. He was profoundly skilled in the Greek, Hebrew,
Syriac, and Chaldee languages, andis considereda judicious critic. he died in
1619.—(I. B.)
[477]Born at Treves A.D. 340;consecrated, in 374, Bishopof Milan, where he
died in 397. he was an eloquent preacher, and an able and voluminous
writer.—(I. B.)

[478]C. AQUILINUS VETTIUS (al. VECTIUS, or VESTIUS) JUVENCUS, a
Spanish priest of goodfamily, who flourished in the fourth century. He wrote,
besides other works, a history of our Lord in goodhexameter verse,
consideredboth poeticaland faithful, and published it about 330.—(I. B.)
“Profugite e tectis quæ vos sectabitur urbis
Inde aliam, mox INDE ALIAM, conquirite sedem.”
“Flee from the roofs of the city which persecutes you;thence seek anotherand
THEN AGAIN ANOTHER abode.” Thus Augustine; thus the Armenian
Version. The Codex Cantabrigiensis, the Codices Colbertini 2467 and 3947,
Parisiensis 6, and the CodexStephani η (to which some add the Codex
Gonvillianus), contain this passagein various forms of words. The variety of
the Greek words[479]suggests the suspicionthat this verse has been rendered
from Latin into Greek:on the other hand, the antiquity and celebrity of the
Latin text is proved by the very multitude and discrepancyof these Greek
codices. The omissionappears to have arisenfrom the carelessnessso
frequently manifestedby transcribers, where similar words recur: the facility
with which the mistake may occur, appears from the fact that Gelenius, in his
Latin version of Orige[480], omits this very clause [which undoubtedly exists
in the original]. Athanasius more than once substitutes ἑτέραν for ἄλλην, as is
at present the case withthe CodexColbertinus, and from which you may
conjecture, that another omission[481]might soonbe made by other
transcribers.
[479]Lachm. reads ἐτέραν, with Bd Orig. 1,295;380;3,473c;709;cod. 4,398.
But Tischend. ἄλλην, with Dabc Vulg. Origen3,709, andRec. Text. Lachm.
adds in brackets, κἄνἐν τῇ ἑτέρᾳ διώκωσιν ὑμᾶς, φεύγετε δεἰς τὴν ἄλλην,
with DL (ἐκ τάυτης ἐκδιώξωσιν—τ. ἑτέραν)ab Orig. 1,295b;380a;Hil. 656.

But Bc Vulg. and Rec. Textomit these words. Probably they come from a
transcriber who fancied that φεύγετε εἰς τὴν ἑτέραν, sc. “a secondcity,” was
incomplete without a clause, “And when they persecute you in that second
city, flee into another, i.e. a third city.” To avoid the need for this, I believe the
reading ἄλλην for ἐτέραν arose. The shorteris generally preferable to the
longerreading, as it was the tendency of transcribers to insert all added
matter, lest their copy should be incomplete.—ED.
[480]rigen (born about 186 A.D., died 253 A.D., a Greek father: two-thirds of
the N. Test. are quoted in his writings). Ed. Vinc. Delarue, Paris. 1733,1740,
1759.
[481]“hiatus,” hiatus, gap. See Author’s Preface viii. 14, and App. Crit. Part
I. § xxii., obs. xxvii., etc.—(I. B.)
Οὐ μὴ τελέσητε, ye shall not finish[482]) cf. ‫]384[,הלכ‬in 2 Chronicles 31:1.—
τὰς πόλεις, the cities)not to say, villages, of Israel.—SeeMatthew 10:6. Our
Lord tells them that there was no fear of their not having where to preach,
and that they were not to remain long in one place, as they would have the
opportunity of remaining longer in other places.—ἕως ἄνἔλθη ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ
ἀνθρώπου, until the Son of Man be come)Concerning this coming, see
Matthew 10:7; Matthew 11:1.[484]
[482]E. V. Ye shall not have gone over.—(I. B.)
[483]‫ה‬ָּ‫)1(—הָּל‬ To be completed, finished.—GESENIUS.—(I. B.)

[484]To wit, there is here meant that very advent, whereby. through His full
presence, beneficence, andpreaching, the preparatory announcement of His
ambassadors in those days was, as it were, completedand fulfilled by Him,
whom it behoved to come, to proclaim the Gospel, and to see that it was
proclaimed by others, Matthew 11:3; Matthew 11:5. In a similar manner, He
commanded the Seventy disciples also to announce the approachof the divine
kingdom, and followedup that announcement by His own very presence in
those same places, Luke 10:1; Luke 10:9.—Harm., p. 293.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 23. - Matthew only; but even this verse is not free from what appearto
be reminiscences ofthe words recordedin Matthew 24:14, 16). But when they
persecute you in this city. Act wisely (ver. 16); flee to another city; you will
find work there. Flee ye (cf. Matthew 23:34, and supra, ver. 17, note) into
another; into the next (Revised Version); εἰς τὴν ἑτέραν. There are occasions
when the duty is rather to spreadthe messagethan to sealit with death or to
have one's lips closedby imprisonment. But only "he that is spiritual" (1
Corinthians 2:15) will be able to understand which course of actionthe special
circumstances require. Our Lord's example (Matthew 12:15) was followedby
Christians in the earliest(Acts 8:1; Acts 9:25, 30;Acts 14:6; Acts 17:10, 14)
and in later times (e.g. Polycarp, n.y. 155;Dionysius of Alexandria, A.D. 249-
251;Cyprian, A.D. 250;Athanasius, A.D. 340). CodexBezae and some
Westernauthorities, 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
(RevisedVersion); οὐ μὴ τετέσητε:literally, hare completed, like the harvest
(Ruth 2:23). The cities of Israel (cf. ver. 6) till the Son of man (Matthew 8:20,
note) be come. The mere fact that there was no persecutionof the kind just
spokenof until after our Lord's death in itself refutes the opinion (found,
perhaps, in Tatian's 'Diatess.,'"Donee venero adyes;" vide Resch, 'Agrapha,'
p. 270)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

secondadvent, as apparently Agathangelus, in Resch, loc. cit. (cf. also p. 404),
understands them. The cities of Israel are named because work among the
Jews lay at the basis of the commission. If an exactfulfilment of the words is
demanded, it is perhaps to be seenin the fact that there will be some Jews
unconverted until the Lord's return. Matthew 10:23
STUDYLIGHTRESOURCES
Adam Clarke Commentary
But when they persecute you - It is prudence and humility (when charity or
righteousness obliges us not to the contrary) to avoid persecution. To deprive
those who are disposedto do evil of the opportunities of doing it; to conveythe
grace which they despise to others; to accomplishGod's designs of justice on
the former, and of mercy on the latter, are consequences ofthe flight of a
persecutedpreacher. This flight is a precept to those who are highly necessary
to the Church of Christ, an advice to those who might imprudently draw upon
themselves persecution, and of indulgence for those who are weak. But this
flight is highly criminal in those mercenary preachers who, through love to
their flesh and their property, abandon the flock of Christ to the wolf. See
Quesnel.
In this city, flee ye into another - There is a remarkable repetition of this
clause found in the MSS. DL and eight others; the Armenian, Saxon, all the
Italia except three; Athan., Theodor., Tertul., August., Ambr., Hilar., and
Juvencus. Bengel, in his gnomon approves of this reading. On the above
authorities Griesbachhas inserted it in the text. It probably made a portion of
this Gospelas written by Matthew. The verse in the MSS. is as follows: - But

