Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 10:18
And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
18. governors ] Such as Felix and Festus at Csarea, the Prtors or Duumviri at Philippi (Act 16:20), the Politarchs at Thessalonica (Act 17:6).
kings ] As Herod Agrippa or the Roman Emperor.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And ye shall be brought … – This prediction was completely and abundantly fulfilled, Act 5:26; Act 12:1-4; Act 23:33; Act 26:1, Act 26:28, Act 26:30. Peter is said to have been brought before Nero, and John before Domitian, Roman emperors; and others before Parthian, Scythian, and Indian kings. They were to stand there to bear a testimony against them; or, as it might be rendered, to them. That is, they were to be witnesses to them of the great facts and doctrines of the Christian religion; and if they rejected Christianity, they would be witnesses against them in the day of judgment. The fulfillment of this prophecy is a signal evidence that Christ possessed a knowledge of the future. Few things were more improbable when this was uttered than that the fishermen of Galilee would stand before the illustrious and mighty monarchs of the East and the West.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 18. Ye shall be brought before governors, &c.] “This affords a striking proof of the prescience of Christ. Who could have thought, at that time, that these despised and illiterate men could excite so much attention, and be called upon to apologize for the profession of their faith before the tribunals of the most illustrious personages of the earth ?” Wakefield.
By governors and kings we may understand, the Roman proconsuls, governors of provinces, and the kings who were tributary to the Roman government, and the emperors themselves, before whom many of the primitive Christians were brought.
For a testimony against them and the Gentiles.] That is, to render testimony, both to Jews and Gentiles, of the truth and power of my Gospel.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
18. And ye shall be brought beforegovernorsprovincial rulers.
and kingsthe highesttribunals.
for my sake, for a testimonyagainst themrather, “to them,” in order to beartestimony to the truth and its glorious effects.
and the Gentiles“tothe Gentiles”; a hint that their message would not long beconfined to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The Acts of theApostles are the best commentary on these warnings.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And ye shall be brought before governors,…. Meaning Roman governors; so Paul was had before Gallio, Felix, and Festas; for judgments relating to life and death were to be taken away, and were taken away from the Jewish sanhedrim; and as they themselves say f, forty years before the destruction of the second temple, which was much about the time of Christ’s death: so that what power they had, was only with regard to lesser matters, and to inflict lesser punishments, as beating and scourging: if they sought to take away life, they were obliged to bring the cause before the governors of the Roman provinces, who are here intended:
and kings for my sake; as Herod, Agrippa, Nero, Domitian, and others, before whom one or other of the apostles were brought; not as thieves, or murderers, or traitors, and seditious persons, or for having done any wrong or injury to any man’s person or property; but purely for the sake of Christ, for the profession of their faith in him, and for preaching his Gospel; of all which they had no reason to be ashamed, nor were they:
for a testimony against, or “to”
them, and the Gentiles; that is, that thereby they might have an opportunity of bearing a testimony to the truths of the Gospel, which would be either to the conviction and conversion of many Gentiles, as well as Jews; or would be a testimony which would stand against them another day, both against the Jews, who charged, and accused them, and brought them before the Heathen kings and governors, to punish them with death; and against those Gentile magistrates, and others, who should join with them in rejecting the Gospel, and putting them to death for preaching it: so that they should have no pretext or excuse; since the Gospel had been faithfully and clearly preached to them, and they had despised it, and evil treated the ministers of it. This confirms what is before observed, that this passage refers to an after mission.
f Hieros. Sanhedrim, fol. 18. 1. & 24. 2. Juchasin, fol. 26. 2. & 51. 1. Maimon. Hilch. Sanhedrim. c. 14. sect. 13.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
1) “And ye shall be brought before governors,” (kai epi hegemonas achthesesthe) “And you will be led up (apprehended) before leaders,” to be questioned, examined, or tried, before provincial rulers like Felix and Festus.
2) “And kings for my sake,” (de kai basileis eneken emou) “And also kings for my sake,” such as Herod and Agrippa, and Nero, Act 12:1; Act 24:10; Act 25:7; Act 25:23; 2Ti 4:16. They were the highest civil tribunals.
3) “For a testimony against them and the Gentiles.” (eis marturion autois kai tois ethnesin) “For a testimony both to them and to, the nations or races,” and a testimony against them, it they receive you not with kindness or good will. To the Gentiles, nations, or races is an hint that the gospel message would not long be restricted to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(18) Ye shall be brought before governors and kings.The words are significant as looking forward (if we assume the unity of the discourse) to that future work among the Gentiles upon which the Twelve were told that they were not as yet to enter. Rulers stands always in the New Testament for the governors (proconsuls, procurators, and others) of the Roman Empire. Kings at least includes, even if it does not primarily indicate, the emperors themselves.
