SEV Biblia, Chapter 10:17
Y guardaos de los hombres, porque os entregarn en concilios, y en sus sinagogas os azotarn;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 10:17
Verse 17. But beware of men] Or, be on your guard against men, twn anqrwpwn THESE men; i.e. your countrymen; those from whom you might have reasonably expected comfort and support; and especially those in power, who will abuse that power to oppress you. Councils] sunedria, sanhedrins and synagogues. See on "Matthew v. 22. "By synagogues we may understand here, not the places of public worship, but assemblies where three magistrates, chosen out of the principal members of the synagogue, presided to adjust differences among the people: these had power, in certain cases, to condemn to the scourge, but not to death. See Acts xxii. 19; 2 Cor. xi. 24, compared with Luke xii. 11." See Lightfoot.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 17. But beware of men , etc.] Of these men, comparable to wolves, before spoken of: the phrase is somewhat uncommon and emphatical, and designs not merely wicked men in common, the men of the world, and enemies of the Gospel; but chiefly such of them as were men of note and authority, ecclesiastical and civil governors of the people, the Scribes, Pharisees, elders, and chief priests, and other rulers; and the advice to the apostles is, to take care how they came into their company, and put themselves into their hands; who would seek all opportunities and occasions against them, and use their power and interest to do them hurt: for they will deliver you up to the councils , or sanhedrim, of which there were three sorts; the greater, which consisted of seventy one persons, and was only held in Jerusalem; the lesser one, which was made up of twenty three members, and was kept in every place where there were an hundred and twenty Israelites; and the third, where there was not that number, and was a triumvirate, or a bench of three judges only f632 . And they will scourge you in their synagogues ; where the triumvirate, or bench of three Judges kept their court; under whose cognizance were pecuniary judgments, and such as related to thefts, damages, restitutions, ravishing, and enticing of virgins, and defamation; also to plucking off of the shoe, and refusing a brothers wife, to the plant of the fourth year, second tithes whose price is unknown, holy things, and the estimations of goods; to these belonged also laying on of hands, the beheading of the heifer, and, among the rest, hlb twkm , scourging was by the bench of three f633 . The manner of performing it was this f634 : they bind both his hands to a pillar, here and there; and the minister of the synagogue takes hold of his clothes, and if they are rent, they are rent; and if they are ripped in the seam, they are ripped till his breast is uncovered; for he is not to beat him on his clothes, as it is said, he shall beat him, but not his clothes: and a stone is placed behind him, on which the minister that scourges stands, and a white leather whip in his hand, doubled two and two with four, and two lashes of an asss hide, going up and down: the breadth of the whip was an hands breadth, and the length of it, so as to reach to the navel, and the handle of the whip, by which he took hold, was the length of an hand; and he lifts up the whip with both his hands, and strikes with one hand, with all his might; and gives him the third part of his stripes before, upon his breast, between his paps, and two thirds behind him; one third upon this shoulder, and the other upon the other shoulder. He that scourges neither stands, nor sits, but bows; as it is said, the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face; for the eyes of the judge shall be upon him, that he do not look upon anything else, and smite him from thence; for no two strokes are as one; the greatest of the judges reads all the time he is scourging, viz. these passages; if thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law, etc. and the Lord will make thy plagues wonderful, etc. and he intends to finish the verses with the stripes; but if he does not finish, he returns to the beginning of the Scripture, and reads, and returns, and reads until the whole scourging is over: and the second of the judges numbers the stripes; and the third says to the minister strike: every time he strikes, it is at his orders he strikes.