when they shall persecute you in this city, flee ye into another; and if they
persecute in the other, flee ye unto another.
Ye shall not have gone over (ended or finished, margin) the cities, etc. - The
word τελεσητε here is generallyunderstood as implying to go over or through,
intimating that there should not be time for the disciples to travel over the
cities of Judea before the destruction predicted by Christ should take place.
But this is very far from being the truth, as there were not less than forty
years after this was spoken, before Jerusalemwas destroyed:τελειων και
μανθαναντωνare used by the Septuagint. 1 Chronicles 25:8, for those who
teachand those who learn. And τοις τελειοις is used by the apostle, 1
Corinthians 2:6, for those who are perfectly instructed in the things of God.
Ovid has used the Latin perficio, which answers to the Greek τελειοω in
exactly the same sense.
Phillyrides puerum cithara perfecit Achillem.
"Chiron Taught the young Achilles to play on the harp."
For these reasons some contendthat the passageshould be translated, Ye shall
not have Instructed, i.e. preached the Gospelin the cities of Israel, till the Son
of man be come. The Greek divines call baptism τελειωσις or initiation. See
Leigh. Crit. sacr. Edit. Amst. p. 326, 328.
Dr. Lightfoot supposes the meaning to be: "Ye shall not have traveled over
the cities of Israel, preaching the Gospel, before the Son of man is revealed by
his resurrection, Romans 1:4; compare Acts 3:19, Acts 3:20; Acts 5:26. To you
first, God, raising up his Son, sent him to bless you, etc. The epoch of the
Messiahis dated from the resurrectionof Christ." After all, the place may be

understood literally; for τελειν τας πολεις, to finish the cities, is only a concise
mode of speech, for τελειν οδονδια τας πολεις, to complete the journey
through the cities. To finish the survey, to preach in every one: - till the Son of
man be come, may refer either to the outpouring of the Spirit on the day of
pentecost, orto the subversion of the Jewishstate. See Rosenmuller.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Bibliography
Clarke, Adam. "Commentary on Matthew 10:23". "The Adam Clarke
Commentary". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/matthew-
10.html. 1832.
Return to Jump List return to 'Jump List'
Albert Barnes'Notes onthe Whole Bible
When they persecute … - The apostles were notpermitted to “throw away”
their lives. Where they could preserve them without denying their Lord, they
were to do it. Yet all the commands of Christ, as well as their conduct, show
that they were rather to lay down their lives than deny their Saviour. We are
to preserve our lives by all proper means, but we are rather to die than save
ourselves by doing anything wrong.
Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel… - That is, in fleeing from
persecutors from one city to another, you shall not have gone to every city in
Judea until the end of the Jewisheconomyshalloccur. See the notes at
Matthew 24:28-30. By “the coming of the Son of Man,” that is, of “Christ,” is
probably meant the destruction of Jerusalem, which happened about thirty

years after this was spoken. The words are often used in this sense. See
Matthew 24:30; Mark 13:26;Luke 21:27, Luke 21:32.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Barnes, Albert. "Commentaryon Matthew 10:23". "Barnes'Notesonthe
Whole Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/matthew-
10.html. 1870.
The Biblical Illustrator
Matthew 10:23
But when they persecute you in this city.
-They may go out of the way of danger, though they must not go out of the
way of duty. (Matthew Henry.)
An exceptionto flight
Polycarp(the friend and pupil of St. John) was eighty-six years old at the date
of his martyrdom, and this took place, it seems almostcertain, in 155 or 156.
There had been a long and bitter persecutionof the Christians in the East,
and the reports of martyrdom after martyrdom reachedthe agedman in his

bishopric of Smyrna, “but,” we are quoting Mr. Holland, “he was not
disturbed at the reports, and wished to stay in the city at home; but at the
entreaties of his friends, he withdrew to a little field-house, not far from the
town, and stoppedthere, with a few companions, praying continuously for all
men, and for the Churches … as was was his habit. As he prayed, he saw a
vision … his pillow seemedto him all burning in flames, and he turned to
those with him, and said, ‘I shall be burnt alive.’ And to escape the pressure of
his pursuers he moved to another field-house, and they, the pursuers, came
just after to his first hiding-place, and caught two boys, one of whom, under
torture, confessedwhere his hiding-place was … It was the hour of the
evening meal … when the officer of the peace came with fourteen horse and
arms, as if againsta thief … Polycarpcould have fled again, but he refused.”
His prediction came true, he was burnt, but God causedhis sufferings to be
brought to a speedy end by a providential circumstance, which, on first
reading it, one is inclined to think too miraculous to be true, but which seems
well-authenticated, though the description given by his biographer is probably
unintentionally exaggerated. The wind so caught the flames that were to
consume him that they took the shape of a hollow, or a sail swollenby the
wind, and they despatchedhim with a sword. Polycarpis thought to have been
the angel(i.e., messenger)
of the Church of Smyrna addressedin Revelation2:8.
Copyright Statement
Text Courtesyof BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliography
Exell, JosephS. "Commentary on "Matthew 10:23". The Biblical Illustrator.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tbi/matthew-10.html. 1905-
1909. New York.

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible
But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next: for verily I say
unto you, Ye shall not have gone through the cities of Israel, till the Son of
man be come.
Origen in quoting this passagewrote:
Jesus, in teaching his disciples not to be guilty of rashness, gave them (this)
precept. He added the example of a consistentlife, acting so as not to expose
himself to danger, rashly, or unreasonably, or without goodgrounds.[5]
Likewise, Clementof Alexandria said:
He also who presents himself before the judgment seatbecomes guilty of his
(own) death. And such is also the case withhim who does not avoid
persecution, but, out of daring, presents himself for capture.[6]
It is plain that Christ desired that his disciples should avoid bringing against
themselves any persecutions due to unwise, rash, or improper conduct; and
they were cautionedto avoid animosities by flight whenever possible.
The words "till the Sonof man come" do not refer to the final judgment but
to the coming of Christ in his kingdom.
[5] Origen, Against Celsus in Ibid., Vol. IV, p. 425.

[6] Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata in Ibid., Vol. II, p. 423.
Copyright Statement
James Burton Coffman Commentaries reproduced by permission of Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. All other rights reserved.
Bibliography
Coffman, James Burton. "Commentary on Matthew 10:23". "Coffman
Commentaries on the Old and New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bcc/matthew-10.html. Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
But when they persecute you in this city,.... Or any city into which they went,
and preachedthe Gospel;and would not suffer them to go on in their work,
they were not to desist, but to go elsewhere,where they might hope for a
better reception, and a longer continuance, and so of doing more good:
flee ye into another; not so much for their own safety, though this, according
to the circumstances ofthings, is lawful, but for the further spreading of the
Gospel. The exhortation is not to take methods to avoid persecution, or to
make an escapefrom it, but to perseverance under it: the sense is, they were
not to be discouraged, and to leave off, because ofpersecutionin one place,
but to persistin the ministration of the Gospel, by carrying it to other cities;
and it seems to be a spur to them to make haste, and fulfil their office of
preaching the Gospel, in the land of Judea: nor need they feargoing on too
fast, lest they should have no places to preachin;

for verily I sayunto you, this is a certainand indisputable truth not to be
calledin question, being strongly affirmed by truth itself,
ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, or "finished" them; that is,
their tour through them, and their ministry, or the preaching of the Gospelin
them,
till the son of man be come; which is not to be understood of his second
coming to judgment, but either of his resurrectionfrom the dead, when he
was declaredto be the Son of God, and when his glorificationbegan; or of the
pouring forth of the Spirit at the day of Pentecost, whenhis kingdom began
more visibly to take place, and he was made, or manifested to be the Lord and
Christ; or of his coming to take vengeance onhis enemies, that would not have
him to rule over them, and the persecutors ofhis ministers, at the destruction
of Jerusalem.
Copyright Statement
The New John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Modernisedand adapted
for the computer by Larry Pierce of Online Bible. All Rightes Reserved,
Larry Pierce, Winterbourne, Ontario.
A printed copy of this work can be ordered from: The Baptist Standard
Bearer, 1 Iron Oaks Dr, Paris, AR, 72855
Bibliography
Gill, John. "Commentary on Matthew 10:23". "The New JohnGill Exposition
of the Entire Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/matthew-10.html. 1999.

