The Exposition of Matthew (Matthew 10:17-42)
(The Kingdom)
Questions to be answered in this study
- What did Jesus mean when He said, believers are to be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves.”
- Jesus warns the disciples that they are being sent out “like sheep among wolves.” What did He mean?
- Why should we rejoice when we are embroiled in trials?
- How are trials/difficulties different in serving Jesus today from those in the time of Jesus?
- What are the two warnings Jesus’ gives his disciples concerning their mission?
- Speaking to His disciples, Jesus says, “those who endure to the end shall be saved.” That sounds like Jesus may be talking about salvation. Is that what He meant?
- What assurances do we have that we need not go through life in fear?
- Where is the best place to find joy and peace?
- What are the great promises of Ephesians 2:5-7 that every believer can rely on beginning today?
Introduction
Previously, we have talked about the Mandate, Message, Method, approach, and attitude of presenting the Gospel. Today we wind up with the Affliction of presenting the Gospel; this covers verse 17 through verse 42, to the end of chapter 10. Last time we also studied the Attitude of Jesus, the same we should have as we serve Him in His kingdom program. Jesus was using similes, (figures of speech, that compare two unlike things) to instruct His disciples on how to behave in their ministry. For instance, believers are to be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” What does this mean? As we share the Gospel to a hostile world, we must be wise, avoiding the snares that Satan will set for us. We must be innocent, living a godly life, and serving the Lord without blame. Just before He tells them to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves, He warns them that they are being sent out “like sheep among wolves.” this is not deceptive but just using a good sense of where and how we present the Gospel. As we bring the Gospel to others, we enter a world where the enemy has the advantage, like a wolf, which is out to destroy the sheep. The devil and his demons aim to destroy our witness with “Affliction.”
Wisdom is learning to avoid Satan’s interference. By combining shrewdness and innocence, we defeat the enemy and maintain an effective witness. Jesus is also warning His disciples that there is danger on the spiritual battlefield. We must be willing to face affliction and even suffer losses. The more we become involved in the Kingdom’s work, the greater the affliction coming from the enemy. We need to take into consideration if we are willing to pay the cost of serving Jesus? Many believers today reframe from following Jesus for whatever the reason.
So, in the last section of this chapter, Jesus explains to His disciples the cost of serving Him in the Kingdom Program, which can result in personal affliction as we see in the following verses:
Matthew 10:17-23, “But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; 18And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. 19But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. 20For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. 21And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. 22And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. 23But 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.”
In today’s study, Jesus warns of the imminent Affliction coming on His disciples. Jesus gives no way out of Affliction only provides a way to endure it. According to James, trials are opportunities. Here is what he says: “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations,” James 1:2. The usual thing to do would be to mummer and complain, but James rejoices in them. Why should we rejoice when we are embroiled in trials? We don’t grow in Christ when everything is friendly and pleasant; we grow when problems come along, and we trust God more, we build our faith, our resistance grows stronger, we become spiritually stronger and become better warriors for Christ.
Jesus gives His disciples two warnings in verses 17-18; the first is in verse 17. They are warned that they would be handed over to courts, whipped in the synagogues, and brought before kings. That, of course, was related to the time when Jesus was on earth. Today trials are different than in the time of Jesus. You might find the greatest resistance among liberal church members, but also from government and other agencies who are against anything concerning God. In vs.19-20, Jesus gives instructions to His disciple on responding when standing before synagogue trials and kings. They would be told what to say by the Holy Spirit when the time came. In Luke, Jesus forbids His disciples from planning for situations resulting from their witness: “But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake. 13And it shall turn to you for a testimony. 14Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: 15For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.” Luke 21:12-15 (KJV),
Jesus assures His disciples in these verses that His purpose would be fulfilled and not to worry because He would give them wisdom that would cause their adversaries not to resist. Through the ages, and up until this very day, the Kingdom of God has been opposed. There were more martyrs in the past century than all history put together. Today, Christians are estranged from their family in many parts of the world, persecuted, and killed because of their faith. After the ascension of Jesus into heaven, the apostles faced great opposition, but it did not keep the church from growing.
We see some of the growth and resistance in Acts 4:4-14 (KJV), “Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand. 5And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes, 6And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. 7And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, by what power, or by what name, have ye done this? 8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, 9If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; 10Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. 13Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. 14And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.”
Regardless of opposition, 1,000s were being added to the church, and the church was being strengthened. History has proved them that when opposition comes, the church grows stronger, and when everything is soft and easy, it grows weaker. That is also true for individuals. Sad to say that today the church is soft and uninvolved in many cases and is leaning more and more toward liberalism and worldliness.
In the following verses in Matthew, persecution is expanded to include the personal:
Matthew 10:21-22, “And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. 22And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.”