Now, as this punishment was inflicted by the chazan, or minister of the synagogue, who was a sort of sexton, so it was done in the synagogue itself: and according to our Lords predictions here, and in ( Matthew 23:34) as the former of these, delivering up to councils, had its accomplishment in part, in the apostles, ( Acts 4:1-5:42) so the latter, scourging in their synagogues, was fulfilled both by Paul, ( Acts 22:19,26:11) and upon him, ( 2 Corinthians 11:24). Epiphanius tells f635 us of one Joseph, a Jew, who was caught by the Jews reading the Gospels in his own house; upon which they dragged him away, and had him to the synagogue, and there scourged him. Now as these things did not befall the apostles till after the death of Christ, it is clear that the context refers not to their first, but to an after mission.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 16-42 - Our Lord warned his disciples to prepare for persecution. They were to avoid all things which gave advantage to their enemies, all meddlin with worldly or political concerns, all appearance of evil of selfishness, and all underhand measures. Christ foretold troubles, no only that the troubles might not be a surprise, but that they migh confirm their faith. He tells them what they should suffer, and from whom. Thus Christ has dealt fairly and faithfully with us, in tellin us the worst we can meet with in his service; and he would have us dea so with ourselves, in sitting down and counting the cost. Persecutor are worse than beasts, in that they prey upon those of their own kind The strongest bonds of love and duty, have often been broken throug from enmity against Christ. Sufferings from friends and relations ar very grievous; nothing cuts more. It appears plainly, that all who wil live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution; and we must expec to enter into the kingdom of God through many tribulations. With thes predictions of trouble, are counsels and comforts for a time of trial The disciples of Christ are hated and persecuted as serpents, and their ruin is sought, and they need the serpent's wisdom. Be ye harmless a doves. Not only, do nobody any hurt, but bear nobody any ill-will Prudent care there must be, but not an anxious, perplexing thought; le this care be cast upon God. The disciples of Christ must think more ho to do well, than how to speak well. In case of great peril, the disciples of Christ may go out of the way of danger, though they mus 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 ma brings a snare, a perplexing snare, that disturbs our peace; a entangling snare, by which we are drawn into sin; and, therefore, it must be striven and prayed against. Tribulation, distress, an persecution cannot take away God's love to them, or theirs to him. Fea Him, who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. They mus deliver their message publicly, for all are deeply concerned in the doctrine of the gospel. The whole counsel of God must be made known, A 20:27. Christ shows them why they should be of good cheer. Their sufferings witnessed against those who oppose his gospel. When God calls us to speak for him, we may depend on him to teach us what to say. A believing prospect of the end of our troubles, will be of grea use 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 accordin to the day. And it is great encouragement to those who are doin Christ's work, that it is a work which shall certainly be done. See ho the care of Providence extends to all creatures, even to the sparrows This should silence all the fears of God's people; Ye are of more valu than many sparrows. And the very hairs of your head are all numbered This denotes the account God takes and keeps of his people. It is ou duty, not only to believe in Christ, but to profess that faith, i suffering for him, when we are called to it, as well as in serving him That denial of Christ only is here meant which is persisted in, an that confession only can have the blessed recompence here promised which is the real and constant language of faith and love. Religion i 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 lead u 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 by occasion for it, and ability to do no more, it shall be accepted Christ does not say that they deserve a reward; for we cannot merit an thing from the hand of God; but they shall receive a reward from the free gift of God. Let us boldly confess Christ, and show love to him in all things __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
προσεχετε 4337 5720 V-PAM-2P δε 1161 CONJ απο 575 PREP των 3588 T-GPM ανθρωπων 444 N-GPM παραδωσουσιν 3860 5692 V-FAI-3P γαρ 1063 CONJ υμας 5209 P-2AP εις 1519 PREP συνεδρια 4892 N-APN και 2532 CONJ εν 1722 PREP ταις 3588 T-DPF συναγωγαις 4864 N-DPF αυτων 846 P-GPM μαστιγωσουσιν 3146 5692 V-FAI-3P υμας 5209 P-2AP
Vincent's NT Word Studies
17. Of men (twn anqrwpwn). Lit., "the men," already alluded to under the term wolves.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
10:17 {Beware of men} (prosecete apo twn anqrwpwn). Ablative case with apo. Hold your mind (noun understood) away from. The article with anqrwpwn points back to luk"n (wolves) in #10:16. {To councils} (eis sunedria). The local courts of justice in every Jewish town. The word is an old one from Herodotus on for any deliberative body (concilium). The same word is used for the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem. {In their synagogues} (en tois sunagwgais autwn). Here not merely as the place of assembly for worship, but as an assembly of justice exercising discipline as when the man born blind was cast out of the synagogue (#Joh 9:35). They were now after the exile in every town of any size where Jews were.