Against them.Rather, unto them. The word is simply the dative of the person to whom we address our testimony, not involving necessarily any hostile or even reproving purpose.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
18. Brought before governors Procurators and proconsuls. Such were Pilate, Felix, and Festus. And kings Such were Herod, Agrippa, and the Roman emperor. For a testimony against them A memento in the great day of judgment, that the Gospel had been preached unto them, and had been rejected by them. And the Gentiles For our Lord is now contemplating a field of trial far beyond the boundaries of Palestine, to which he had limited their present trial mission. From the humble encounters which they were to undergo before the magistrates and mobs in the towns of Palestine; our Lord mounts to their arraignments before the great ones of the earth and their expanded missions into the various Gentile nations. Here is a quiet yet signal prophecy of the spread of the Gospel in distant lands, and an intimation of the persecutions which marked the progress of Christianity for several centuries.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Mat 10:18 . ] and but (always separated except in the epic poets), is of the nature of a climax, introducing still another circumstance, whereupon follows this new and emphasized thought. Hartung, Partikell . I. p. 181 f.; Klotz, ad Devar . p. 645; Baeumlein, Partik . p. 148 f.
] comprises the three kinds of provincial chief magistrates, propraetors, proconsuls , and procurators . Fischer, de vit. Lex. N. T . p. 432 ff.
] as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles, i.e . those wrongs and that violent treatment have this as their object, that (through your confession and demeanour) a testimony regarding me may be given to the Jews and the Gentiles . Comp. Mat 8:4 , Mat 24:14 . Let it be observed: (1) that it is arbitrary to refer , as is usually done, merely to the last point, , etc., seeing that everything, in fact, from onwards, belongs to one category and has one common aim; (2) that , therefore, cannot point to the and , to whom it is commonly referred (Baumgarten-Crusius, Bleek), though not in keeping with the distinction expressed by , for the truth is, the procurators and kings were Gentiles also; but that, as is at once suggested to the reader by this adding on of , it rather refers to the Jews (Maldonatus, Bengel, Lange, Hilgenfeld, Schegg, following Theophylact), who ( , Mat 10:17 ) are the active subjects of , , and partly also of ; (3) that, according to the context, , to the Gentiles , refers to the and , and their Gentile environment ; (4) and lastly, that the further reference of is to be gathered from : a testimony of me , regarding my person and work. The dative case , however, is that of reference as regards the ; to define more specifically would be an unwarrantable liberty. This is applicable to the view adopted since Chrysostom: (Theophylact, Euth. Zigabenus, Erasmus, Beza, Maldonatus, Kuinoel), although this is included in that general reference.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.
Ver. 18. And ye shall be brought before governors ] Yea, they offered themselves to them, crying Christiani sumus, We are Christians, and so tiring them thereby, that one of them a in a great chafe cried out, O miseri, si libet perire, num vobis rupes aut restes desunt? Can ye find no other way to despatch yourselves, but that I must be troubled with you?
And before kings, for my sake ] As Paul before Agrippa, and afterwards Nero; Luther before Charles V; Lambert before Henry VIII.
a Artius Antoninus, apud Tertul.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
18. ] . implies, yea and moreover; assuming what has just been said and passing on to something more. The words are always separated, except in the Epic poets. See Viger, ed. Herm. p. 545 (note), 844: Hartung, Partikellehre, i. 181 f.: Klotz ad Devar. p. 645.
Proconsuls, Proprtors, Procurators, as (Pontius Pilate,) Felix, Festus, Gallio, Sergius Paulus.
, as (Herod,) Agrippa. The former verse was of Jewish persecution; this, of Gentile: the concluding words shew that the scope of both, in the divine purposes, as regarded the Apostles, was the same, viz. . . . . . The . is in both senses a testimony to , and against them (see ch. Mat 8:4 , note), and refers to both bets of persecutors: , to them , i.e. the Jews (not the . . for they are in most cases Gentiles themselves), . It was a testimony in the best sense to Sergius Paulus, Act 13:7 , but against Felix, Act 24:25 ; and this double power ever belongs to the word of God as preached it is a (Rev 1:16 ; Rev 2:12 ).
