Matthew 10:17

Matthew 10:17-18 . Beware of men — That is, be on your guard against the men of the world with whom you converse, that you do not, by any inadvertency, give them advantage against you: and think not that all your innocence and all your wisdom united can screen you from persecution. For they will deliver you up to the councils — They will seek all occasions of mischief against you, and deliver you up to the sanhedrim, and other inferior courts of judicature: and they will scourge you in their synagogues — A sort of discipline which was used in their synagogues, where they held their courts about both civil and ecclesiastical affairs. Comp. Matthew 23:34 , and Acts 22:19 . And ye shall be brought before governors — Namely, to be punished by them as malefactors, not for any crimes wherewith they can charge you, but for my sake. Although these things did not happen while the apostles were out on their first mission, yet they came to pass after Christ’s ascension, when Peter and John were called before the sanhedrim, Acts 4:6-7 , and beaten, Acts 5:40 : also when James and Peter were brought before Herod, Acts 12:3 ; Paul before Agrippa and his wife, and the Roman governors, Gallio, Felix, Festus; and, last of all, before the Emperor Nero, and his prefect, Helius Cæsarianus.

For a testimony against them and the Gentiles — All these things will be permitted to befall you, that your innocence may be manifested, the truth of the gospel demonstrated, and an opportunity afforded you of testifying it with greater solemnity both to Jews and Gentiles. “The patience which the apostles showed under continual persecutions, and the courage wherewith they went to death, in confirmation of their doctrine, became strong proofs of their innocence and of the truth of the gospel. Moreover, if the apostles had never been brought before the supreme powers, nor defended their cause in the presence of kings and governors, it might have been said that because Christianity could not bear a strict examination from able judges, it was preached to none but men of vulgar understanding, who were not capable of detecting it. But, when persons of the highest distinction for birth, fortune, capacity, and learning, had the gospel laid before them in the defences which the apostles were obliged to make, at the public tribunals of every country, its standing such a trial was certainly a great confirmation of its truth to persons of inferior note.” — Macknight.

Matthew 10:17 . τῶν ἀνθρώπων : Weiss, regarding Matthew 10:17 as the beginning of an interpolation, takes τῶν generically = the whole race of men conceived of as on the whole hostile to the truth = κόσμος in the fourth Gospel ( Matthew 15:19 ; Matthew 17:14 ). It seems more natural to find in it a reference to the λύκοι of Matthew 10:16 . Beware of the class of men I have in view. So Eras., Elsner, Fritzsche.— συνέδρια , the higher tribunals, selected to represent courts of justice of all grades, to denote the serious nature of the danger.— συναγωγαῖς . The synagogue is referred to here, not merely as a place of worship, but as a juridical assembly exercising discipline and inflicting penalties (Grotius). Among these was scourging ( μαστιγώσουσιν , vide Acts 22:19 ; Acts 26:11 ; 2 Corinthians 11:24 ).

(17) To the councils. —The plural shows that our Lord referred, not to the Great Council or Sanhedrin at Jerusalem, but to the lesser councils connected with provincial synagogues that had power to judge and punish persons accused of offences against religion. They will scourge you in their synagogues.—The words imply the actual infliction of the punishment within the walls of the building. To us this appears something like desecration, but there is no reason for thinking that it did so to the Jews, and St. Paul’s language in Acts 22:19; Acts 26:11, seems to place the fact beyond the shadow of a doubt. The stripes of which the Apostle speaks in 2Corinthians 11:24, were probably thus and there inflicted.

Matthew 10:17 . Προσεχετε δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων , but beware of men ) The expression used in the last verse, “Be ye wise,” is now explained; and the force of the injunction is extended,[465] for the word men is of general signification; cf. John 2:24 .[466]— ΣΥΝΈΔΡΙΑ — ΣΥΝΑΓΩΓΑῖς , councils—synagogues ) The councils, where the chief men assemble; the synagogues, where the people also resort.— ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς , in the synagogues ) They will consider the action so holy, that it may be performed even in the synagogue , which is put in opposition to the council ; see ch. Matthew 23:34 .— μαστιγώσουσιν , they shall scourge ) Hard things are foretold, yet they were actually endured by the apostles, and even by our Lord Himself. [465] In the original, “Declaratur τὸ prudentes : acceditque moniti extensio.”—(I. B.) [466] How strong are the reasons for being on our guard against men, is especially then made manifest, when one has to be conversant (to have intercourse) with them at a time of their being under the constraint of no external consideration.—V. g.

Matthew 10:17 . Δέ ] denoting continuation of this same matter: “But in order to comply with this injunction ( usually the wisdom alone is arbitrarily supposed to be referred to), be on your guard , and so on.” The passage that now follows on to Matthew 10:23 originally formed part (comp. Mark 13:9 ff.) of the eschatological utterances, but the connection in which it now stands was probably that in which it was already met with in the collection of our Lord’s sayings. Comp. Matthew 24:9-13 ; Luke 21:12 ff. Then again, taken in detail, the different portions of this address, as given by Matthew, possess the advantage of originality. Comp. Weizsäcker, p. 160 ff. ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ] The article is not meant to indicate men who are hostile ( Matthew 10:16 , Erasmus, Fritzsche), who must have been indicated in some other way than by the simple article (by τῶν τοιούτων , or such like), or by the general expression ἀνθρώπων ; but it is to be understood generically: men in general, taken as a whole , are conceived of as hostile , in accordance with the idea of that κόσμος to which the disciples do not belong ( John 15:19 ), and by which they are hated ( John 17:14 ). συνέδρια ] taken generally, tribunals in general. ἐν ταῖς συναγ .] That scourging also belonged to the synagogal forms of punishment, as a matter of synagogue discipline, is placed beyond a doubt by the New Testament. See, besides the Synoptists, Acts 22:19 ; Acts 26:11 ; 2 Corinthians 11:24 .