For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
When His followers are seized for His name and brought before councils, kings and rulers on false charges, Jesus Himself gives them mouth and utterance and wisdom for testimony that all their adversaries will be unable to contradict, withstand or resist. That wisdom is not mere human learning but the work of God's Spirit upon mind and heart, bringing needed truths and words of heavenly wisdom to mind that are full of life and power. Standing in that trial requires preparation made now by daily learning Christ's teaching, treasuring Scripture to know truth and not merely assent to it, strengthening faith through prayer, and standing firm as a rock to principle in obedience to God. The promise was fulfilled in Stephen's Spirit-grounded defense before the Sanhedrin, in Paul's reasoning that moved Felix to tremble, in unlearned fishermen whose testimony spread throughout the earth, and in Christ's own teaching that gave even a vast critical audience no grounds to gainsay it. What matters most is its place in the last closing conflict, when believers brought into strait places and severe criticism of every position of truth, even illiterate and unlearned workers, are endowed with power from on high to open the Scriptures, confound enemies, silence opposition and convert thousands, because God stands by His servant so that men may resist men but cannot resist God's work.
Setting and Promise
Jesus spoke these words while His disciples looked on the rich adornments of the temple, in His discourse about Jerusalem's destruction and His coming. That prophetic description reaches beyond the throwing down of stone upon stone at Jerusalem to the destruction of nations and of the whole world, to the final judgment. It is left as lessons especially applicable to those living in the last scenes of earth's history upon whom the ends of the world are come.
Before wars and commotions, nation rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom, earthquakes in divers places, famines and pestilences, and fearful sights and great signs from heaven, His followers will for His name's sake be laid hold on and persecuted. They will be seized, delivered up to synagogues and into prisons, and brought before kings and rulers and councils to meet false, absurd and lying accusations, and this will turn to them for a testimony. They will be betrayed by parents and brethren and kinsfolk and friends, and some will be put to death. This division comes because one part of humanity receives Christ while the other sides with Satan and opposes Christ and His followers, a hatred already fulfilled in the cry against Christ and in persecution of the disciples and to be fulfilled in yet more marked manner, for the carnal mind is still at enmity with the law of God and the world is no more in harmony with the principles of Christ today than in ages past. In the battle prior to the last closing conflict the two armies stand distinct and separate, with many convinced of truth coming to the side of God's commandment-keeping people, while many are imprisoned, many flee for their lives from cities and towns, and many are martyrs for Christ's sake in standing in defense of the truth.
When so brought before authorities for His name, they are to settle it in their hearts not to plan beforehand what to answer. Jesus Himself will supply mouth, utterance and wisdom for testimony. All their adversaries will be unable to contradict, gainsay, withstand or resist it. That help comes with the grace and steadfastness given to Christ in suffering.
The wisdom given is the work of God's Spirit upon mind and heart, not merely human learning. The Holy Spirit brings needed truths to mind at that time, Christ Himself instructing and guiding them and bringing words of heavenly wisdom to mind wherever they go. Those taught of God and come into harmony with His Spirit so His Spirit can rule their minds distinguish these words from their own thoughts and know them as the words of God, full of wisdom, life and power. Christ's own teaching showed this power of the indwelling Spirit promised to His followers, for it moved hearts and confounded opponents, and even before a vast, highly critical audience including learned, influential, intelligent and cultivated people gave them no grounds on which to gainsay His words.
Standing in that trial when every position of truth held will be severely criticised requires preparation made now with intensity of zeal, piety and devotion. They are to prepare daily by learning Christ's teaching, treasuring Scripture, studying it closely so they know the truth and not merely assent to it, and strengthening faith through prayer. They must stand firm as a rock to principle and obey the express command of God rather than confer with flesh and blood when brought into strait places, with an intelligent knowledge of His Word to contend zealously for the law of Jehovah. This help cannot be expected if God's word has been neglected, and time now allowed to go to waste should be devoted to preparing for the approaching crisis, on which personal salvation as well as the destiny of other souls depends.
Witness and Mission
The promise was already fulfilled when Stephen, speaking through the Holy Spirit and grounded in the prophecies and the law, answered and defeated his opposers before the Sanhedrin. It was fulfilled again when Paul reasoned about righteousness, self-control and coming judgment until Felix trembled. Unlearned fishermen likewise received knowledge and wisdom from Christ so that adversaries could neither refute nor withstand their words, and their testimony spread throughout the earth to its ends.
