Matthew 10:25Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Because it should come to pass that His disciples among their other persecutions should suffer loss of character, which to many is the most grievous of all calamities, He consoles them from His own example, and those things that were spoken of Him; a comfort to which no other can be compared.

Find solace in what I suffer, He declares. If I am labeled the prince of devils, should it be surprising that they speak ill of you, my family? He referred to them as ‘family’ rather than servants, highlighting His intimate relationship with them.

Beelzebub is the idol of Accaron who is called in the book of Kings, the God of flies; ‘Bel,’ signifying idol; (2 Kings 1:3.) ‘zebub,’ a fly. The Prince of the dæmons He calls by the name of the foulest of idols, which is so called because of the uncleanness of the fly, which destroys the sweetness of ointment.

Let it serve as ample comfort for you, my disciples, that you will face scorn in the same manner as I, your Lord; it is crucial that you share in this experience with me. Beelzebub was identified as the ruler of demons. While it is not specifically stated that the Jews referred to Christ as Beelzebub, it stands to reason that they may have used this term regarding Him. Alternatively, they might have labeled Him as a companion of Beelzebub, saying, "This man does not cast out demons, except by Beelzebub, the prince of demons" (Matthew 12:24), as we will observe later. Certainly, they spoke many other calumnies against Him, but He highlighted this particular accusation as the most egregious of all.

For the Lord, the Light eternal, the Captain of the faithful, the Parent of immortality, set before His disciples this solace of the sufferings that should come upon them, that we should embrace it as our glory when we are made like to our Lord in suffering; whence He says, The disciple is not above his master, nor the slave above his lord.

He calls Himself master and lord; by disciple and servant He denotes His Apostles.

The apostles receive assurance in the face of the world's widespread animosity: they must keep in mind that Christ Himself was subjected to hatred and scorn, even being labeled as Beelzebub.

Do not be alarmed by the reality of hatred and persecution that may come your way, for you are My followers, and a disciple is not greater than the teacher, nor is a servant greater than their master. If I, the lord of this household, have been labeled Beelzebub, then how much more will you face such accusations? If the world despises Me, it will likewise despise you.

The owner of the residence is the Lord Jesus. This dwelling symbolizes the kingdom of Christ (Matt. 20:1ff.), with Christ as its leader, the householder. Beelzebub: there are two variations of this term in the manuscripts—Beelzebub and Beelzebub. The former signifies the god of flies and was a Philistine idol, particularly revered in the city of Ekron (2 Kings 1:2, 3, 16). This unusual name arose because the coastal regions, including Philistia, were plagued by numerous insects, notably a specific type of fly known for swarming in clouds and delivering painful bites. To combat this nuisance, the Philistines devised a deity to serve as a protective patron.

In the face of the accusations and defamation that the apostles would face from the spiritually blind adversaries of the Gospel, the Lord provided solace through His own actions: No disciple is above his master, nor is a servant greater than his lord; it is expected for the disciple to emulate his teacher and for the servant to mirror his master. If the master of the house is labeled as Beelzebub, how much more so will his household be? Do not fear them, for the truth will ultimately be uncovered; time will disclose both your righteousness and the malevolence of the accusers, for there is nothing concealed that will not be made known, nor anything hidden that will not be brought to light.