In verses 21-22, Jesus’ gives his second warning, which goes from societal opposition to personal opposition. Jesus warns not only will governments and authorities oppose you but so will your friends and even your own family. Brothers will deliver their brothers up to death, and children shall rise against their parents. As I said earlier, that is happening now in parts of the world. In v.22, Jesus tells the apostles would be universally hated for their work. We know, according to history, that it would finally require their life with the possible exception of the Apostle John. The cost those men paid establishing and forwarding the church was beyond anything we today have ever experienced. Jesus offers two consolations to His disciples: First, He says, “those who endure to the end shall be saved.” That sounds like it depends on the believer to make sure he is saved until the end by his good works, which some believe. But that is not what Jesus means. We know from Paul’s epistle to the Romans that salvation is by grace through faith only and not of works. So, what did Jesus mean?
Adrien Rogers used to say, “The faith that fizzles before the finish had a flaw from the first.” True faith never fizzles. Those who last to the end are the true disciples. We know that that there was one among the twelve that was not a true disciple, Judas. So, Jesus is not speaking about receiving eternal life; He is talking about true disciples who will receive their rewards by being faithful to the end. In Greek, the word “end” means tribute or reward. In this case, eternal rewards for serving Christ; this is a good paraphrase of this verse: “Those who endure until the end of his race will see his reward preserved.” That is what James meant when he said. “Count it joy when you endure trials knowing endurance brings reward.”
Secondly, Jesus says in verse 23, the apostles should keep on the go, not staying in one place too long to avoid the opposition; this was the example Jesus set. He was constantly moving through the towns, villages, and cities of Israel. The instructions to His disciples run contrary to today’s prosperity preachers who claim that God wants His children to be rich and have soft cushy lives. But you must first send your offerings to them to have multiple homes, expensive cars and fly around the world in private jets. If riches, a soft life, and happiness are your highest priority in life, better think twice about becoming involved in the kingdom work because you will likely face much opposition from the world at large, including friends and family.
In many places, the Bible teaches believers are not to go through life in the state of fear; the next verses are some of those:
Matthew 10:26-33, “Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. 27What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. 28And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 30But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. 32Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.”
Fear is the opposite of faith and trust in God. It is a sin because it is evidence of the lack of faith in God’s power to deliver and His plan and purpose. Matthew begins with Jesus’ revelation of the sovereignty of almighty God, who knows all things of which nothing is hidden from Him. Jesus is saying in essence that the truth being preached will not always be rejected but one day believed by all. We are not to be overly concerned about what is going on all around us but to trust in God. We, as believers, need not fear because we already know the end. Sometimes I watch an old movie I’ve seen before, one that usually keeps you on the edge of your seat, but I can watch and relax because I already know the ending. We can also relax because we know in the end, Jesus will have complete victory, and we will share that victory with Him. Proclaim the Gospel from the rooftops caring less what the world thinks. No matter what comes of us on earth, the victory in Christ Jesus is ours. Many, as it says in verse 28, are worried about the wrong things.
People need to be concerned about their eternal soul if they have never accepted the salvation God offers through His Son. Everyone faces death. The death rate is still 100%. After death, according to Scripture, is the judgment. Everyone will stand before God where every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess, but for many, it will be too late. Their eternal soul will be cast into hell according to Jesus. According to verses 29-31, God knows all about you, even the number of hairs on your head. God cares for you. You are far more critical than the sparrows that fall to the ground. The most essential thing in life is our confession of who Jesus is; if we confess Him in life, He will confess us before the heavenly Father, but if we deny Him. He will deny us before the heavenly Father.
Matthew winds up the chapter as Jesus gives the eternal perspective on the Kingdom:
Matthew 10:32-43, “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. 34Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. 37He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. 40He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. 41He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.”
Having eyes set on eternity instead of the world brings great privileges to the believer involved in the kingdom work. Notice how many times the word “receiveth” appears in the verses above. The Christian faith is not just pie in the sky someday. We receive a great blessing in the present. Paul mentions eight great benefits we receive in the present in Roman’s chapter 5, which includes love, joy, and peace. Can you think of anything in this world more significant than those three? I can think of no better way to spend life on earth than the pursuit of working in God’s Kingdom, bringing the lost to Jesus for the saving of their eternal souls.
If peace and joy in life is your desire, I want to tell you where to find it: I share this from my personal experience. The times when I experience the greatest peace and joy is during the times of meditation. I’m not referring Transcendental Meditation, “a technique of Yogi for detaching oneself from anxiety and promoting harmony and self-realization.” I’m referring to a time alone with God to study His word, to speak to Him in prayer, and listen to Him as He speaks to you, not in an auditable voice, in impressions of the heart. This is a time to ask God anything you need to know concerning decisions, problems, spiritual needs, etc.
How futile it is to try and hang on to the things of this present world, which is passing away before our very eyes. Verse 39 says it all will be lost in the end. In verse 40, Jesus assures us that there will be those who will receive our message if we will only give it. In the final verse of our text today, Jesus says even the smallest act of kindness done in the name of the Kingdom brings the reward of God. The price we pay to serve the Lord is minimal compared to the reward He has in store for those committed to Him and His Kingdom. All it requires is the giving up of those things of the world which are perishing already before our very eyes, things in themselves which bring no lasting joy or reward—serving God stores up eternal blessing and eternal rewards. There is absolutely nothing to lose for serving the Lord but everything to gain.
Let’s end this study today with the great promises of Ephesians: Ephesians 2:5-7 (KJV): “Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”