Matthew 10:19, commentary and pictures

When they are delivered up to councils and rulers, Christ's witnesses are to take no anxious forethought about the manner or matter of their defense, for the Spirit of the Father will supply the needed words in that same hour.
The Spirit then controls thought and speech so nothing contrary to truth is spoken, bringing heavenly wisdom that can be distinguished as God's own words, with courage and strength and truths suited to the hearers and the occasion.
The command forbids trusting human planning, skill, or a prepared set speech, yet it requires daily treasuring of Scripture in the mind through study, prayer, and obedience, for the Spirit cannot recall what has been neglected.
As it sustained Jerome, Luther, Huss, and Paul before learned judges and rulers, so very soon it will sustain believers, especially Sabbath-keepers, when brought guiltless before kings and courts and opposed by former brethren.
The same help attends daily work for souls, when canvassers, teachers, and humble workers trust Christ beside them, and angels put light-giving words on their lips to refresh, convict, and strengthen hearts.

Setting and Wording

Matthew 10 records the sending out of the apostles after they had been trained by Christ, having learned His words so that when separated from Him and in conflict with enemies of the gospel they repeated those words and saw their effect on the people.
The promise was spoken to the disciples on their missionary tour as they were commissioned to go in His name and work as He worked in healing the sick, sent as sheep in the midst of wolves to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. They were to beware of men, expecting to be delivered to councils and scourged in synagogues and brought before governors and kings for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. It is to be studied to stay wide-awake and to receive correct judgment from the Lord in difficulty.
It stands with the further warnings that brother shall betray brother to death and children shall rise against parents, that they shall be hated by all for His name, that he that endures to the end shall be saved, that they shall flee persecution from city to city until the Son of man comes, and that the disciple is not above his master, even as Christ Himself often left a city where He was working for a place where He would not be recognized.
To take no thought how or what to speak means to put away anxious forethought and planned defense about both manner and matter when handed over and brought before authorities for His sake. It shall be given in that same hour means the needed words are supplied at the moment of trial, without anxious preparation beforehand.
It is not the disciples that speak, but the Spirit of the Father speaking in them and through Christ's witnesses in their testimony.

Spirit-Given Help Described

When followers are brought before governors and kings for His sake, they are to take no anxious forethought how or what to speak, for in that same hour what to speak will be given them. It is not they that speak but the Spirit of the Father speaking in them, controlling thought and word so that nothing contrary to truth or unworthy of the Master is uttered. The Holy Spirit illuminates the mind to bear clear testimony to truth before rulers and others who might otherwise never hear it clearly, and that testimony reveals Christ and shows the difference between His followers and their persecutors. This was fulfilled in Jerome at his trial after 340 days in prison, when in answer to prayer his arguments came with a clearness and power as if from undisturbed opportunity for study, exciting astonishment and admiration even in his enemies.

The words thus brought to mind are heavenly wisdom, to be distinguished from the speaker's own thoughts and recognized as God's words. They carry wisdom, life, and power rather than merely expressing human thought. Christ Himself instructs and guides in the moment, so there is no need for anxious worry beforehand about what to say before councils, judges, and authorities. This giving of words also belongs to workers facing strong opposition and speaking a plain message that hearers accept as coming from the Lord, giving them words and ability to speak even where resistance is strong.

Courage and strength for the witness are given when the trial comes. Believers brought before rulers to answer for faith need not be overcome by anxiety about what to say and need not rely on their own strength, for God strengthens them to testify and they do not stand alone. Luther was assured of God's presence before the emperor and assembled judges and was strengthened to testify for the gospel and made ready to defend it even at the cost of life, though he also prepared his answer and gathered scriptural proofs.

At the needed time the Holy Spirit brings to mind truths suited to reach the hearers and the occasion, so no set speech need be prepared for a trial over faith. Paul stood calm before the learned men of Athens relying on this divine assurance at the moment of responsibility, and spoke with words suited to his hearers and occasion. Spoken in the Spirit of Jesus, such words can reach opponents' hearts and show the congregation a higher standard of truth. As God's people lead others to Christ in daily life, He is close beside them and gives words apart from their own weak efforts that refresh, encourage, and strengthen struggling souls in darkness, and seeing the promise fulfilled strengthens their own faith so the work blesses both others and themselves.

Angels are by the side of the faithful in that hour. They put the words supplied by the Spirit of Jesus on their lips, stay close to keep the messengers in peace, and give certain victory and success. This belongs to workers surrendered to the Lord's methods who put self out of sight, lift up the Man of Calvary, and place themselves softened and subdued on the Lord's side, and to messengers facing adversaries who misapply truth, wrest Scripture to sustain error, and threaten personal retaliation to stir retaliation. Such delegated witnesses keep speech pure and calm with patient, kind, forbearing spirit rather than natural temperament, revealing Christ not by display of knowledge, talent, or philosophy but by a soul emptied of self, so that speech shows Jesus speaking through them and carries a sweet influence showing the Spirit of Christ and of truth.

