Matthew 10:23

“But when they persecute you in this city, etc.] Or any city into which they went, and preached the Gospel; and would not suffer them to go on in their work, they were not to desist, but to go elsewhere, where they might hope for a better reception, and a longer continuance, and so of doing more good: flee ye into another; not so much for their own safety, though this, according to the circumstances of things, is lawful, but for the further spreading of the Gospel. The exhortation is not to take methods to avoid persecution, or to make an escape from it, but to perseverance under it: the sense is, they were not to be discouraged, and to leave off, because of persecution in one place, but to…”

“But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another--"into the other." This, though applicable to all time, and exemplified by our Lord Himself once and again, had special reference to the brief opportunities which Israel was to have of "knowing the time of His visitations." for verily I say unto you--what will startle you, but at the same time show you the solemnity of your mission, and the need of economizing the time for it. Ye shall not have gone over--Ye shall in nowise have completed. the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come--To understand this--as LANGE and others do--in the first instance, of Christ's own peregrinations, as if He had said, "Waste not your time…”

“When they persecute ... - The apostles were not permitted to “throw away” their lives. Where they could preserve them without denying their Lord, they were to do it. Yet all the commands of Christ, as well as their conduct, show that they were rather to lay down their lives than deny their Saviour. We are to preserve our lives by all proper means, but we are rather to die than save ourselves by doing anything wrong. Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel ... - That is, in fleeing from persecutors from one city to another, you shall not have gone to every city in Judea until the end of the Jewish economy shall occur. See the notes at Matthew 24:28-30. By “the coming of the Son of…”

“Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel - Make what haste ye will; till the Son of man be come - To destroy their temple and nation. Matthew 10:24”

“10:23 will return: Scholars are divided as to whether this refers to the second coming of Christ for his church or an earlier coming in judgment—namely, the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 (see 16:28). • before you have reached: Jesus meant either “before you have fled through all the towns” or “before you have evangelized all the towns.” The focus on persecution in the context (see 10:17-39) favors the former, suggesting that the towns were like cities of refuge (Num 35:9-32). The emphasis is on how widespread the rejection of the message will be—i.e., “not until the whole nation has run you out of town.””

“when: Mat 2:13, Mat 4:12, Mat 12:14, Mat 12:15; Luk 4:29-31; Joh 7:1, Joh 10:39-42, Joh 11:53, Joh 11:54; Act 8:1, Act 9:24, Act 9:25, Act 13:50, Act 13:51, Act 14:6, Act 14:7, Act 14:19, Act 14:20, Act 17:10, Act 17:14, Act 20:1 have gone over: or, end, or, finish till: Mat 16:28, Mat 24:27, Mat 24:30, Mat 24:48, Mat 25:13, Mat 26:64; Mar 13:26; Luk 18:8, Luk 21:27 Matthew 10:24”