Geneva Study Bible
unto you, Ye shall not have i gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man
be come.
(i) Bring to an end, that is, you will not have gone through all the cities of
Israeland preachedin them.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Beza, Theodore. "Commentary on Matthew 10:23". "The 1599 Geneva Study
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/gsb/matthew-10.html.
1599-1645.
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another — “into the
other.” This, though applicable to all time, and exemplified by our Lord
Himself once and again, had specialreference to the brief opportunities which
Israelwas to have of “knowing the time of His visitations.”
for verily I sayunto you — what will startle you, but at the same time show
you the solemnity of your mission, and the need of economizing the time for it.

Ye shall not have gone over — Ye shall in nowise have completed.
the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come — To understand this - as
Lange and others do - in the first instance, of Christ‘s ownperegrinations, as
if He had said, “Waste notyour time upon hostile places, for I Myself will be
after you ere your work be over” - seems almosttrifling. “The coming of the
Son of man” has a fixed doctrinal sense, here referring immediately to the
crisis of Israel‘s history as the visible kingdom of God, when Christ was to
come and judge it; when “the wrath would come upon it to the uttermost”;
and when, on the ruins of Jerusalemand the old economy, He would establish
His own kingdom. This, in the uniform language ofScripture, is more
immediately “the coming of the Sonof man,” “the day of vengeance ofour
God” (Matthew 16:28;Matthew 24:27, Matthew 24:34;compare with
Hebrews 10:25; James 5:7-9)- but only as being such a lively anticipation of
His secondcoming for vengeance anddeliverance. So understood, it is parallel
with Matthew 24:14 (on which see).
Copyright Statement
These files are a derivative of an electronic edition prepared from text
scannedby Woodside Bible Fellowship.
This expanded edition of the Jameison-Faussett-BrownCommentary is in the
public domain and may be freely used and distributed.
Bibliography
Jamieson, Robert, D.D.; Fausset,A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on
Matthew 10:23". "CommentaryCritical and Explanatory on the Whole
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfb/matthew-10.html.
1871-8.

John Lightfoot's Commentary on the Gospels
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.
[Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, &c.] "Ye shall not have
travelled through the cities of Israelpreaching the gospel, before the Son of
man is revealedby his resurrection," (Romans 1:4. Lay to this Acts 3:19,20,
"Repentye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out,
that the times of refreshment may come" (for ye expect refreshment and
consolationunder the Messias);"and he may send Jesus Christfirst preached
to you." And verse 26, "To you first God, raising up his Son, sent him to bless
you," &c. The epochof the Messiasis dated from the resurrectionof Christ.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Lightfoot, John. "Commentary on Matthew 10:23". "JohnLightfoot
Commentary on the Gospels".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jlc/matthew-10.html. 1675.
People's New Testament

Flee ye into another. They were not to rashly expose their lives where it would
do no good, but go elsewhereand continue preaching. Life is a sacred
possession, andmust not be flung away. It may be given up for the sake of
Christ.
Till the Son of man is come. A reference primarily, no doubt, to the Lord
coming into his kingdom. See Matthew 16:28. He was thus to come in the life
time of some of the apostles. He did thus come in the establishmentof his
kingdom in power on the day of Pentecost. He also came in judgment on the
Jews atthe destruction of Jerusalem. This event ended Jewishpersecution.
There is also the final coming to judge the world, but the meaning here does
not include that.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website.
Original work done by Ernie Stefanik. First published online in 1996 atThe
RestorationMovementPages.
Bibliography
Johnson, BartonW. "Commentary on Matthew 10:23". "People's New
Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/pnt/matthew-
10.html. 1891.
Robertson's WordPictures in the New Testament
Till the Son of man be come (εως ελτηι ο υιος του αντρωπου — heōs elthēi ho
huios tou anthrōpou). Moffatt puts it “before the Sonof man arrives” as if

Jesus referredto this specialtour of Galilee. Jesus couldovertake them.
Possiblyso, but it is by no means clear. Some refer it to the Transfiguration,
others to the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, others to the Second
Coming. Some hold that Matthew has put the saying in the wrong context.
Others bluntly say that Jesus was mistaken, a very serious charge to make in
his instructions to these preachers. The use of εως — heōs with aorist
subjunctive for a future event is a goodGreek idiom.
Copyright Statement
The Robertson's WordPictures of the New Testament. Copyright �
Broadman Press 1932,33,Renewal1960. All rights reserved. Used by
permission of Broadman Press (Southern BaptistSunday SchoolBoard)
Bibliography
Robertson, A.T. "Commentary on Matthew 10:23". "Robertson's Word
Pictures of the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/rwp/matthew-10.html.
Broadman Press 1932,33.Renewal1960.
Wesley's ExplanatoryNotes
unto you, Ye shall not have gone overthe cities of Israel, till the Son of man be
come.
Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel — Make whathaste ye will; till
the Sonof man be come - To destroy their temple and nation.

Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website.
Bibliography
Wesley, John. "Commentary on Matthew 10:23". "JohnWesley's
Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/wen/matthew-10.html. 1765.
Abbott's Illustrated New Testament
Till the Son of man be come;till the Messiahbe come; that is, until his coming
and kingdom shall be openly proclaimed to all, both Jews and Gentiles, and
thus the whole world be openedas the scene of the apostolic labors. They were
to preach not that the kingdom of the Messiahhad come, but that it was at
hand.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Abbott, John S. C. & Abbott, Jacob. "Commentaryon Matthew 10:23".
"Abbott's Illustrated New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/ain/matthew-10.html. 1878.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible
23.And when they shall persecute you. He anticipates an objectionthat might
arise. If we must encounter the resentments of the whole world, what shall be
the end of all this? (593)Though it may not be safe for them to remain in any
place, yet Christ warns them not to despair, but, on the contrary, when they
have been driven from one place, to try whether their labors in some other
place may be of any avail. It is a mistake, however, to suppose that this is a
bare permission: for it is rather a command given to the disciples, what it is
the will of Christ that they should do. He who has sustained one persecution
would willingly withdraw as a soldier who has servedhis time. But no such
exemption is granted to the followers of Christ, who commands them to fulfill
their whole course with unabated zeal. In short, the apostles are enjoined to
enter into fresh contests, andnot to imagine that, when they have succeededin
one or two cases, theyhave fully dischargedtheir duty. No permission is
granted to them to flee to a retired spot, where they may remain unemployed,
but though their labor may have been unsuccessfulin one place, the Lord
exhorts them to persevere.
And yet the command implies also a permission. As to avoiding persecution, it
ought to be understood in this manner: we must not condemn without
distinction all who flee, and yet it is not every kind of flight that is lawful.
Some of the ancients carried their zeal in this matter to an extreme and
condemned flight as a species ofdisavowal. Were this true, some part of the
disgrace would fall on Christ and his apostles. Again, if all without distinction
are at liberty to flee, a goodpastor could not be distinguished from a hireling
during a seasonofpersecution. We must abide by the moderation which
Augustine recommends, when writing to Honoratus: No man must quit his
station through timidity, either by betraying the flock through cowardice, or
by giving an example of slothfulness;and yet no man must expose himself
precipitately, or at random. If a whole church is attacked, or if a part of them
is pursued to death, the pastor, whose duty it is to expose his life in place of
any individual among them, would do wrong in withdrawing. But sometimes
it may happen, that by his absence he will quell the rage of enemies, and thus

promote the advantage of the church. In such cases, the harmlessness ofthe
dove must be his guide, that effeminate persons may not seize on his conduct
as an excuse for their timidity: for the flesh is always too ingenious in avoiding
what is troublesome.
For verily I say to you. These words cannot be understood in the sense which
some have given to them as relating to the first mission, (594)but embrace the
whole course of their apostleship. But the difficulty lies in ascertaining whatis
meant by the coming of the Son of man Some explain it as denoting such a
progress ofthe gospel, as may enable all to acknowledgethat Christ is truly
reigning, and that he may be expectedto restore the kingdom of David.
Others refer it to the destructionof Jerusalem, in which Christ appeared
taking vengeanceon the ingratitude of the nation. The former exposition is
admissible: the latter is too far-fetched. I look upon the consolationhere given
as addressedpeculiarly to the apostles. Christis said to come, when matters
are desperate, andhe grants relief. The commissionwhich they receivedwas
almost boundless:it was to spread the doctrine of the Gospelthrough the
whole world. Christ promises that he will come before they have traveled
through the whole of Judea: that is, by the power of his Spirit, he will shed
around his reign such luster, that the apostles will be enabled to discern that
glory and majesty which they had hitherto been unable to discover.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Calvin, John. "Commentary on Matthew 10:23". "Calvin's Commentary on
the Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cal/matthew-
10.html. 1840-57.