When God's servants present truth to unbelievers, God may give unexpected help when most needed, enabling them to speak with clarity and power. That blessing of the Spirit does not always come immediately after prayer, so faith must be held fast in trust that God will provide it at the moment of need.

Preparation and Trust Required

When believers are delivered up for their faith they are not to make anxious plans in advance or prepare a set speech for their defense, and are not to depend on human planning, skill, preparation or strength. They are instead to obey God and follow Christ, cast all care upon Jesus, and trust the Lord and the Spirit to bring to remembrance and supply in that same hour the manner and matter of what they should say. The help promised is truths suited to reach the hearers and the occasion, recalled at the moment of need rather than devised beforehand.

That promise does not remove the need for preparation, for the daily work remains essential and those who neglect it cannot expect the Spirit to recall what was never received. Believers are to treasure Scripture and store God's Word in the mind, search the Bible, learn Christ's teaching, strengthen faith through prayer, test grace in trial, serve with undivided affection, and earnestly seek to know God and Jesus Christ. Filling the mind day by day with truth in this way is what enables God to bring the needed words to mind when the trial comes.

Because the trial will involve standing in courts and before kings, governors, councils, magistrates, synagogues and learned people to explain the reasons for faith under allegiance to God's law, thorough education in Scripture is especially important. Workers should study so they can present Scripture clearly and give a definite, intelligent answer, and every believer individually must examine the Bible closely to know what is truth, since mere assent is not enough before keen, critical minds. This readiness is particularly urgent for the young as the world's history approaches its close.

Receiving the promise requires close communion with God and full surrender that puts self out of sight, lifts up the Man of Calvary, submits to the Lord's methods and leading, and places the worker softened and subdued on the Lord's side. As workers learn Christ's meekness and lowliness their wisdom in guiding others depends on personal acceptance of His guidance, and even those long feasting on truth who feel unqualified or unfitted must consecrate themselves and communicate light rather than hold back. Their speech is then to be pure, calm, uplifting and worthy of the heavenly calling, revealing a patient, kind and forbearing spirit rather than natural temperament, so that Christ and not display of knowledge, talent or philosophy appears.

The saying is to be studied in order to stay wide-awake and receive correct judgment from the Lord in difficulty. It calls for full courage without presumption or boldness in human strength, casting care on Jesus to find relief. In the time of the end disciples must have life hid with Christ in God, and when lacking wisdom take the matter to the Lord in prayer and acknowledge Him in all ways to have their paths directed.

Trials Past and Future

The promise was kept for Jerome at his trial after three hundred and forty days in prison, when in answer to prayer his arguments came with a clearness and power as if he had enjoyed undisturbed opportunity for study, exciting astonishment and admiration even in his enemies. Handed over for Christ's sake, followers need not worry beforehand about what to say, because God will give the words at the needed hour, and it is not they who speak but the Spirit of the Father speaking in them and controlling thought and word so that nothing contrary to truth or unworthy of the Master is spoken. Jerome prayed for the divine Spirit to guide his thoughts and words as he defended his faith before his judges, enabling him to speak in keeping with the truth and his Master.

It strengthened Luther as he faced the emperor and the assembled judges, when brought before rulers and judges for faith and needing no anxiety about what to say because the Spirit of the Father gives the words in the hour of trial. He was assured of God's presence before the council and did not stand alone, but was strengthened to testify for the gospel and made ready to defend it even at the cost of life, needing not to rely on his own strength or be overcome by anxiety. He also prepared his answer and gathered scriptural proofs, while the promise encouraged him as he stood to answer for his faith.

The same help sustained Huss in confidence that God would guide his defense and strengthen him by the Holy Spirit to stand firm in gospel truth even through prison or death, trusting God for wisdom and words when brought before enemies at the time of need. It sustained Paul to stand calm before the learned men of Athens, relying on the divine assurance that God gives His servants the needed words at the moment of responsibility, and to speak words suited to his hearers and the occasion.

Very soon believers will be brought before kings and rulers and accused of things of which they are not guilty, and for that time they are to plant their feet on the eternal platform of truth and stand on the affirmative, having nothing to do with proving truth. They are to take no thought beforehand how or what to speak, for it shall be given in that same hour what to speak, because it is not they that speak but the Spirit of the Father speaking in them. Sabbath-keepers professing the third message will be delivered up and brought before courts to answer for faith, where former brethren who have abandoned the truth become the bitterest enemies, misrepresenting and accusing them by false reports and insinuations to stir up rulers against them.

It applies to the coming trial in which believers are brought before councils and their positions of truth are severely criticized, for which preparation for that opposition is needed now. Every believer will certainly be called before councils and criticized by keen and critical minds, so mere assent to truth is not enough. Each person individually must understand Bible truth more thoroughly through close examination as a Bible student in order to know what is truth.

