Really v16 should be added to this passage as well...
16 I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 “Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22 All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
The wolves referred to in v16 are men. It's true that we fight against spiritual powers of darkness as well, but the wolves Jesus is referring to here are men. And their viciousness is directed at believers, not necessarily because they don't like us, but because they hate Jesus, they despise the One we represent.
How do the wolves attack?
Through the religionists (v17). Paul, before his conversion, dragged believers into the synagogues to be scourged for their heresy. And he, himself, was flogged numerous times for the same reason. Jesus was sentenced to death by religionists. Christians have also been persecuted by pagan religions because Satan is behind all false religious systems and he wants to wipe out Christianity.
Through the government (v18). Various world governments have persecuted Christians throughout history - the Roman empire, Russians, communist China, Uganda.
MacArthur has a great explanation in his sermon, Sheep Among Wolves (Part 2),
God keeps government together, and there is enough restraint in government to preserve human society, but it also manifests the control of Satan. There is a very interesting tension. The government is ordained of God, yet manipulated by Satan himself. That is why Daniel, Isaiah, and Ezekiel saw demonic forces behind their governments. The government of the world will persecute Christianity because Satan is the prince of this world.
Sadly, persecution also comes through the family (v21)
Commentator R.C.H. Lenski quoted one author as saying, "Two things are stronger than natural love, the one born of hell, the other born of heaven." I think that's right. Stronger than natural love is the love of God, and stronger than natural love is the love of hell. According to Romans 1:24-26, people forsake natural affections because they are so evil....
Christians will be persecuted because the world, religion, and government react negatively to the Gospel. False religions react because they are generated by Satan. Government reacts because they are controlled by the prince of the power of the air, the ruler of this world. Families react because they cannot tolerate a righteous individual in the midst of their unrighteousness. The wolves will do all they can to slaughter the sheep.
And what is to be the response of the sheep?
Be wise (v16).
Christians are to be wise in dealing with the wolves of the world around them. What kind of wisdom? The subtlety, anticipation, sensitivity, cunning, cautiousness, wariness, shrewdness of a serpent.
To put it another way, say precisely the right thing at the right time in the right place. It's a serious attempt, I believe, to discover the best means to achieve the highest goal. As we confront a hostile world, we have to be wise. There is no sense in creating havoc all around us....You can say inflammatory things and ignite conflict with every step you take, or you can use discretion.
Be innocent as doves (v16)
Be wise and shrewd, but do it in a way that doesn't compromise. Keep your integrity, honesty, and purity. The dove is gentle, pure, uncorrupted, and sincere, in the imagery. Those who represent Christ are not to cause injury or employ trickery or deceit in trying to escape from danger; they are to be wise, pure, and gentle....He's saying to maintain your purity, wisdom, harmlessness, show a gentle spirit....You have to be discreet, but never compromise the truth, so that you maintain your purity. Find that perfect balance between the two.
Be on guard (v17)
Don't give the wolves an opportunity to condemn you or play in their court. Be careful. Their evil intention is to make you compromise. Beware.
Be calm (v19)
Jesus gave the reason for not being anxious: "For it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak." Let's take that in a broad sense. I believe that when anyone in any age at any time goes before any council in the name of Jesus Christ, the Spirit of God will bring to his or her mind the right things to say. Based on what we have learned from our study of Scripture, the Spirit of God will be their defender. I don't believe the Lord would abandon us in that kind of situation....
There is something specific for the apostles that is not for us. Look again at verse 19. "For it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak."...Verse 20. "It is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you."
That is a promise to the apostles of divine inspiration. It wouldn't be them speaking, but God, in His Spirit, would speak through them....Since God gave the apostles the very words to speak in the moment they were brought before the councils of men, and they were not their words, or them speaking, but the Spirit of God....how much more can we be assured that when they sat down to pen the Word of God they could claim the same promise? I believe this, by implication, is one of the purest texts in all of the Bible on the matter of inspiration and inerrancy.
Be real, be genuine, be authentic (v22)
Persecution sure has a way of weeding out the phonies. Enduring persecution obviously isn't what gives you salvation. But those who are truly saved will be able to endure. Persecution cannot destroy those who are truly saved. The deliverance may come in physical rescue or it may come in physical death but spiritual rescue.
Be gone (v23)
There's no sense in staying in one place until they kill you (unless you've been specifically called to do that). If it gets too bad, move on. There will always be another place that needs to hear the message - we're not going to run out of options!
we have no right to provoke animosity or destruction. There is too much work to be done and too many places to reach. Life is too precious. Every one of us matters to God's Kingdom. We have to move to the receptive places and keep moving, knowing that God is with us all the time. In the power of the Spirit, He will help us to say the right things and have the effect that He wants us to have.
Tomorrow's scripture focus: Matthew 10:24-31
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