Scofield's ReferenceNotes
Son of man
(See Scofield"Matthew 8:20").
Copyright Statement
These files are consideredpublic domain and are a derivative of an electronic
edition that is available in the Online Bible Software Library.
Bibliography
Scofield, C. I. "ScofieldReferenceNoteson Matthew 10:23". "Scofield
Reference Notes(1917Edition)".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/srn/matthew-10.html. 1917.
James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary
A COUNSELOF PRUDENCE
‘When they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say
unto you, Ye shall not have gone overthe cities of Israel till the Sonof man be
come.’
Matthew 10:23

The text is a counselof prudence. The Gospelis no hare-brained or star-
gazing enthusiasm, but a religion sober, healthful, and sensible, taking
accountof circumstances, discriminating betweenmeans and ends, embracing
in its view time as well as eternity, the life that now is as wellas that which is
to come. Such is the counselof prudence.
I. The reason.—‘Forverily I sayunto you, ye shall not have gone over,’ or,
more literally, ‘ye shall not have finished’ or ‘completed the cities of Israeltill
the Sonof man be come.’The generalidea is plain. Do not court martyrdom;
do not make it a point of duty to stay out a localpersecution. If one place
refuses you, flee to another.
II. What coming of the Sonof man is in view?—Thesedisciples were being
sent out, it seems, on a sortof experimental mission through a regionthrough
which Christ Himself was about to follow them in person. The text might
mean that they must be expeditions, or He would overtake them before the
business on which they were sent was done. So narrow and prosaic an
interpretation will satisfy no one. It might mean that they must press forward
on their life-journey as heralds of Christ to the chosenpeople, or they would
be overtakenere that life-journey was accomplished, by the catastrophe which
must for everclose the opportunities of grace for the national Israel. But this
explanation also is felt to be inadequate. The ‘coming’ spokenof is the great
Advent, and the warning, parabolicaland typical in its language, is applicable
to all Christian work and to all Christian workmenin every land and age.
III. The work of Christ in the world will never be finished till He comes.—
Why?

(a) One reasonfor this lies in the mere sequence ofhuman generations. Births
and deaths are incessant. Everybirth introduces new work, and every death
removes, or ought to remove, an old workman. ‘One generationgoeth, and
another generationcometh,’but they are both on the stage at once during a
large part of the lifetime of each, and the board is never clearedfor a new
beginning.
(b) Another and a deeper reasonlies in the nature of the work. The most real
work of all—perhaps the only kind of work which is quite real—is that
intangible, impalpable thing which we call influence. The work that canbe
finished is always more or less mechanical. Influence is the thing which Christ
looks for, and it is an indefinite and so an interminable thing.
(c) We can see one other reason:it is the security thus given for the
salubriousness oflabour.
There might be something of elation, something certainly of satisfaction, in the
contemplation of work done. True indeed it is that when ‘the dead’ has ‘died
in the Lord,’ ‘his works “follow him,”’ still influencing and to influence a few
that miss and mourn him, a few more than these, perhaps even a Church or a
nation stirred by his memory into a brighter zeal and a deeper devotion. ‘But
where is boasting? It is excluded.’ By the thought, by the fact of the multitude
of the cities of Israel, and of the impossibility of compassing them, of the
incompleteness ofall work that is worth the name, and of the surprise which
interrupts it by the Advent or by the death.’
—DeanVaughan.
Illustration

‘Henry Martyn died at the age of one-and-thirty. Into those few years were
crowded, first the Grammar Schoolof Truro, with its noble memories of
Cardew, the master, and Kempthorne, the monitor; then the early start at
Cambridge, developing into the seniorwranglerof nineteen; then the
awakening piety, under influence of friendship and sorrow—the two most
powerful factors the father’s death and the sister’s pleading, the dead
Brainerd and the living Simeon; then the self-dedicationof the Ely ordination,
and the Sunday and weekdayministries at Lolworth and in Cambridge; then
the resolutionfor a missionarylife, and the thrilling anguish of the severance;
then the nine months’ voyage to India, with the battle scenes ofthe Cape and
the “fighting with beasts” onship board; then the four years’ministry at
Dinapore and Cawnpore, with its long toils in translating and its eagerefforts
to evangelise;then the baffled hopes and humble self-resignations;then the
cruel journeyings through Persia and Asia; at last the desolate deathat Tokat,
and the silence settling down upon the tomb in the land of strangers. How
mournful a commentary upon the “unfinished” work among the cities of
Israel! How incomplete man must acknowledgethat work, that toil, that
achievement!But were there, or were there not, twelve hours in that day?’
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Nisbet, James. "Commentaryon Matthew 10:23". Church Pulpit
Commentary. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cpc/matthew-
10.html. 1876.

John Trapp Complete Commentary
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.
Ver. 23. Flee ye into another] That is, make all the haste that may be, as Song
of Solomon8:14. Fuge, fuge, Brenti, cito, citius, citissime, so friendly did a
senatorof Hala advise Brentius. He did so, and thereby savedhis life. There
was one Laremouth, chaplain to Lady Ann of Cleve, a Scotchman, to whom in
prison it was said, as he thought, "Arise, and go thy ways." Whereto when he
gave no great heed at first, the secondtime it was so said. Upon this, as he fell
to his prayers, it was said the third time likewise to him; which was half an
hour after. So he, arising upon the same, immediately a piece of the prison
wall fell down; and as the officers came in at the outer gate of the prison, he
leaping over the ditch escaped. And in the way meeting a certainbeggar,
changedhis coatwith him, and coming to the sea shore, where he found a
vesselready to go over, was takenin, and escapedthe searchwhich was
straitly laid for him all the country over. Tertullian was too rigid in
condemning all kind of flight in time of persecution( Lib. de Fuga
Persecutionis).
Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel]This is another comfortto the
apostles and their successors,that though forcedto flee from city to city, yet
they shall still find harbour, and places of employment. They shall not have
finished, that is, taught and converted, all the cities of God’s Israel, both
according to the flesh, and according to the faith, till the Son of man be come
to judgment. See Matthew 24:30; Luke 21:27.

Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Trapp, John. "Commentary on Matthew 10:23". John Trapp Complete
Commentary. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jtc/matthew-
10.html. 1865-1868.
Sermon Bible Commentary
Matthew 10:23
We have here a precept, and a reasonfor it. Both are difficult. The precept is
unusual, and the reasonambiguous.
I. The precept is a precept of prudence. It says, There is a greatwork before
you—a work which requires workmen. The labourers are few at the best, and
they must not be made fewerby wanton self-sacrifices. Think of the work,
think of the object, think of souls, think of the Saviour; think of these more
than of yourselves. Martyrdom itself may be a sublime selfishness, enthusiasm
may exaggerate evensacrifice;or, at least, the sacrifice of the life may be
nobler, more heroic, more divine than the sacrifice ofthe death. Each as God
wills; but you must interpret the will of God by the exigencies ofthe work.
Flight may be courage, ifit be flight for Christ and with Christ.

