First of all I am quoting from Matthew 10:16, but if you only read that verse you are lazy, arrogant, and beyond repair in ever becoming a teacher worthy of the Master!
Context is key.
This famous statement is only recorded in one of the synoptic gospels.
-----The word "synoptic" means "together sight." The Synoptic Gospels are
called such because the authors "saw together with a common view."-----from GotQuestions.org
Not.Very.Synoptic.
Only one gospel mentions this section. It is a truly beautiful section with deep insights into what it means to be a follow of the Messiah of Israel in this evil age.
Don't expect peace.
Don't expect success.
Don't expect support from your entire family.
Don't expect to fit in.
Don't expect power.
Matthew 10:16 - “Take
note! I am sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves.
Therefore, be as cautious as snakes and as innocent as doves."
Schindler's List got me thinking of this as the Jews have to be wise as serpents to preserve life in the time of Nazi domination, forging documents, lying about abilities, lying about production.
Sheep in the midst of wolves. Doesn't sound like a formula for success to me. Sounds like it is doomed to failure and it should have as a movement, and the Jewish people should have been wiped out by now, but the God of Israel specializes in showing mercy to preserve a remnant.
It is all mercy, sometimes it is just hard to see it. Praying for eyes to see and ears to hear His mercy and faithfulness is a good prayer.
10: 22 "and you will be hated by everyone because of my name. He who endures to the finish, however, will be saved." This is the expectation of a true disciple in this evil age. Period. End of Story.
10:25 is a key to this passage. "It is enough for the disciple that he be as his teacher, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more them of his household!" Yeshua is stating an important principle that was known in the Jewish world, your life will be like the life of your rabbi. It is an uncomfortable truth for the disciples, the leadership does not like Yeshua and they have the might of Rome behind them.
Here is something I don't understand and if anyone does, chime in. Matthew 10:23 “Now
when people begin persecuting you in one town, flee to another. Amen, I
solemnly tell you this: You will certainly not finish going through
all the towns of Israel until the Son of Man comes."
Jerusalem and Israel is where they started preaching and they went out from there to the gentiles. So you would think there was a time when they "finished going through all the towns of Israel". This seems to indicate Yeshua would have returned in the neighborhood of AD 60 or so?
One last question since I am asking questions.
Why does Yeshua from the cross assign John to Mary and Mary to John, he was going to see them in three days and then, an unknown number of times over the following 40 days, my questions regards the timing, Why then? From the cross?
Hope everyone has a good day. Life is filled with highs and lows, this evil age has no justice, no peace, He is our peace and He will bring justice.