Christ's own teaching displayed the same gift, for His words moved hearts and confounded opponents by the power of the indwelling Spirit promised to followers facing rulers and magistrates. Even before a vast, highly critical audience that included learned, influential, intelligent and cultivated people, His teaching gave them no grounds to gainsay it.
In the closing scenes believers brought into strait places will receive strength as their day when every position of truth is severely criticized. Jesus Himself will give speech and wisdom that opponents cannot contradict or overcome, confounding enemies of righteousness, putting them to shame and revealing hidden darkness. That witness will carry converting power, speaking sacred truth never heard before so that thousands are converted and even lawyers and jurors on the judgment seat embrace it. Those converts will in turn confess Christ before kings and rulers by loyalty to all God's commandments, especially the Sabbath made the test question. Trials and even martyrdom do not annul the promise, but give a final opportunity to repent and force witnesses and onlookers to choose.
The verse belongs to what to expect in the last days and empowers the closing work of opening the Scriptures and proclaiming the last warning message. Many workers, even illiterate, unlearned, discouraging men and women, if continually learners, are endowed with power from on high through the impartation of the Holy Spirit to withstand infidelity, baffle supposedly learned men, and speak with convincing power that converts and silences opposition. Unlearned believers giving Spirit-inspired testimony drawn from Scripture carry such convincing power that learned opponents cannot refute it. Truth published with divine light and power likewise convicts opposers until they acknowledge it cannot be gainsaid.
God Himself stands by His servant when His work is brought before authorities to be better understood, and men may resist men but cannot resist God's work, for man can do nothing against the truth but for it. Therefore the messenger need have no fear, must suppress no word given, and need not plan beforehand what to say. Help comes with the grace and steadfastness given to Christ in suffering, whose patient endurance is the example, so followers trust God to strengthen them, regard faithfulness under suffering as purification, glorify God, and stand for truth without yielding any part of the gospel. In close conflict prayer brings angels to the battlefield, wondrous light from Christ stops caviling mouths, the oppressed are delivered, and harassed believing souls are borne up as on eagles' wings to victory. When people are consecrated to God and renewed in character they experience this promised power working with them in saving souls.
When His followers are seized for His name and brought before councils, kings and rulers on false charges, Jesus Himself gives them mouth and utterance and wisdom for testimony that all their adversaries will be unable to contradict, withstand or resist. That wisdom is not mere human learning but the work of God's Spirit upon mind and heart, bringing needed truths and words of heavenly wisdom to mind that are full of life and power. Standing in that trial requires preparation made now by daily learning Christ's teaching, treasuring Scripture to know truth and not merely assent to it, strengthening faith through prayer, and standing firm as a rock to principle in obedience to God. The promise was fulfilled in Stephen's Spirit-grounded defense before the Sanhedrin, in Paul's reasoning that moved Felix to tremble, in unlearned fishermen whose testimony spread throughout the earth, and in Christ's own teaching that gave even a vast critical audience no grounds to gainsay it. What matters most is its place in the last closing conflict, when believers brought into strait places and severe criticism of every position of truth, even illiterate and unlearned workers, are endowed with power from on high to open the Scriptures, confound enemies, silence opposition and convert thousands, because God stands by His servant so that men may resist men but cannot resist God's work.
Setting and Promise
Jesus spoke these words while His disciples looked on the rich adornments of the temple, in His discourse about Jerusalem's destruction and His coming. That prophetic description reaches beyond the throwing down of stone upon stone at Jerusalem to the destruction of nations and of the whole world, to the final judgment. It is left as lessons especially applicable to those living in the last scenes of earth's history upon whom the ends of the world are come.
Before wars and commotions, nation rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom, earthquakes in divers places, famines and pestilences, and fearful sights and great signs from heaven, His followers will for His name's sake be laid hold on and persecuted. They will be seized, delivered up to synagogues and into prisons, and brought before kings and rulers and councils to meet false, absurd and lying accusations, and this will turn to them for a testimony. They will be betrayed by parents and brethren and kinsfolk and friends, and some will be put to death. This division comes because one part of humanity receives Christ while the other sides with Satan and opposes Christ and His followers, a hatred already fulfilled in the cry against Christ and in persecution of the disciples and to be fulfilled in yet more marked manner, for the carnal mind is still at enmity with the law of God and the world is no more in harmony with the principles of Christ today than in ages past. In the battle prior to the last closing conflict the two armies stand distinct and separate, with many convinced of truth coming to the side of God's commandment-keeping people, while many are imprisoned, many flee for their lives from cities and towns, and many are martyrs for Christ's sake in standing in defense of the truth.
