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Matthew 10:16-20

Luke 12:11-12

16. Behold, I send you out, as sheep in the midst of wolves: be
therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. 17. But beware of
men: for they will deliver you to the councils, and will scourge you in
their synagagues: 18. And you will be brought before rulers and kings
on my account, for a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19. But
when they shall deliver you up, be not anxious [579] as to how or what
you shall speak: for it shall be given you in that hour [580] what you
shall speak. 20. For it is not you that speak, but it is the Spirit of
your Father that speaketh in you.

11. And when they shall bring you into synagogues, and before
magistrates and powers, do not be anxious how or what you shall answer,
or what you shall say. 12. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in the
same hour [581] what you ought to say.


The injunctions which Matthew has hitherto related had no farther
reference than to that former expedition or commission, which was to be
terminated in a few days. But now Christ proceeds farther, and prepares
them for a future period, by informing them, that they were not merely
chosen for that brief exercise of preaching, but that an office of
greater difficulty and of far higher importance awaited them. Though
they were not immediately brought into those contests of which Christ
speaks, yet it was advantageous for them to have previous warning, that
any uneasiness which they might then suffer might be known to be a sort
of preparative for a fiercer warfare to which they had been destined.
It was no doubt true in reference to the first mission, that the
apostles were like sheep in the midst of wolves: but as the Lord spared
their weakness, and restrained the cruelty of the wolves from doing
them any injury, these words properly relate to a subsequent period,
when the Lord treated them more harshly. Before his resurrection, while
the bridegroom was present, they were treated, so to speak, like guests
at a marriage: but after the departure of the bridegroom, that softness
and gentleness ceased, and they were reduced to such hardships as made
them aware, that there were good reasons why they had been early
furnished with those arms.

Perhaps, too, Matthew may have collected into one passage discourses
which were delivered at different times: for Luke, as we shall
afterwards see, (10:17) relates that the same things were said to the
seventy disciples, who were placed in the room of the apostles. One
thing is beyond dispute: These words did not merely foretell the
consequences of that journey which they were now commencing, but gave
them warning as to the whole course of their apostleship.

Matthew 10:16. Behold, I send you out The exhortation which immediately
follows plainly shows the design of this admonition; and therefore the
order of the passage must be explained in this manner: "You have need
of wisdom and of harmlessness, because you will be like sheep in the
midst of wolves " The reason is drawn from the necessity of the case:
for if they did not wisely exercise caution, they might be immediately
devoured by the wolves; and, on the other hand, if they trembled at the
rage of the wolves, or were incautious, they would presently waver, and
would at length fail to perform their duty.

We shall first inquire what is meant by their being sent out as sheep
in the midst of wolves Though men are cruel and bloody, the Lord might
soften their ferocious temper; for he tames and subdues, whenever he
pleases, the beasts of prey. When God does not subdue a considerable
portion of mankind to the obedience of the gospels but leaves them in
their own savage nature, he does it on purpose to try his ministers.
Though all whom God does not regenerate with the spirit of gentleness
are by nature wolves yet this designation is applied by Christ chiefly
to the enraged enemies of the gospel, who are so far from being
softened by hearing the voice of the pastor that they are inflamed to
greater cruelty. The Lord sends the ministers of his word on the
condition of dwelling in the midst of wolves; that is, of having many
determined enemies and of being beset on every hand by many dangers,
which render it no easy matter to discharge their duty in the midst of
hindrances. To make the trial more severe, he does not supply them with
defensive armor, but exposes them naked and defenseless to the teeth of
the wolves

By calling them sheeps he does not refer to the sweetness and mildness
of their manners, or to the gentleness of their mind, but only means
that they will have no greater strength or fitness for repelling the
violence of enemies than sheep have against the rage of wolves Christ
requires no doubt, from his disciples that they shall resemble sheep in
their dispositions, by their patience in contending against the malice
of wicked men, and by the meekness with which they endure injuries, but
the simple meaning of this passage is, that many powerful and cruel
enemies are arrayed against the apostles, while they, on their part,
are furnished with no means of defense, [582] If it be objected, that
in this way there is no contrast between sheep and wolves, the reply is
easy. Though the Lords by calling the enemies of the gospel wolves,
expressed their power rather than their desire to do injury, yet as no
man is known to be a wolf but by his rage against the gospel, Christ
has joined these two things together, the fierce cruelty which impels
them to shed blood, and the power with which they are armed.

