Matthew 10:23Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Having foretold the fearful things which should come upon them after His Cross, resurrection, and ascension, He leads them to gentler prospects; He does not bid them presumptuously to offer themselves for persecution, but to fly from it; When they persecute you in this city, flee ye to another. For because this was the first beginning of their conversion, He adapts His words to their state.

The earlier statements, along with the alarming declarations, ‘they shall betray you’ and ‘you shall be hated,’ pertain to the events following the ascension, while the current discussion addresses occurrences prior to the crucifixion. You will not have the opportunity to traverse the cities of Israel before persecution befalls you, for I shall have already approached you. When such persecution arises, He instructs them to escape, as it is the scheme of the adversary to hasten into peril and become a source of judgment for murderers, thereby harming those who might have benefitted from the proclamation of the Gospel. However, the phrase ‘as the Son of man cometh’ does not indicate the second advent, but rather refers to the coming and consolation experienced prior to the crucifixion. After the disciples were sent forth to preach, they returned to Christ and remained with Him.

Christ instructs His followers to escape from one city to another, and then to proceed to the next. His guidance is not meant to instill fear, but rather to advise against recklessly placing themselves in harm's way, to avoid death, and to protect those who would gain from their ministry.

Not that the Saviour was unable to protect His disciples, does He here bid them fly, and Himself give them an example of it, but He instructed man’s weakness, that he should not presume to tempt God, when he has any thing that he can do for himself, but should shun all evils.

If you arrive in a town and they do not welcome you, move on to another town, and if they chase you from there, continue to flee to yet another place. This was not meant for everyone indiscriminately, but rather for a select few disciples, as the new message was just beginning and the followers were limited in number. He wished to prevent a coalition against them that could have erased their legacy from the earth, thus obstructing the dissemination of His message among the nations and His teachings to all creation. Therefore, He stated: ‘If ye be driven out of one country, flee into another.’ Had the apostles not escaped during the stoning of Stephen, they would likely have faced the same fate themselves (Acts 7:57-60, Acts 8:1).

This must be referred to the time when the Apostles were sent to preach, when it was said to them, Go not into the way of the Gentiles; they should not fear, but may shun persecution. This we see the believers did in the beginning, when on a persecution arising in Jerusalem they were scattered throughout all Judea, and thus the season of tribulation was made the seedtime of the Gospel.

What is meant by the phrase: When they persecute you in one city, flee to another? Cities symbolize safeguarding, defense, and refuge for the righteous. Figuratively, a city represents various forms of ascetic practice, such as abstaining from wine, temperance in eating, prolonged vigils, and similar disciplines that provide protection. If we find ourselves harassed by demonic influences in one of these spiritual cities, tempting us with pride or vanity related to our ascetic endeavors, we should withdraw from this highly austere conduct to avoid falling into arrogance. Instead, we should seek refuge in another virtue that does not harbor vanity, continuing this until we attain the state of passionlessness. Alternatively, one might interpret cities as representing human souls.

After discussing the events that will unfold following His Ascension, He returns to the occurrences that will transpire before His Crucifixion. He instructs His followers to flee, not like those who cower in fear, but as individuals who have been exiled. Gregory the Theologian offers an interpretation of this passage, suggesting that He urges them to mourn the persecuted and the downtrodden, instructing them not to retreat too far, but to move from one city to another, so as not to overlook anyone who has not yet arrived. He mentions this to provide them with comfort and reassurance, affirming that He would gather them to Himself before they had traveled through all the cities of the Jews, meaning prior to their journey across all of Palestine. This promise served as a profound source of solace for those who suffered. Indeed, He fulfilled what He had assured them.

A man from Phrygia called Quintus, who had just come from that region, felt terrified when he encountered the wild animals. He was among those who had previously motivated himself and a few others to seek martyrdom on their own accord. After considerable urging, the proconsul convinced him to make an oath and present a sacrifice. Hence, dear brothers, we cannot endorse those who act on their own initiative, for the teachings of the Gospel do not support such behavior.

Otherwise; He exhorts to fly from place to place; for His preaching driven from Judæa, first passed into Greece; then, wearied with divers sufferings of the Apostles up and down the cities of Greece, it takes an abiding refuge in the rest of the Gentile world. But to shew that the Gentiles would believe the preaching of the Apostles, but that the remnant of Israel should only believe at His second coming, He adds, Ye shall not have completed the cities of Israel; i. e. After the fulness of the Gentiles is brought in, that which remains of Israel to fill up the number of the Saints shall be called into the Church in Christ’s future coming to glory.

Or; He foretels that they shall not have brought all the cities of Israel to the faith by their preaching, before the Lord’s resurrection be accomplished, and a commission given them to preach the Gospel throughout the world.

Be it known moreover, that as this precept respecting endurance under persecution specially belongs to the Apostles and their successors, men of fortitude, so the permission to fly is sufficiently proper for the weak in the faith, to whom the tender Master condescends, lest if they should offer themselves for martyrdom, under the pain they should deny the faith; and the sin of flight is lighter than that of denial. But though by their flight they shewed that they had not the constancy of perfect faith, yet their desert was great, seeing they were ready to leave all for Christ. So that if He had not given them permission to fly, some would have said that they were aliens from the glory of the heavenly kingdom.

When you face persecution in one town, do not linger or put your lives at risk unnecessarily; instead, move to another place and continue to proclaim the message. Truly I tell you, you will not have traversed the towns of Israel before the Son of Man arrives. To alleviate any concerns among the disciples about fleeing from their adversaries only to be found again and persecuted, the Savior reassures them: you will not have time to travel throughout all of Palestine, for I will come to you swiftly. As you complete your mission among the Jewish cities, the Son of Man will indeed come.

He cautioned them that they would face significant challenges during their current and future apostolic missions, as they would be subjected to trials and beaten within the synagogues, and summoned before authorities and monarchs. Nevertheless, they should not be anxious about what to say or how to respond, for in that moment, divine revelation would provide them with the words they needed. The message of peace would be distorted by humanity's sinful desires into a rallying call for anger and animosity, forcing them to escape from their relentless pursuers from one city to another. However, they must persevere until the end, as they will not have the opportunity to visit the towns of Israel before the arrival of the Son of Man.

"Flee to another": the apostles should not endanger their lives if they can avoid it without renouncing their Master and Savior; their existence is vital for the salvation of others, thus they must safeguard their lives and not put them at unnecessary risk; if they face persecution in one city, they should escape to another. - "You shall not have time to go round the cities of Israel": you will not have the opportunity to fulfill your current mission among the Jewish people. - “The Son of Man shall come”: in the related statement (Matt. 16:28), it is also mentioned, "in His kingdom." This additional phrase clarifies that this does not refer to the second glorious return of the Lord for judgment at the end of time.