II. The work of Christ in the world will never be finished till He comes. Not
only will the workmen, one by one, be removed by death—the work itself will
be cut short, unfinished, by the advent of Christ. "Ye shall not have finished
the cities of Israel, till the Son of Man be come." Our Lord thus ministers to
our necessities by warning us againstseveralmistakes whichare apt to spoil
and ruin true work. One of these is the demand beforehand for a roundness
and completeness ofdefined duty, which is not often to be found, and which
must certainly not be waited for. The life and work, and the Christ-work of
which this text tells, are never finished till the Son of man comes. (1) One
reasonfor this lies in the mere sequence of human generations. Births and
deaths are incessant. "One generationgoeth, and another generation
cometh," but they are both on the stage atonce during a large part of the
lifetime of earth, and the board is never clearedfor a new beginning. (2)
Another and a deeperreasonlies in the nature of the work. The most real
work of all is the intangible, impalpable thing which we callinfluence.
Influence is the thing which Christ looks for, and it is an indefinite, and so an
interminable thing. (3) We can see one other reasonfor this arrangement—
the incompleteness ofall work that is worth the name; and it is the security
thus given for the salubriousness oflabour.
C. J. Vaughan, Contemporary Pulpit, vol. viii., p. 257.
Reference:Matthew 10:23.—H. Ware, Expositor, 2nd series, vol. ii., p. 202.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography

Nicoll, William R. "Commentary on Matthew 10:23". "SermonBible
Commentary". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/sbc/matthew-
10.html.
Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible
Matthew 10:23. But when they persecute you, &c.— "Let not the persecutions
that you are to meet with, in any period of your ministry, discourage you:but
when you are sore pressedin any one city, flee to another, where you will meet
with an asylum: for I assure you, in spite of all opposition, your labours shall
be attended with such success,that you shall not have gone over the cities of
Israeltill the Son of Man be come;" that is to say, according to the general
interpretation, "before he comes to execute vengeance upon the Jews, by the
destruction of their devoted city." The destruction of Jerusalemby Titus is
often calledthe coming of the sonof man. See ch. Matthew 24:27;Matthew
24:37;Matthew 24:39;Matthew 24:44. Luke 18:8. Macknightdiffers from
this interpretation, and gives the following:"Before ye have carried the glad
tidings of the Gospelto the severalcities of Israel, my kingdom shall be
establishedin many places;so that in the midst of the hottest persecution, you
may always expectto find some who will befriend you." See Olearius, and
Whitby.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Coke, Thomas. "Commentaryon Matthew 10:23". Thomas Coke
Commentary on the Holy Bible.

https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tcc/matthew-10.html. 1801-
1803.
Expository Notes with PracticalObservations onthe New Testament
Our Saviour here directs his apostles to a prudent care for their own
preservation, and allows them to flee in time of persecution;assuring them,
that before they had gone through all the cities of the Jews, preaching the
gospel, he would certainly come in judgment againstJerusalem, and with
severity destroy his own murderers and their persecutors.
Learn, That Christ allows his ministers the liberty of flight in time of
persecution, that they may preserve their lives for future service. Surely it is
no shame to fly, when our Captain commands it, and also practises it,
Matthew 2. Christ by his own example has sanctifiedthat state of life unto us,
and by his command made it lawful for us.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Burkitt, William. "Commentary on Matthew 10:23". ExpositoryNotes with
PracticalObservations onthe New Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/wbc/matthew-10.html. 1700-
1703.

Golden Chain Commentary on the Gospels
"But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say
unto you, Ye shall not have gone overthe cities of Israel, till the Son of man be
come."
Chrys.: Having foretold the fearful things which should come upon them after
His Cross, resurrection, andascension, He leads them to gentler prospects;He
does not bid them presumptuously to offer themselves for persecution, but to
fly from it; "When they persecute you in this city, flee ye to another." For
because this was the first beginning of their conversion, He adapts His words
to their state.
Jerome:This must be referred to the time when the Apostles were sent to
preach, when it was saidto them, "Go not into the way of the Gentiles;" they
should not fear, but may shun persecution. This we see the believers did in the
beginning, when on a persecutionarising in Jerusalemthey were scattered
throughout all Judaea, and thus the seasonoftribulation was made the
seedtime of the Gospel.
Aug., cont. Faust., xxii, 36:Not that the Saviour was unable to protect His
disciples, does He here bid them fly, and Himself give them an example of it,
but He instructed man"s weakness, thathe should not presume to tempt God,
when he has anything that he cando for himself, but should shun all evils.
Aug., City of God, book 1, ch. 22:He might have suffered them to lay violent
hands upon themselves, that they might not fall into the hands of their
persecutors. Thereforeif He neither commanded nor allowedthis mode of
departure from this world to His own, for whom He Himself had promised

that He would prepare an eternal mansion; whateverinstances may be
brought by the Gentiles who know not God, it is clearthat this is not lawful
for those who believe one true God.
Chrys.: But that they should not say, What then if we fly from persecution,
and againthey castus out thence whither we have fled? To remove this fear,
He says, "Verily, I say unto you, ye shall not have completed, &c." that is, ye
shall not have made the circuit of Palestine and return to Me, before I shall
take you to Me.
Raban.:Or; He foretels that they shall not have brought all the cities of Israel
to the faith by their preaching, before the Lord"s resurrectionbe
accomplished, and a commissiongiven them to preachthe Gospelthroughout
the world.
Hilary: Otherwise;He exhorts to fly from place to place;for His preaching
driven from Judaea, first passing into Greece;then, weariedwith divers
sufferings of the Apostles up and down the cities of Greece,it takes an abiding
refuge in the rest of the Gentile world. But to shew that the Gentiles would
believe the preaching of the Apostles, but that the remnant of Israelshould
only believe at His secondcoming, He adds, "Ye shall not have completed the
cities of Israel;" i.e. After the fulness of the Gentiles is brought in, that which
remains of Israel to fill up the number of the Saints shall be calledinto the
Church in Christ"s future coming to glory.
Aug., Ep. 228:Let the servants of Christ then do as He commanded, or
permitted them; as He fled into Egypt, let them fly from city to city, whenever
any one of them is marked out for persecution;that the Church be not
deserted, it will be filled by those who are not so sought after; and let these
give sustenance to their fellow-servants whomthey know cannot live by any

