But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;
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George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
They will deliver you up in councils. Christ, in this and the following verse, warns his apostles of the many troubles and persecutions to which the preaching of the faith would expose them. St. Chrysostom assigns several reasons for him choosing to foretell them such sufferings: 1st. that he might show that he had the gift of prophecy; 2nd. that they might not think such evils came upon them on account of his weakness; 3rd. that knowing beforehand the great trials to which they would be exposed, they might not be discouraged when they happened. (St. Chrysostom, in St. Thomas Aquinas)
Again he is preparing them for this new sort of combat. They are to suffer wrong and willingly permit others to inflict punishment upon them. This is meant to teach them that the victory is in suffering evil for the sake of good. By this means their eternal trophies are being prepared. He does not instruct them to fight and resist those who would persecute them. All he promises them is that they will suffer with him the utmost ills. The Gospel of Matthew, Homily
Thus again is He preparing them to be vigilant, in every case assigning to them the sufferance of wrong, and permitting the infliction of it to others; to teach you that the victory is in suffering evil, and that His glorious trophies are thereby set up. For He said not at all, Fight ye also, and resist them that would vex you, but only, You shall suffer the utmost ills.
