SEV Biblia, Chapter 10:23
Mas cuando os persiguieren en esta ciudad, huid a la otra; porque de cierto os digo, que no acabaris de andar todas las ciudades de Israel, antes que venga el Hijo del hombre.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 10:23
Verse 23. But when they persecute you] It is prudence and humility (when charity or righteousness obliges us not to the contrary) to avoid persecution. To deprive those who are disposed to do evil of the opportunities of doing it; to convey the grace which they despise to others; to accomplish God's designs of justice on the former, and of mercy on the latter, are consequences of the flight of a persecuted preacher. This flight is a precept to those who are highly necessary to the Church of Christ, an advice to those who might imprudently draw upon themselves persecution, and of indulgence for those who are weak. But this flight is highly criminal in those mercenary preachers who, through love to their flesh and their property, abandon the flock of Christ to the wolf. See Quesnel. In this city, flee ye into another] There is a remarkable repetition of this clause found in the MSS. DL and eight others; the Armenian, Saxon, all the Italia except three; Athan., Theodour., Tertul., August., Ambr., Hilar., and Juvencus. Bengel, in his gnomon approves of this reading. On the above authorities Griesbach has inserted it in the text. It probably made a portion of this Gospel as written by Matthew. The verse in the MSS. is as follows:-But when they shall persecute you in this city, flee ye into another; and if they persecute in the other, flee ye unto another.
Ye shall not have gone over (ended or finished, margin) the cities, &c.] The word teleshte here is generally understood as implying to go over or through, intimating that there should not be time for the disciples to travel over the cities of Judea before the destruction predicted by Christ should take place. But this is very far from being the truth, as there were not less than forty years after this was spoken, before Jerusalem was destroyed: teleiwn kai manqanantwn are used by the Septuagint. 1 Chron. xxv. 8, for those who teach and those who learn. And toiv teleioiv is used by the apostle, 1 Cor. ii. 6, for those who are perfectly instructed in the things of God. Ovid has used the Latin perficio, which answers to the Greek teleiow in exactly the same sense.
Phillyrides puerum cithara perfecit Achillem.
"Chiron TAUGHT the young Achilles to play on the harp." For these reasons some contend that the passage should be translated, Ye shall not have INSTRUCTED, i.e. preached the Gospel in the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be came. The Greek divines call baptism teleiwsiv or initiation. See Leigh. Crit. sacr. Edit. Amst. p. 326, 328.
Dr. Lightfoot supposes the meaning to be: "Ye shall not have traveled over the cities of Israel, preaching the Gospel, before the Son of man is revealed by his resurrection, Rom. i. 4; compare Acts iii. 19, 20; v. 26. To you first, God, raising up his Son, sent him to bless you, &c. The epoch of the Messiah is dated from the resurrection of Christ." After all, the place may be understood literally; for telein tav poleiv, to finish the cities, is only a concise mode of speech, for telein odon dia tav poleiv, to complete the journey through the cities. To finish the survey, to preach in every one:-till the Son of man be come, may refer either to the outpouring of the Spirit on the day of pentecost, or to the subversion of the Jewish state. See Rosenmuller.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 23. But when they persecute you in this city , etc.] Or any city into which they went, and preached the Gospel; and would not suffer them to go on in their work, they were not to desist, but to go elsewhere, where they might hope for a better reception, and a longer continuance, and so of doing more good: flee ye into another ; not so much for their own safety, though this, according to the circumstances of things, is lawful, but for the further spreading of the Gospel. The exhortation is not to take methods to avoid persecution, or to make an escape from it, but to perseverance under it: the sense is, they were not to be discouraged, and to leave off, because of persecution in one place, but to persist in the ministration of the Gospel, by carrying it to other cities; and it seems to be a spur to them to make haste, and fulfil their office of preaching the Gospel, in the land of Judea: nor need they fear going on too fast, lest they should have no places to preach in; for verily I say unto you , this is a certain and indisputable truth not to be called in question, being strongly affirmed by truth itself, ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel , or finished them; that is, their tour through them, and their ministry, or the preaching of the Gospel in them, till the son of man be come ; which is not to be understood of his second coming to judgment, but either of his resurrection from the dead, when he was declared to be the Son of God, and when his glorification began; or of the pouring forth of the Spirit at the day of Pentecost, when his kingdom began more visibly to take place, and he was made, or manifested to be the Lord and Christ; or of his coming to take vengeance on his enemies, that would not have him to rule over them, and the persecutors of his ministers, at the destruction of Jerusalem.
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
οταν 3752 CONJ δε 1161 CONJ διωκωσιν 1377 5725 V-PAS-3P υμας 5209 P-2AP εν 1722 PREP τη 3588 T-DSF πολει 4172 N-DSF ταυτη 3778 D-DSF φευγετε 5343 5720 V-PAM-2P εις 1519 PREP την 3588 T-ASF αλλην 243 A-ASF αμην 281 HEB γαρ 1063 CONJ λεγω 3004 5719 V-PAI-1S υμιν 5213 P-2DP ου 3756 PRT-N μη 3361 PRT-N τελεσητε 5055 5661 V-AAS-2P τας 3588 T-APF πολεις 4172 N-APF του 3588 T-GSM ισραηλ 2474 N-PRI εως 2193 CONJ αν 302 PRT ελθη 2064 5632 V-2AAS-3S ο 3588 T-NSM υιος 5207 N-NSM του 3588 T-GSM ανθρωπου 444 N-GSM
Robertson's NT Word Studies
10:23 {Till the Son of man be come} (hews elqei ho huios tou anqrwpou). Moffatt puts it "before the Son of man arrives" as if Jesus referred to this special tour of Galilee. Jesus could overtake them. Possibly so, but it is by no means clear. Some refer it to the Transfiguration, others to the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, others to the Second Coming. Some hold that Matthew has put the saying in the wrong context. Others bluntly say that Jesus was mistaken, a very serious charge to make in his instructions to these preachers. The use of hews with aorist subjunctive for a future event is a good Greek idiom.