other means. But when the threatening danger is common to all, Bishops,
clergy, and laity, let not those who have need of aid be deserted by those
whose aid they require.
Either therefore let them all pass to some stronghold, or let those who are
obliged to remain, not be desertedby those whose province it is to supply their
ecclesiasticalneeds;that they may either all live, or all suffer whatevertheir
Masterwill have them to suffer.
Remig.:Be it known moreover, that as this precept respecting endurance
under persecutionspecially belongs to the Apostles and their successors, men
of fortitude, so the permission to fly is sufficiently proper for the weak in the
faith, to whom the tender Mastercondescends,lestif they should offer
themselves for martyrdom, under the pain they should deny the faith; and the
sin of flight is lighter than that of denial. But though by their flight they
shewedthat they had not the constancyof perfect faith, yet their desert was
great, seeing they were ready to leave all for Christ. So that if He had not
given them permission to fly, some would have said that they were aliens from
the glory of the heavenly kingdom.
Jerome:Spiritually, we may say; When they shall persecute you in one book
or one passageofScripture, let us flee to other volumes, for however
contentious the adversarymay be, protection will come from the Saviour
before the victory is yielded to the enemy.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Aquinas, Thomas. "Commentaryon Matthew 10:23". "GoldenChain
Commentary on the Gospel".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/gcc/matthew-10.html.
Heinrich Meyer's Critical and ExegeticalCommentaryon the New Testament
Matthew 10:23. ταύτῃ and τὴν ἄλλην are to be understood δεικτιῶς. Jesus
points with the finger in the direction of various towns. Your sphere is large
enough to admit of your retreating before persecutionin order to save others.
γάρ] A ground of encouragementfor such perseverance.
οὐ μὴ τελέσητε, κ. τ. λ.] You will not have completedyour visits to the towns
of the people of Israel;i.e., you will not have accomplishedin all of them your
mission, associatedas it will be with such flights from town to town Comp. the
analogous use ofἀνύειν (Raphel, Krebs, Loesner, on this passage), explere, in
Tibull. i. 4. 69 (Heyne, Obss. p. 47);consummare, in Flor. i. 18. 1 (see Ducker
on the passage). The interpretation: to bring to Christian perfection
(Maldonatus, Zeger, Jansen, following Hilary; Hofmann, Weissag. u. Erfüll.
II. p. 267 f.), is an erroneous makeshift, by way of removing the second
coming farther into the future. Observe that here, too, as in Matthew 10:5, the
apostolic ministry is still confined to Israel.
ἕως ἂν ἔλθῃ] until the Sonof man will have come, i.e. the Messiah, suchas He
has been promised in Daniel’s vision (Matthew 8:20), who will then put an end
to your troubles, and receive you into the glory of His kingdom. Jesus means
neither more nor less than His secondcoming (Matthew 24), which He
announces even at this early stage, andas being so near, that Matthew 24:14,

and even Matthew 26:28, are not to be reconciledwith this view. Different
elements of the tradition, which, in the course ofexperience, came to view the
prospectas more remote,—a tradition, however, that was still the product of
the existing γενεά (Matthew 24:34, Matthew 14:28). The interpretations which
explain awaythe final coming, content themselves, some with the idea of a
vague coming after or coming to their help (Chrysostom, Theophylact, Euth.
Zigabenus, Beza, Kuinoel; even Origen and Theodoret, Heracleonin
Cramer’s Cat. p. 78);others with the coming through the Holy Spirit (Calvin,
Grotius, Calovius, Bleek), orwith supposing that the, as yet too remote,
destruction of Jerusalemis referred to (Michaelis, Schott, Glöckler, Ebrard,
Gess);and others, again, explaining it allegoricallyofthe victory of Christ’s
cause (Baumgarten-Crusius). On the prediction of the secondcoming itself,
see on ch. 24.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Meyer, Heinrich. "Commentary on Matthew 10:23". Heinrich Meyer's
Critical and ExegeticalCommentary on the New Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/hmc/matthew-10.html. 1832.
Johann Albrecht Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament
Matthew 10:23. τὴν ἄλλην— κἂν ἐκ ταύτης διώκωσινὑμᾶς φεύγετε εἰς
ἑτέραν, the other(469)—andif they persecute you from this city, flee ye into
another) This is the most ancient Latin reading,(470)and also that of
Orige(471)(472)contra Celsum (p. 51, Ed. Hoesch.(473)), where, insteadof

φεύγετε εἰς τὴν ἄλλην” [as in E.M.], we find φεύγετε εἰς τὴν ἑτέραν· κἂνἐν τῇ
ἑτέρᾳ δίωκωσι, πάλιν φεύγετε εἰς τὴν ἄλλην.” Flee ye into the other;(474) and
if they persecute you in that other, flee ye againinto the other.(475)Francis
Lucas(476)ofBruges quotes old Latin Codices in favour of that reading.
Thence, too, the Anglo-Saxon versionhas—“andthonne hi on thœre eovv
ehtath, fleoth on tha thryddan;” i.e. “and when they persecute you in that
[city], flee to the third.” Ambrose(477)also, in his treatise, De Fugâ Seculi (ch.
4), says, “But if they shall persecute you in one, flee ye into another.” And
Juvencus(478)renders the passagethus:—
“Profugite e tectis quæ vos sectabitur urbis
Inde aliam, mox INDE ALIAM, conquirite sedem.”
“Flee from the roofs of the city which persecutes you;thence seek anotherand
THEN AGAIN ANOTHER abode.” Thus Augustine; thus the Armenian
Version. The Codex Cantabrigiensis, the Codices Colbertini 2467 and 3947,
Parisiensis 6, and the CodexStephani η (to which some add the Codex
Gonvillianus), contain this passagein various forms of words. The variety of
the Greek words(479)suggeststhe suspicionthat this verse has been rendered
from Latin into Greek:on the other hand, the antiquity and celebrity of the
Latin text is proved by the very multitude and discrepancyof these Greek
codices. The omissionappears to have arisenfrom the carelessnessso
frequently manifestedby transcribers, where similar words recur: the facility
with which the mistake may occur, appears from the fact that Gelenius, in his
Latin version of Orige(480), omits this very clause [which undoubtedly exists
in the original]. Athanasius more than once substitutes ἑτέραν for ἄλλην, as is
at present the case withthe CodexColbertinus, and from which you may
conjecture, that another omission(481)might soonbe made by other
transcribers.

οὐ μὴ τελέσητε, ye shall not finish(482)) cf. ‫)384(,הלכ‬in 2 Chronicles 31:1.—
τὰς πόλεις, the cities)not to say, villages, of Israel.—SeeMatthew 10:6. Our
Lord tells them that there was no fear of their not having where to preach,
and that they were not to remain long in one place, as they would have the
opportunity of remaining longer in other places.— ἕως ἄν ἔλθη ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ
ἀνθρώπου, until the Son of Man be come)Concerning this coming, see
Matthew 10:7; Matthew 11:1.(484)
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Bengel, JohannAlbrecht. "Commentary on Matthew 10:23". Johann
Albrecht Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jab/matthew-10.html. 1897.
Matthew Poole's EnglishAnnotations on the Holy Bible
Whether this text at all warrants ministers’ flight in a time of persecutionI
doubt; it seemethto be a specialcommand given to the apostles, that they
might have a time before the coming of Christ, here spokenof, to preach the
gospeloverall the cities of Israel. But that in some casesit is lawful to flee I do
not at all doubt, though I do question whether it be to be warranted from this
text. What those casesare is largelydiscoursed, particularly by Mr. Torshell.
Generally it is said, wherever the glory of God, or the goodof others, calls to
us for such a flight. But what may be judged such cases is a more particular
question. Augustine to Honoratus speakethwellin the case. Ministers ought
not to flee rashly, nor out of cowardice, northat they might live elsewhere

lazily, nor when their flight will betray the church of God: not where the
persecutionis general;but where the persecutionis particular, againstsome
of them, and there will be enough left for the care of the church in their
absence, andwith the consentof the church, they may flee. But this is too
large a case to be spokento here; especiallyconsidering (as I said) that I do
not think that any flight is to be justified from this text, the precept being
particular for specialreasons.
Till the Son of man be come. There is a wonderful variety of interpreters’
senses ofthis text, founded upon the various comings of Christ mentioned in
holy writ. He was already come in the flesh, so as it, speaking of a time to
come, could not be meant of that: nor can it be understood of his second
coming to judgment, for they have gone through the cities of Israel long ago.
Christ is therefore said in Scripture to come, when he appeareth in some great
work of providence, whether of judgment or mercy. This makes some
interpret it of the destruction of Jerusalem;in which sense some think the
coming of Christ is mentioned, Matthew 24:1-51. Some, of the resurrection of
Christ, from whence they say Christ’s epocha commenced. Others understand
it of the effusion of the Spirit in the day of Pentecost;this they ground on John
14:17,18, where they think Christ’s coming, promised John 14:18, is the
coming of the Spirit, promised John 14:17. Undoubtedly, in the general, our
Saviour means, till the time be accomplishedwhen you must leave preaching
to the Jews and go to the Gentiles, and my kingdom shall be further extended
than it is at present; which dispensationof God may for aught I know be
calledthe coming of Christ, being an eminent actof God’s providence, by
which Christ was more showedto the world, and his kingdom further
extended.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Poole, Matthew, "Commentaryon Matthew 10:23". Matthew Poole's English
Annotations on the Holy Bible.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/mpc/matthew-10.html. 1685.
Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament
Be come; to deliver his people and take vengeance onhis foes. The primary
reference of these words is to Christ’s providential coming to destroythe
Jewishstate and nation by the hand of the Romans. But this foreshadowedhis
final coming to take vengeance onall the wicked. When greatlyopposedin
one place, it is not always a mark of wisdom or goodnessto stay there; nor is it
any evidence of want of courage or fidelity sometimes to flee, evenif, in order
to do it, a person should, like Paul, be let down by a wall in a basket. 2
Corinthians 11:23.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Edwards, Justin. "Commentary on Matthew 10:23". "FamilyBible New
Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/fam/matthew-
10.html. American TractSociety. 1851.