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mat 10:18 . , provincial governors, including the three degrees: Propraetors, Proconsuls, and Procurators. From the point of view of the evangelist, who conceives the whole discourse as connected with the Galiean mission confined to Jews, the reference can only be to Roman governors in Palestine . But in Christ’s mind they doubtless had a larger scope, and pointed to judicial tribulations in the larger, Gentile world. . The compensation for the incriminated will be that, when they stand on their defence, they will have an opportunity of witnessing for the Master ( ) and the Cause. Observe the combination in first clause of this verse, before , after it. It introduces a further particular under a double point of view, with so far as similar, with so far as different (Bumlein, Schulgram. , 675, also Gr. Partikeln , 188, 9). A more formidable experience.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
And = Yea and; or And . . . kings also.
before. Greek. epi.
for My sake = on account of Me. Greek. heneken.
for = with a view to.
against = unto.
Gentiles = nations.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
18.] . implies, yea and moreover; assuming what has just been said and passing on to something more. The words are always separated, except in the Epic poets. See Viger, ed. Herm. p. 545 (note), 844: Hartung, Partikellehre, i. 181 f.: Klotz ad Devar. p. 645.
-Proconsuls, Proprtors, Procurators, as (Pontius Pilate,) Felix, Festus, Gallio, Sergius Paulus.
, as (Herod,) Agrippa. The former verse was of Jewish persecution; this, of Gentile: the concluding words shew that the scope of both, in the divine purposes, as regarded the Apostles, was the same, viz. . . . . . The . is in both senses-a testimony to, and against them (see ch. Mat 8:4, note), and refers to both bets of persecutors: , to them, i.e. the Jews (not the . . for they are in most cases Gentiles themselves), . It was a testimony in the best sense to Sergius Paulus, Act 13:7, but against Felix, Act 24:25; and this double power ever belongs to the word of God as preached-it is a (Rev 1:16; Rev 2:12).
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mat 10:18. , but) The particle is here used epitatically,[467] to denote a further step in the subject announced.-, ye shall be brought) The apostles did not come ultroneously to the rulers, they were brought.-, against them) sc. the Jews, in contradistinction to the Gentiles mentioned immediately afterwards,- , and the Gentiles) This chapter therefore already contemplates matters more remote, and refers to the apostolate after our Lords ascension.
[467] See Append, on Epitasis. An emphatic addition to an enunciation already made.-ED.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
be: Psa 2:1-6, Act 5:25-27, Act 12:1-4, Act 23:33, Act 23:34, Act 24:1 – Act 26:32, 2Ti 4:16, 2Ti 4:17
for a: Mat 8:4, Mar 13:9, 2Ti 1:8, Rev 1:9, Rev 6:9, Rev 11:7
Reciprocal: Exo 5:1 – and told Deu 31:19 – a witness 2Ch 26:18 – withstood Uzziah Psa 119:46 – speak Jer 19:3 – Hear Dan 3:13 – Then Jon 1:2 – cry Mat 5:11 – for Mat 27:11 – Jesus stood Mar 10:29 – for Luk 5:14 – for Luk 6:22 – for Luk 9:5 – a testimony Joh 15:21 – all Act 9:15 – and kings Act 17:19 – May Act 21:37 – General Act 25:22 – General Act 26:28 – Almost Act 27:24 – thou 1Pe 3:14 – if 1Pe 3:15 – and be
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
0:18
Not being satisfied with what they could accomplish in their own assemblies, the Jews would drag the apostles before the rulers of the Roman Empire where they would hope to obtain some decrees against them. For a testimony does not mean the persecutors would hail the apostles into those courts for the purpose of hearing the testimony against themselves. Jesus meant that such a circumstance would give them an opportunity thus to speak against them and all the sinful men of the nations.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 10:18. And moreover. An additional thought. Besides trials before Jewish spiritual tribunals, they should be brought before governors and kings, before the civil tribunals as common criminals. All kinds of magistrates and rulers are meant. The civil power has often aided ecclesiastical persecutors. Romanists still justify this step.
For a testimony to them and the Gentiles. Probably an allusion to the witness-bearing of martyrdom. This testimony was, of the truth, and made to the Jews (them) and the Gentiles, yet it was also against both, in so far as they rejected the truth. Persecution extended the testimony; the martyrdom extended the truth.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
This prediction has caused problems for many interpreters since there is no indication that the disciples appeared before governors and kings during the mission that followed. As mentioned above, Jesus was evidently looking beyond their immediate mission to what His disciples would experience after His death, resurrection, and ascension. [Note: Hagner, p. 262.]