“And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake; but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.” (Matthew 10:22/KJV).
Here Jesus speaks of ‘enduring’. Paul says that charitable love “endureth all things” in 1 Corinthians 13:7d/KJV).
In the Greek text we find the same word ‘hopomeno ‘ in both verses. This word also could be translated: to stay under, to remain, to persevere, and to bear trials, to take patiently or also to suffer. (Cf. ‘Strong’s Dictionary of the New Testament’; entry 5278).
Jesus sent his disciples to the villages in Israel. He clearly told them that by no means all men would happily receive their message.
In fact people would oppose them just because they come and speak in Jesus name. Situations might arise where they begin to feel they are hated by all men.
Then the disciples might consider the option of quitting and ceasing to stand for the cause of the Lord Jesus. Yet if they should forsake Him, they would also lose the benefits which they can only receive by trusting in Jesus.
Jesus mentions they might be brought before local authorities and even before governors and kings. He also says they might have to endure physical punishment such as flogging.
He did not ask his disciples to stay in the same place. Rather he suggested them to leave a place where their message is not received and to flee from where they are persecuted.
He comforted them, saying, that when put to trial they were not to worry about how to answer. In that case the Holy Spirit would give them the right words to say.
He also told them, they were not to fear death, because God is greater than death. They were rather to fear God, because God one day will even judge the dead.
Jesus summarises:
“Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my father in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32+33/NIV).
You might also be interested to consider the following words of Jesus:
“Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” (Matthew 10:16/KJV).