Cambridge Greek Testamentfor Schools andColleges
23. ὅτανδὲ διώκωσινὑμᾶς. Such words indicate that these ‘instructions’ have
a far wider range than the immediate mission of the Apostles. They are
prophetic, bringing both warning and consolationto all ages ofthe Church.
ἕως ἂν ἔλθῃ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου. The passagein Luke 21, which is to a great
extent parallel to this, treats of the destruction of Jerusalem;and no one who
carefully weighs our Lord’s words canfail to see that in a realsense He came
in the destruction of Jerusalem. Thatevent was in truth the judgment of
Christ falling on the unrepentant nation. In this sense the Gospelhad not been
preachedto all the cities of Israelbefore Christ came. But all these words
point to a more distant future. The work of Christian missions is going on,
and will still continue until Christ comes againto a final judgment.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
"Commentary on Matthew 10:23". "Cambridge Greek Testamentfor Schools
and Colleges".https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cgt/matthew-
10.html. 1896.
Whedon's Commentary on the Bible
23. Persecute youin this city — Our Lord now momentarily reverts to the
present trial and specimen mission upon which they are just proceeding. It is

to towns and cities, rather than to rural districts, that they are going. Nay,
they are commencing, as it were, the entire circuit (which they will never
complete)of the cities of Palestine. Theyhave no time to delay and fight the
battle in cities that reject them. Driven from one city, let them hastento
another. They will not have visited even then all the cities of Israelbefore their
specialmissionto Israelwill be closed. Jesus willcome at his resurrection, and
give them a new commissionfor all the nations of the earth.
The command to flee was little accordantwith a false human courage. Buta
heroism such as the world admires is not what Christ required. Christians
who actedfrom the spirit of opposition, or the love of glory, were very apt to
apostatize in the time of danger. The true martyr never sought death; never
made a display of heroism; and never failed when, reposing faith in Christ, he
meekly suffered for his name.
The Son of man — We have before remarked that this epithet was usually
applied to our Lord by himself alone. See note on Matthew 8:20. Its first
application to the Messiahis in Daniel 7:13 : “I saw in the night visions, and
behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to
the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was
given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom,” etc.
Upon this passagewe may remark:
1. The Jews of all ages applied this pictorial description to their future
Messiah. Our Saviour, therefore, in claiming this title, and habitually
applying it to himself, claimed the title of Messiah.

2. This picture and title intimate that the Messiahwould possessa human
nature, and spring from a human origin, and therefore refer primarily to the
humility of the Messiah. With a pure humility, therefore, does our Lord make
it his ownhabitual epithet for himself.
3. Yet the title includes also his exaltation and glorification. He is seen“in the
clouds of heaven.” He is led as a Son into the presence and before the throne
of his FatherAlmighty. There is he invested with a divine royalty. Beneath
him is placeda kingdom universal and eternal. This is the kingdom of heaven,
yet it rules over the earth, comprehending authority over all nations.
4. This scenic picture has a complete fulfilment in the resurrectionand
ascensionof Christ; when coming in body from the tomb, and in soul from
Hades, he announced that all powerwas given to him, and ascendedto the
presence in glorified state of the Father Almighty. There was he invested with
a universal kingdom, and took his seaton the right hand of the majesty of
God. There shall he reign until he has subdued all enemies under his feet.
Compare note on Matthew 16:28, and Matthew 28:18.
Till the Son of man be come — The apostles will not have gone over the cities
of Israel till that coming, foreseenby Daniel, shall have withdrawn them from
their specialmission to Israel, and given them a mission to the world.
Of this expression, till the Sonof man be come, very different interpretations
have been given by commentators.
It has been referred to the judgment day, or secondadvent of Christ to judge
the world. But this event did not take place in a shorter period than was
requisite for the apostles to have gone over all the cities of Israel.

It is referred, however, by the greatbody of commentators, to the destruction
of Jerusalem. Thus Stier gives a very plausible exposition, importing that the
apostles will not be able to complete the circuit of Israel before that Christ, by
his providence, will have overthrown the Jewishstate, and have abolished the
externalities of the Jewishdispensation. NeverthelessI am unable to adopt
this view, as I shall show more fully in my notes on Matthew 24, 25. I will here
remark, that the destruction of Jerusalemis, I think, nowhere called the
coming of Christ. There is nothing in that event to render it a terminus of the
past, or a commencementof the future. Judaism ended at the crucifixion. At
that moment her ritual, her sacrifices,her temple, her priesthood, her whole
status, were null, and nothing in the world. The resurrectionand ascension
were the inauguration of the new dispensation. And what explains this clause
speciallyis, that then the cities of Israelwere no longer the circumscribed field
of the apostolic mission, but a universal commissionwas given. Hence it is that
our Lord charges his apostles that, with the speediestcircuit, they would not
have gone over the cities of Israeltill the Son of man be come. Compare note
on Matthew 16:28, and Matthew 28:18.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Whedon, Daniel. "Commentary on Matthew 10:23". "Whedon's Commentary
on the Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/whe/matthew-
10.html. 1874-1909.

PeterPett's Commentary on the Bible
“But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next, for truly I sayto
you, You will not have gone through (literally ‘finished’) the towns of Israel,
till the Son of man be come.”
The disciples are not to allow persecutionto depress them, rather they are to
see it as a spur driving them on. The principle is clear. Where a whole city is
againstthem they are to move on to the next. Forthe task is so great, and the
labourers are so few, and there are so many towns to be reached, that they
will not have coveredall that need to be coveredprior to the ‘coming’ of the
Son of Man. It should here be noted that the emphasis of the words is not on
the coming of the Son of Man, but on the urgency and size of the task ahead.
It is a never ending one which will never be fully accomplished, and one in
which the most fruitful opportunities must be taken, while on the other hand
the dogs must not be given what is holy, and pearls must not be castbefore
swine.
Note especiallyJesus’commandnot to invite persecution. Theyare if possible
to flee from it. Notbecause they are cowards but because theyare thinking of
what is best for the spreading of the truth (compare how Jesus also knew how
to strategicallywithdraw - Matthew 12:15;Matthew 14:13;Matthew 15:21;
Matthew 4:12). Many a Christian has died in persecutionwho should have
fled and lived, just as many have lived (by renouncing Christ) who should
have died. Some have stoodand bravely facedmartyrdom because they felt
that their position required it of them. It encouragedthe flock who might have
been devastatedby desertion. And in many casesthey were right. The balance
is a fine one, but we must ever remember that Jesus did teachus to pray, ‘do
not leadme into testing’ (Matthew 6:13). Courting persecutionfor its own
sake is not godly. Accepting it humbly and with joy when it necessarilycomes
is extremely godly. Then we should ‘rejoice and be exceedinglyglad’
(Matthew 5:11). (Although in the end our judgments on others in this regard,

