ACC ~ Matthew 10 v23

THE FLIGHT OF THE GOSPEL

HILARY: He then tells them to flee out of one city into another. This means that his message would first go beyond the borders of Judea and pass into Greece. Then the messengers would be harassed and the various apostles would suffer among the cities of Greece. At last the message would be established among all the Gentiles. He also wished to indicate that the Gentiles would believe in the apostles’ preaching but that Israel alone would not believe until his own return. For this reason he said, “You will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes,” that is, after the conversion of all of the Gentiles. Israel will be left, and when he comes in splendor, it will fill out the number of the holy and be established in the church. ON MATTHEW 10.14. [1]

[1] SC 254:232.

DO NOT FEAR PERSECUTION

JEROME: This should be read as referring to the time when the apostles were sent forth to preach. It was properly said to them: “Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans,” [1] because they should not fear persecution but should turn away from it. We see that this is what the believers did in the first days. When persecution began in Jerusalem, they scattered throughout all Judea. Their time of trial thus became a seedbed for the good news.

On the spiritual level we propose this symbolic interpretation. When we are persecuted in one city—that is, in one book or passage in Scripture—we will flee to other cities, that is, to other books. No matter how menacing the persecutor may be, he must come before the judgment seat of the Savior. Victory is not to be granted to our opponents before we have done this. COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 1.10.23. [2]

[1] Mt 10:5.

[2] CCL 77:69-70.

FROM ONE TOWN TO THE NEXT

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: Jesus commands his disciples to flee from one town to the next, and from that one to another. In saying this he is not telling his disciples to be cowardly. He is telling them not to cast themselves into dangers and die at once, for that would be a loss to those who otherwise will benefit from the teaching. FRAGMENT 120. [1]

[1] MKGK 192.

BEFORE THE SON OF MAN COMES

THEODORE OF HERACLEA: His coming is not described as a manifest one at the end of our life. His coming will appear as spiritual guidance and help for those who are persecuted from time to time for the sake of God. FRAGMENT 68. [1]

[1] MKGK 75.