Be therefore wise The general meaning is, that their wisdom in
exercising caution must be so regulated, as to prevent them from being
more timid than is necessary, or from becoming more sluggish in duty.
We see that those who wish to pass for cautious and circumspect persons
are, for the most part, timorous and lazy. It is no doubt proper for
the disciples of Christ, surrounded as they are by dangers on every
hand, to maintain the strictest caution; but as they are in extreme
danger of being kept back by slothfulness, he bids them move forward
honestly wherever their calling leads them.

This is pointed out by a twofold comparison, wise as serpents, and
harmless as doves. Serpents, being aware that they are hated, carefully
avoid and shrink from every thing that is hostile to them. In this
manner he enjoins believers to take care of their life, so as not to
rush heedlessly into danger, or lay themselves open to any kind of
injury. Doves, on the other hand, though naturally timid, and liable to
innumerable attacks, fly in their simplicity, imagine themselves safe
till they are struck, and in most cases place themselves within the
reach of the fowler's snares. To such simplicity Christ exhorts his
disciples, that no excess of terror may hinder them from pursuing their
course. There are some who carry their ingenious reasonings still
farther as to the nature of the serpent and of the dove, but this is
the utmost extent of the resemblance. We see that Christ condemns that
carnal wisdom, or rather that trickery, in which the greater part of
men are too fond of indulging, while they look around them on every
hand to discover how far it will be safe for them to proceed; and thus,
from an unwillingness to encounter danger, they renounce the call of
Christ. [583]

17. But beware of men Erasmus has inserted the word these, (beware of
these men,) supposing that the article has the force of a demonstrative
pronoun. [584] But in my opinion it is better to view it as indefinite,
and as conveying a declaration of Christ, that caution ought to be
exercised in dealing with men, among whom every thing is full of snares
and injuries. But he appears to contradict himself: for the best way of
exercising caution would have been to remain at home, and not to
venture to appear in public. I reply, he points out here a different
sort of caution, -- not that terror and alarm which would keep them
from discharging their duty, but a dread of being excessively annoyed
by sudden calamities. We know that those who are surprised by
unexpected afflictions are apt to fall down lifeless. Christ,
therefore, desired that his disciples should foresee at a distance what
would happen, that their minds might be early prepared for maintaining
a conflict. In short, he sounds the trumpet to them, that they may
quickly make ready for the battle: for as foresight, when it is
excessive or attended by unnecessary anxiety, reduces many to a state
of weakness, so many are intoxicated by an indolent security, and,
rushing on heedlessly, give way at the critical moment.

For they will deliver you up to councils It may readily be inferred
from these words, that the contests of which Christ forewarns the
apostles must not be limited to the first journey, in which they met
with nothing of this description. The object of this prediction is to
prevent them from being ever cast down: for it was no ordinary
attainment for poor and despised men, when they came into the presence
of princes, to preserve composure, and to remain unmoved by any worldly
splendor. He warns them, too, that not in Judea only, but in more
distant places, they will be called to fight; and he does so, not
merely for the purpose of preparing them by long meditation for that
warfare, but that, as instructed and experienced masters, they might
not scruple to yield themselves to heavenly guidance.

For a testimony to them and to the Gentiles This means that the will of
God must be proclaimed even to foreign princes, and to distant nations,
that they may be without excuse. Hence it follows, that the labor of
the apostles will not be lost, for it will vindicate the judgment of
God, when men shall be convicted of their obstinacy.

19. Be not anxious [585] A consolation is added: for in vain would
Christ have given a hundred exhortations to the disciples, if he had
not, at the same time, promised that God would be with them, and that
through his power they would assuredly be victorious. Hence we infer,
that Christ is very far from intending, by announcing those dangers, to
abate the fervor of that zeal with which it would be necessary for the
disciples to burn if they wished to discharge their duty in a proper
manner. It is, no doubt, a great matter to endure the presence of
princes; for not only fear, but even shame, sometimes overpowers
well-regulated minds. What, then, may be expected, if princes break out
into furious anger, and almost thunder? [586] Yet Christ charges his
disciples not to be anxious.