once their decisionis made, should be left to God. He guides some in one way
and some in another. None, however, should actually seek persecution).
This ‘difficult’ verse has been interpreted in a number of ways, although the
principle behind it is clear, and the main difficulty rests on the meaning of the
words ‘until the Son of Man comes’. But this must certainly be seenin the
light of the context (as revealedby the chiasmus) where there is a great
emphasis on heavenly realities (Matthew 10:26; Matthew 10:32-33)and on
eternal judgment (Matthew 10:26;Matthew 10:28), and on man’s
accountability to the Fatherin Heaven, where the ‘confession’ ordenial by the
Son will be so important to every one (Matthew 10:32-33). This suggests that
‘Son of Man’ must therefore be seenin this ‘heavenly’ context. With that in
mind we must now ask ourselves, whatdoes ‘the coming of the Sonof Man’
refer to?
* One possibility is that ‘the Son of Man’ is the equivalent of ‘I’. Compare its
use in Matthew 8:20; Matthew 16:13 where He is simply referring to Himself
by the title, although undoubtedly with the humiliation that the Son of Man
(and Servant) must suffer in view. Thus on this view He would be saying, ‘I
am sending you out and will not be with you for a while, for I also am going
out to preach(Matthew 11:1), but I will shortly come to you again, and you
can be sure that that will be long before you have been able to coverall the
towns in Israelwho are open to receiving you, even if you move quickly from
one to the other. Do not therefore be held up by towns who are unwilling to
listen to you, but go on to those who will welcome you, for you will certainly
not have time even then to coverthem all’. This view is strongly supported by
the factthat up to this point Matthew has only depicted Jesus as speaking of
‘the Son of Man’ as Himself as One Who is presenton earth (Matthew 8:20;
Matthew 9:6). But it does ignore the stress onthe heavenly in the context.

* Some think that in these words He is seeing aheadto the fact that Galilee
and Israelas a whole will not have been fully evangelisedbefore the invasion
of Palestine and the siege ofJerusalemforecastby Jesus have taken place.
They suggestthat in the light of Matthew 23:37 to Matthew 24:22;Matthew
26:64 that event itself may then be seenas ‘the Son of Man coming’ in order
to manifest to the chief priests and elders the fact that He has indeed received
His powerand authority as the Son of Man at the throne of God (Matthew
26:64;Daniel 7:13-14). Indeed some see Matthew 24:27 (compare Luke 17:22-
37) as speaking ofthose events, that is as indicating that the destruction of
Jerusalemwill happen as a result of ‘the Son of Man coming with the speedof
lightning’ (with lightning emphasising suddenness rather than light, although
any light could be a spiritual one as in Matthew 4:16, and only observedby
those who ‘see’). The siege ofJerusalemmay not shake us, but it certainly
shook the world of that day, and its ramifications were in different ways huge,
both for JewishChristianity and for Judaism. It freed the church from its last
ties with Jerusalem.
We should notice that the connectionof the siege ofJerusalemwith ‘the
coming of the Sonof Man’ is also further supported in the context of chapter
24, for it then goes onto speak about the Son of Man manifesting even greater
powerin a further glorious appearance (Matthew 24:30)when the believers
among those scatteredpeople who have since been evangelisedhave to be
gatheredin (Matthew 24:31). We should note in this regard that Matthew uses
the expression‘the Son of Man coming in His Kingly Rule’ where Mark 9:1
speaks of‘the Kingly Rule of God coming in Power’(i.e. in the resurrected
Christ and the Holy Spirit), and Luke speaks of‘seeing the Kingly Rule of
God’ (Luke 9:27; compare Matthew 26:64). The idea there would seem to be
of the manifestationof His Kingly Rule in power by the events that result in
Acts onwards. But it supports the idea that to Matthew ‘the coming of the Son
of Man’ is parallelto ‘the coming of the Kingly Rule’.

Thus Jesus may be seenas arguing for the need for haste, with no delay,
because ofthe factthat the scattering of the lost sheepof the house of Israel
far and wide at the time of the destruction of Jerusalemwill leave even more
towns to be visited. Indeed He may be seenas declaring that in order to reach
them it will then be necessaryfor the Gospelto be proclaimed in ‘the whole
inhabited earth’ (Matthew 24:14; compare Acts 2:5), with the final result
being that at His secondcoming He will have to gatherthe electfrom the four
winds of Heaven.
That being so the ‘coming of the Son of Man’ here in Matthew 10:23 may be
intended to signify that the Son of Man will shortly come in speedy judgment
on Palestine and Jerusalem(Matthew 24:27, there could be no siege of
Jerusalemwithout a bitter war throughout the whole of Palestine, as events
would prove), which would explain why at present there can be no delay
allowedin their outreach. For once the people are scatteredto all nations
(Luke 21:24), and that happened to a shatteredGalilee as well as to a
devastatedJerusalem, the evangelisationof them will depend on going to all
nations (Mark 13:10).
For while it is true that He has not yet spokenof it we must remember here
that later on He will make clearin no uncertain terms the devastating
judgment that is coming on Jerusalem(Matthew 23:37 to Matthew 24:22) and
should note in this regardthe warning that He will give to the chief priests
concerning their seeing ‘the Son of Man come to receive heavenly power on
the clouds of Heaven’ (Matthew 26:64), an event which will in some way be
manifested to them. And what greaterdemonstrationcould there have been
than the destructionof their holy city?
* Others think that He is talking of the time when He will come as the Son of
Man to His Father’s throne immediately after His resurrection (Daniel7:13-
14), to be declaredboth Lord and Messiah(Acts 2:36), after which He will

return in personto be with His disciples in glorious poweras they go out to
reachall the towns in the world (Matthew 28:19-20), and will then reveal
Himself as the Son of Man to His people through Stephen, being then revealed
in all His glory (Acts 7:55-56). This interpretation would be typical of
Matthaeaneschatologicallanguage(compare Matthew 16:28;Matthew 26:64
with Mark 9:1; Luke 9:27; Luke 22:69). We should remember againin this
regard that Matthew uses the expression‘the Sonof Man coming in His
Kingly Rule’ where Mark 9:1 speaks of‘the Kingly Rule of God coming in
Power’(i.e. in the resurrectedChrist and the Holy Spirit), and Luke speaks of
‘seeing the Kingly Rule of God’ (Luke 9:27; compare Matthew 26:64). The
idea there would seem to be of the manifestation of His Kingly Rule in power
by the events that result in Acts onwards.
* Others think that He had a foreboding that the towns of Israelwould never
be satisfactorilyevangelised, simply because ofthe historicalevents that
would overtake them, even by the time of His secondcoming. Thus He knew
within Himself that they would never run out of towns to evangelise. Certainly
their full evangelisationwas neveraccomplished, and has not been to this day,
so that the promise cannotbe saidto have failed in fulfilment. (We must also
remember that He specificallystatedthat He did not know the time of His
secondcoming, a statement that no one else could possibly have made up -
Mark 13:32).
* One thing, however, we should note, and that is that at the time of writing
Matthew must have had no doubt that either this had been fulfilled, or that it
was a valid claim which he saw as still capable of fulfilment. For in a passage
where he was very much selecting his material, he would hardly have cited it
otherwise.
Whichever view we take we should note the truth behind all the views. There
were certainly so many to be reachedthat they would not be able to cover

Jesus was urging his men to flee from foes

Jesus was urging his men to flee from foes

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Similar to Jesus was urging his men to flee from foes

Similar to Jesus was urging his men to flee from foes (20)

More from GLENN PEASE

More from GLENN PEASE (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (17)

Jesus was urging his men to flee from foes