And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
All who are sent out as Christ's representatives to do His work will be hated by all people for bearing His name in loyalty to Him, yet only the one who remains faithful through it to the end will be saved. The hatred comes because they teach truths that oppose worldly religious teaching and because the divine power working in them undermines Satan's influence, with the bitterest opposition coming from those having only a form of religion. It means being brought before councils, governors and kings for a testimony, scourged, imprisoned, betrayed by closest family, driven from homes into poverty and distress, threatened with death and even put to death by those who think killing them serves God. Endurance means not surrendering faith to save the life of the body, fleeing from city to city when persecuted in order to continue the work elsewhere, and trusting the Spirit of the Father to speak through them without premeditation when brought before authorities. Christ warned of this affliction beforehand so its coming would strengthen faith rather than shake it, and the warning has been fulfilled from His own rejection and crucifixion through imprisonment, exile, burning and torture down to the present, with still greater united opposition to come.
Commission and Hatred
This saying belongs to the instructions given when the disciples were sent out as representatives and messengers to carry on the same healing work, sent as sheep among wolves where they must be wise as serpents and harmless as doves because their work would bring them into conflict with enemies of the gospel and men would oppose them. It was instruction about opposition they would face for His sake, that they would be hated and must endure to the end in order to be saved.
They will be hated by all for His name's sake because they bear His name and serve Him in allegiance and loyalty to Him, just as He was hated without cause. Those doing medical missionary work in His name will face the same hatred and opposition Christ faced. They are hated because they teach truths that conflict with worldly religious teaching, and because Satan opposes them since divine power at work in them will undermine his influence. The bitterest opposition may come from people who have the form of religion but lack its godliness. The reproach they receive should be for Christ's sake, not for their own sins or foolish actions.
The hatred means being delivered to councils and scourged in synagogues and brought before governors, kings and rulers for a testimony, with opposition experienced in its fullest sense. It means being threatened with death and being betrayed unto death by brother and father and children, even close family members, and facing death at the hands of those who think killing them serves God and religion. It also means being driven from homes and brought to poverty, being in distress through disease and privation, and being cast into prison, with accusation, reproach, imprisonment and prison from religious authorities. It includes organized opposition with falsehood gathered and spoken against God's workers, rival meetings and flaming notices to turn the people away, and watching of those who attend in order to deal with them. It includes pressure to worship contrary to God's will while keeping God's commandments.
Jesus warned of this hatred, persecution and affliction ahead of time, a little before His promise of special blessing on all who minister to His brethren for His sake, so that its arrival would strengthen faith rather than shake it. The warning has been fulfilled in every indignity, reproach and cruelty that Satan instigates human hearts to inflict, proving the world remains in opposition to Jesus and human nature remains unreconciled to Christ. The same hatred that rejected and crucified Christ worked in imprisonment, exile, burning and torture in the Dark Ages, the Inquisition, the massacre of St. Bartholomew and the fires of Smithfield, and still works with malignant energy in unregenerate hearts that will not have Christ reign over them. The persecution already experienced is small compared with what is still to come in the time when satanic powers unite with the professed Christian world against God. Following Christ in this hatred includes sharing His humiliation and suffering, as seen when James was killed by Herod and John's life was preserved so he could bear faithful witness from personal knowledge of Jesus.
Endurance unto Salvation
Only the one who endures trials, affliction and persecution faithfully to the end will be saved, and this promise is cause to thank God. The hatred borne for bearing His name and serving Him in allegiance and loyalty to Him, just as He was hated without cause, is to be endured to the end, and the warning of it beforehand is meant so its arrival strengthens faith rather than shaking it. Endurance means not giving up faith to preserve life, since saving life in that way would mean losing the soul. It means not fearing those who can kill the body and trusting that Christ will confess those who confess Him, while keeping God's commandments even under betrayal by family unto death.
Endurance in persecution may include fleeing from one city to another when persecuted, including for Sabbath-keepers, so as to continue the Bible message in other localities. Ministers and believers should act with care rather than needlessly provoke hostility or needlessly imperil their lives when ways and means of saving themselves exist. Such flight follows Christ's own example and teaching, for He often left a city where He was working for a place where He would not be recognized. The disciple is not above his master, and the cities of Israel will not be gone over before the Son of man comes.
When brought before authorities, delivered to councils and scourged in synagogues and brought before governors and kings for a testimony, they are to trust the Spirit to give them words, with the Spirit of the Father speaking through them without premeditation. This calls in the time of the end for having life hid with Christ in God and for any lacking wisdom to take the matter to the Lord in prayer for direction. Those so hated, including medical missionary workers who face the opposition Christ faced, should expect that opposition and remain faithful through it. They are to seek to please the Lord, do their whole duty, not shun the conflict where He has sent them, and remain of good courage to the end.
Christ's peace does not prevent such conflict or division, including being brought before rulers and threatened with death; it is peace that can be possessed amid them. In all who are driven from homes and brought to poverty, in distress through disease and privation, and cast into prison, His followers are to recognize Christ Himself and minister to them as they would minister to Him, which is the evidence of discipleship. The warning of hatred and affliction was given a little before His promise of special blessing on all who minister to His brethren for His sake.
