THE next thing Jesus deals with in his teaching in this chapter concerning the ministry of the gospel and the service of Christ, is that of persecution. In the previous verse Jesus hints of this by saying that he is sending his disciples out as sheep amongst wolves. This is a vivid way of speaking, for wolves devour and kill sheep. Because of this Jesus tells his disciples to be shrewd as snakes, but at the same time being innocent of any wrong.
The surprising thing about the persecution Jesus warns his disciples of is that it will be coming from where we would least expect it. On the one hand it will come from fellow Jews, and on the other hand it will come from within ones own family or intimate friends. We do not find it a strange thing that persecution will come from the world. This is expected, but it is not expected that persecution will come from within the visible church, and from those of our friends and family. Jesus warns his disciples that this will be in fact the case. Jesus warns of this in John chapter 15:18ff where he says the disciple is not greater than his master, and if they persecuted Christ, they will also persecute the servants of Christ.
History is full of examples of this. At the reformation it was the church of that time which persecuted and killed those who preached the Gospel. In the days of the Evangelical revival under Wesley and Whitfield, it was from within the church that the worst persecution came. The trouble is that Satan infiltrates the church, and Jesus called the Pharisees children of the devil. It is a sombre fact a person can be outwardly religious and devout and still be in the world and under Satan?s dominion.
In verse 34 Jesus teaches us that the Gospel, though it is a gospel of peace, does not necessarily promote peace. The Gospel tells us how we can have peace with God. It tells us how to live at peace with others. It gives peace of conscience and peace of soul. When the Gospel is received and believed, those who were apart and enemies before, are reconciled and become friends, see Ephesians 2:14ff. But even so such is the dominion of Satan over the world that the Gospel of peace arouses great opposition and animosity in peoples minds and hearts. This is because Satan arouses this animosity in peoples hearts, and so people find themselves separated from each other by the gospel, and those who preach and live the Gospel are hated.
Jesus assures his disciples that he will be with them in such persecution. Jesus tells his disciples that when they are arrested and brought before councils and tribunals they need not fear, and he will be there to tell them what to speak. This is part of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Some in ministry have used this teaching to neglect study, meditation and preparation of sermons, expecting that they can stand up before a congregation and expect the Holy Spirit to give them what to say. However the promise is only to those who find themselves attacked on account of the Gospel. It is then that the Holy Spirit will step in when there is no time to prepare, and no knowledge of the arguments and accusation that will be brought against the Christian.
When Jesus says in verse 20 that the Holy Spirit will be speaking through his servants as they stand accused and hated, he is saying that he will be using them in a powerful way to convict and reprove the world. This is part of the meaning of the words of Jesus in John 16:8-11.
The persecution of the world against those who are true followers of Christ will always be there, but sometimes it will be more severe, and so severe that it might mean that the believer will have to face death at the hands of the persecutor (v.21). This has always been terrifying to me. I have read of the burning of ministers and Christians at the reformation with horror, but I believe that this passage we are studying, and the promise of Christ to be with his servants in the persecution, means that strength, courage and extra comfort of the presence of Christ will be given to those who are called to suffer in this way, and that like Daniel?s friends in the fiery furnace the full force of the pain will be mitigated. I believe also that like at the martyrdom of Stephen, special realisation and blessing of the heavenly glory will also be given to support Christ?s people as they suffer even unto death.
Even though Christ?s servants are persecuted, Christ calls us to stand firm, and if we do he promises that we will experience salvation (v.22). The love of Christ and the hope of glory is worth all the suffering in this world, so that Paul tells us in Romans 8:18 that he considered the suffering of this world as not worth comparing with the glory that shall be revealed in us. Paul knew the suffering of this world far more than most.
However, Jesus does not tell us to court suffering and persecution. He tells us that if persecution does arise in one place it is quite right for the disciple to fly to another place. It is better that the Gospel should be preached in another place, than the witness should be killed by the persecution. The teaching here seems to be this, that it is best to fly from persecution when it is possible without compromising the gospel, and that it is better that the Gospel should be preached than the preacher should be prevented from preaching at all. The fact is, says Jesus at the end of these verses before us, that there will be no end to the need to preach the gospel, and that the work of witness will never end, right up to the time when Jesus will come again as promised. This I believe is the meaning of the second half of verse 23. So God?s servants must do all that they can to make sure that the Gospel continues to be preached, even if this means flying from persecution.