For in that hour shall be given to you what you shall speak The Spirit
will suggest words to them. The more a man distrusts himself through
consciousness of his own weakness, the more is he alarmed, unless he
expect assistance from another quarter. Accordingly, we see that the
reason why most men give way is, that they measure by their own
strength, which is very small or almost nothing, the success of their
undertakings. Christ forbids the disciples to look at their own
strength, and enjoins them to rely, with undivided confidence, on
heavenly grace. "It is not," he says, "your ability that is in
question, but the power of the Holy Spirit, who forms and guides the
tongues of believers to a sincere confession of their faith."

That they may not be alarmed by their present deficiency, he assures
them that assistance will come at the very instant when it is needed.
Frequently does it happen that the Lord leaves believers destitute of
the gift of eloquence, so long as he does not require that they give
him a testimony, but, when the necessity for it arrives, those who
formerly appeared to be dumb are endued by him with more than ordinary
eloquence. Thus, in our own time, we have seen some martyrs, who seemed
to be almost devoid of talent, and yet were no sooner called to make a
public profession of their faith, than they exhibited a command of
appropriate and graceful language altogether miraculous. [587]

Yet it was not the will of Christ that the apostles should be free from
all care: for it was advantageous to them to have such a measure of
anxiety, as to supplicate and entreat that the Spirit might be given to
them; but he desired to remove that deep and uneasy thought which
almost always tends to perplex and embarrass. So long as men indulge in
conjecture what is to take place, or whether this or the other thing
will happen, and do not rely on the providence of God, they are kept in
a wretched state of trouble and uneasiness. And, indeed, those who do
not render such honor to the providence of God, as to believe that it
will seasonably relieve their wants, deserve to be tormented in this
manner.
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[579] "N'ayez point de souci;" -- "have no anxiety."

[580] "Car a ce mesme instant vous sera donn, ce que vous direz;" --
"for at that very instant will be given to you what you shall speak."

[581] "Ace mesme instant;" -- "at that very instant."

[582] "Combien que de leur cost, ils n'ayent aucune force ou munition
externe;" -- "while they, on their side, have no strength or outward
protection."

[583] "Ils renoncent Christ et sa vocation;" -- "they renounce Christ
and his calling."

[584] "Erasme a traduit, De ces hornroes: pource qu'il luy a sembl, que
l'article Grec qul est mis avec le nora denotoit quelques certains
hommes." -- "Erasmus translated it, Of these men: because he thought
that theGreek article, which is joined to the noun, denoted some
particular men." --Prosechete de apo ton anthropon literally means but
beware of THE men In Calvin's native tongue, les hommes denotes men in
general, and in expressing the idea of the men, it became necessary to
substitute ces for les, in order to avoid the circumlocution of les
hommes, dont il s'agit But it would be proper to show cause why hoi
anthropoi should be here viewed as equivalent to pantes anthropoi.
Erasmus, writing in Latin, has supplied a defect of that language by
almost the only means which he had in his power, the use of a
demonstrative pronoun as a substitute for the definite article. "Cavete
ab illis hominibus," naturally interpreting ton anthropon, as referring
to the men who had just been described to the disciples as wolves, and
in their intercourse with whom the utmost caution would be
indispensable. -- Ed.

[585] "N'ayez point de souci;" -- "have no anxiety."

[586] "En sorte qu'il semblera quasi qu'ils foudroyent;" -- "so that
they will almost appear to thunder."

[587] "Et de faict, nous avons veu de nostre temps aucuns martyrs,
lesquels ayans este le reste de leur vie quasi muets, et n'ayans point
de grace a parler, toutesfois quand Dieu les a appelez a rendre
confession de leur foy devant les ennenmis, c'a este un miracle du don
excellent qu'ils out eu de parlet et respondre pertinemment et avec
grace." -- "And, in fact, we have seen, in our own time, some martyrs
who having been the rest of their life, as it were, dumb, and having no
gracefulness of speech, yet when God called them to make confession of
their faith before enemies, the excellent gift which they possessed, of
speaking and replying appropriately and gracefully, was quite
miraculous."