All who are sent out as Christ's representatives to do His work will be hated by all people for bearing His name in loyalty to Him, yet only the one who remains faithful through it to the end will be saved. The hatred comes because they teach truths that oppose worldly religious teaching and because the divine power working in them undermines Satan's influence, with the bitterest opposition coming from those having only a form of religion. It means being brought before councils, governors and kings for a testimony, scourged, imprisoned, betrayed by closest family, driven from homes into poverty and distress, threatened with death and even put to death by those who think killing them serves God. Endurance means not surrendering faith to save the life of the body, fleeing from city to city when persecuted in order to continue the work elsewhere, and trusting the Spirit of the Father to speak through them without premeditation when brought before authorities. Christ warned of this affliction beforehand so its coming would strengthen faith rather than shake it, and the warning has been fulfilled from His own rejection and crucifixion through imprisonment, exile, burning and torture down to the present, with still greater united opposition to come.
Commission and Hatred
This saying belongs to the instructions given when the disciples were sent out as representatives and messengers to carry on the same healing work, sent as sheep among wolves where they must be wise as serpents and harmless as doves because their work would bring them into conflict with enemies of the gospel and men would oppose them. It was instruction about opposition they would face for His sake, that they would be hated and must endure to the end in order to be saved.
They will be hated by all for His name's sake because they bear His name and serve Him in allegiance and loyalty to Him, just as He was hated without cause. Those doing medical missionary work in His name will face the same hatred and opposition Christ faced. They are hated because they teach truths that conflict with worldly religious teaching, and because Satan opposes them since divine power at work in them will undermine his influence. The bitterest opposition may come from people who have the form of religion but lack its godliness. The reproach they receive should be for Christ's sake, not for their own sins or foolish actions.
The hatred means being delivered to councils and scourged in synagogues and brought before governors, kings and rulers for a testimony, with opposition experienced in its fullest sense. It means being threatened with death and being betrayed unto death by brother and father and children, even close family members, and facing death at the hands of those who think killing them serves God and religion. It also means being driven from homes and brought to poverty, being in distress through disease and privation, and being cast into prison, with accusation, reproach, imprisonment and prison from religious authorities. It includes organized opposition with falsehood gathered and spoken against God's workers, rival meetings and flaming notices to turn the people away, and watching of those who attend in order to deal with them. It includes pressure to worship contrary to God's will while keeping God's commandments.
Jesus warned of this hatred, persecution and affliction ahead of time, a little before His promise of special blessing on all who minister to His brethren for His sake, so that its arrival would strengthen faith rather than shake it. The warning has been fulfilled in every indignity, reproach and cruelty that Satan instigates human hearts to inflict, proving the world remains in opposition to Jesus and human nature remains unreconciled to Christ. The same hatred that rejected and crucified Christ worked in imprisonment, exile, burning and torture in the Dark Ages, the Inquisition, the massacre of St. Bartholomew and the fires of Smithfield, and still works with malignant energy in unregenerate hearts that will not have Christ reign over them. The persecution already experienced is small compared with what is still to come in the time when satanic powers unite with the professed Christian world against God. Following Christ in this hatred includes sharing His humiliation and suffering, as seen when James was killed by Herod and John's life was preserved so he could bear faithful witness from personal knowledge of Jesus.
Endurance unto Salvation
Only the one who endures trials, affliction and persecution faithfully to the end will be saved, and this promise is cause to thank God. The hatred borne for bearing His name and serving Him in allegiance and loyalty to Him, just as He was hated without cause, is to be endured to the end, and the warning of it beforehand is meant so its arrival strengthens faith rather than shaking it. Endurance means not giving up faith to preserve life, since saving life in that way would mean losing the soul. It means not fearing those who can kill the body and trusting that Christ will confess those who confess Him, while keeping God's commandments even under betrayal by family unto death.
Endurance in persecution may include fleeing from one city to another when persecuted, including for Sabbath-keepers, so as to continue the Bible message in other localities. Ministers and believers should act with care rather than needlessly provoke hostility or needlessly imperil their lives when ways and means of saving themselves exist. Such flight follows Christ's own example and teaching, for He often left a city where He was working for a place where He would not be recognized. The disciple is not above his master, and the cities of Israel will not be gone over before the Son of man comes.
When brought before authorities, delivered to councils and scourged in synagogues and brought before governors and kings for a testimony, they are to trust the Spirit to give them words, with the Spirit of the Father speaking through them without premeditation. This calls in the time of the end for having life hid with Christ in God and for any lacking wisdom to take the matter to the Lord in prayer for direction. Those so hated, including medical missionary workers who face the opposition Christ faced, should expect that opposition and remain faithful through it. They are to seek to please the Lord, do their whole duty, not shun the conflict where He has sent them, and remain of good courage to the end.
Christ's peace does not prevent such conflict or division, including being brought before rulers and threatened with death; it is peace that can be possessed amid them. In all who are driven from homes and brought to poverty, in distress through disease and privation, and cast into prison, His followers are to recognize Christ Himself and minister to them as they would minister to Him, which is the evidence of discipleship. The warning of hatred and affliction was given a little before His promise of special blessing on all who minister to His brethren for His sake.