When so brought before authorities for His name, they are to settle it in their hearts not to plan beforehand what to answer. Jesus Himself will supply mouth, utterance and wisdom for testimony. All their adversaries will be unable to contradict, gainsay, withstand or resist it. That help comes with the grace and steadfastness given to Christ in suffering.
The wisdom given is the work of God's Spirit upon mind and heart, not merely human learning. The Holy Spirit brings needed truths to mind at that time, Christ Himself instructing and guiding them and bringing words of heavenly wisdom to mind wherever they go. Those taught of God and come into harmony with His Spirit so His Spirit can rule their minds distinguish these words from their own thoughts and know them as the words of God, full of wisdom, life and power. Christ's own teaching showed this power of the indwelling Spirit promised to His followers, for it moved hearts and confounded opponents, and even before a vast, highly critical audience including learned, influential, intelligent and cultivated people gave them no grounds on which to gainsay His words.
Standing in that trial when every position of truth held will be severely criticised requires preparation made now with intensity of zeal, piety and devotion. They are to prepare daily by learning Christ's teaching, treasuring Scripture, studying it closely so they know the truth and not merely assent to it, and strengthening faith through prayer. They must stand firm as a rock to principle and obey the express command of God rather than confer with flesh and blood when brought into strait places, with an intelligent knowledge of His Word to contend zealously for the law of Jehovah. This help cannot be expected if God's word has been neglected, and time now allowed to go to waste should be devoted to preparing for the approaching crisis, on which personal salvation as well as the destiny of other souls depends.
Witness and Mission
The promise was already fulfilled when Stephen, speaking through the Holy Spirit and grounded in the prophecies and the law, answered and defeated his opposers before the Sanhedrin. It was fulfilled again when Paul reasoned about righteousness, self-control and coming judgment until Felix trembled. Unlearned fishermen likewise received knowledge and wisdom from Christ so that adversaries could neither refute nor withstand their words, and their testimony spread throughout the earth to its ends.
Christ's own teaching displayed the same gift, for His words moved hearts and confounded opponents by the power of the indwelling Spirit promised to followers facing rulers and magistrates. Even before a vast, highly critical audience that included learned, influential, intelligent and cultivated people, His teaching gave them no grounds to gainsay it.
In the closing scenes believers brought into strait places will receive strength as their day when every position of truth is severely criticized. Jesus Himself will give speech and wisdom that opponents cannot contradict or overcome, confounding enemies of righteousness, putting them to shame and revealing hidden darkness. That witness will carry converting power, speaking sacred truth never heard before so that thousands are converted and even lawyers and jurors on the judgment seat embrace it. Those converts will in turn confess Christ before kings and rulers by loyalty to all God's commandments, especially the Sabbath made the test question. Trials and even martyrdom do not annul the promise, but give a final opportunity to repent and force witnesses and onlookers to choose.
The verse belongs to what to expect in the last days and empowers the closing work of opening the Scriptures and proclaiming the last warning message. Many workers, even illiterate, unlearned, discouraging men and women, if continually learners, are endowed with power from on high through the impartation of the Holy Spirit to withstand infidelity, baffle supposedly learned men, and speak with convincing power that converts and silences opposition. Unlearned believers giving Spirit-inspired testimony drawn from Scripture carry such convincing power that learned opponents cannot refute it. Truth published with divine light and power likewise convicts opposers until they acknowledge it cannot be gainsaid.
God Himself stands by His servant when His work is brought before authorities to be better understood, and men may resist men but cannot resist God's work, for man can do nothing against the truth but for it. Therefore the messenger need have no fear, must suppress no word given, and need not plan beforehand what to say. Help comes with the grace and steadfastness given to Christ in suffering, whose patient endurance is the example, so followers trust God to strengthen them, regard faithfulness under suffering as purification, glorify God, and stand for truth without yielding any part of the gospel. In close conflict prayer brings angels to the battlefield, wondrous light from Christ stops caviling mouths, the oppressed are delivered, and harassed believing souls are borne up as on eagles' wings to victory. When people are consecrated to God and renewed in character they experience this promised power working with them in saving souls.