It applies when believers face public slander, hired opposition, and ministers watching and recording church members who attend meetings. In that setting they are to go on with the work, take no notice of opponents and make no reference to them, rather than trying to withstand their influence when hearers cannot discern truth. They are at the same time to seek to know how best to please the Lord and not to shun conflict if God has sent them there for a purpose in order to do their whole duty. The promise of God-given words when brought before others, without reliance on human planning, does not apply to the conference decision being discussed as if excusing human planning there.

Ministry in Daily Life

The promise is excellent instruction for receiving all classes into sanitariums and for laboring for poor sufferers, and God gives His servants the words to speak when called to bear witness, words that can have the highest consequence for souls in danger of spiritual ruin. Canvassers rest under heavy responsibility and should go to the work prepared to explain the Scriptures, with nothing said or done to bind their hands, putting trust in the Lord as they travel from place to place. Then angels of God are round about them, accompanying them, giving them words to speak that bring light and hope and courage to many souls who would otherwise never hear the truth, and impressing the hearts of the people addressed as the workers pray and believe. God gives the words to speak at the needed time and guides the speech of those serving in the canvassing field.

Teachers are laborers together with God and lights in the world revealing the Redeemer's gracious attributes, and to represent Christ is their sacred privilege. As they strive to represent Him they can hold the reassuring conviction that the Saviour is close beside them, giving them words to speak for Him and leading them to see ways to show forth His excellence. When God's people seek to lead others to Christ even while engaged in daily employment and in personal work for souls, the Saviour is close beside them so they are not left to their own weak and feeble efforts. Christ gives them the words they need, words that refresh and encourage and strengthen poor struggling souls in darkness and that reach listeners' hearts. Seeing the promise fulfilled strengthens their own faith, so the work blesses themselves as well as being a blessing to others.

Those who receive light from Christ will not lack fitting words when called to speak for Him, depending on the great invisible Master-teacher for what is appropriate. The Holy Spirit dictates what shall be spoken in that hour, not oratory as the world counts oratory but heavenly eloquence that goes direct to minds, awakens conviction, and causes hearers to ask what is truth. As men in the days of the apostles spoke as moved by the Holy Ghost, so in this day men supposed to be illiterate will speak words dictated by the Holy Spirit. When God's humble servants must speak the Lord supplies the words they need, joining divine power with human effort as they pass on the light and grace Christ gives and bring comfort to those longing for sympathy. Christ gives His followers words and ability to speak through the impartation of the Holy Spirit, fitting them to do the work He calls them to undertake, so that when His workers face difficulty the Spirit gives the words and ability their work requires.

When God's messenger set apart in youth must bear Christ's word to erring ones and unbelievers, reprove actions that are not right, and exhort from the Word with pen and voice, she is not to be afraid of man. God shields and protects her and opens His Word to her so it is not a strange language, giving her in that hour messages of warning and reproof to speak in the true eloquence of simplicity though never learned in the schools, with His Spirit and power attending her, for it is not she that speaks but the Lord speaking through her. That gift requires never deviating from the truth under any circumstances and giving only the light He gives, speaking without fear and remaining true to it, for the words of warning and reproof come through the Holy Spirit and not from herself. The messages for these last days thus given are to be written in books and stand immortalized to testify against those who once rejoiced in the light but gave it up through seductive evil influences.

When messengers of truth face adversaries who misapply truth, wrest the Scriptures to sustain error, and make personal threats to stir retaliation, they are to keep self out of sight and let Christ appear. Sustained by the Word as witnesses for God, they keep words pure and calm and reveal a patient, kind, forbearing spirit rather than natural temperament, and Jesus stands by their side to help them reveal His Spirit. Angels stay close beside them to keep them in peace and give them in that hour words carrying sweet influence that show the Spirit of Christ and of truth in them. As God's delegated messengers acting in His place to exalt Christ, they reveal Him not by show of knowledge or superior talent or philosophy but by a soul emptied of natural self. When warring elements come against workers who have surrendered to the Lord's methods, put self out of sight, lifted up the Man of Calvary, and placed themselves softened and subdued on the Lord's side, Christ gives His Spirit in words and utterance in that moment, with success given and angels right by their side to give certain victory.

When followers are delivered up to face danger or persecution and are brought before hostile authorities to bear difficult testimony amid danger of imprisonment and abuse, they need not be anxious or afraid about what to say, for God will give the right words at the right time. Trusting God to guide speech and to protect, the messenger is to go even into dangerous places. Those who have long feasted on truth must communicate light to other minds and not hold back because they feel unqualified or unfitted. If consecrated to God He will give them in that hour wisdom, tongue, and utterance so adversaries cannot gainsay or resist. He does not demand of one entrusted with two talents the improvement of five, but asks every soul to take up one line of work after another as it presents itself to advance His kingdom and save souls.