Church Fathers Commentary Matthew 10:23

"But when they persecute you in this city, flee into the next: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone through the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come." — Matthew 10:23 (ASV)

St. John Chrysostom: Having foretold the fearful things that would come upon them after His cross, resurrection, and ascension, He leads them to gentler prospects. He does not command them to offer themselves presumptuously for persecution, but to flee from it: When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. Because this was the very beginning of their ministry, He adapts His words to their situation.

St. Jerome: This must be referred to the time when the Apostles were sent to preach and were told, Go not into the way of the Gentiles. They were not to fear, but they could shun persecution. We see the believers did this in the beginning when, during a persecution that arose in Jerusalem, they were scattered throughout all Judea. Thus, the season of tribulation became the seedtime of the Gospel.

St. Augustine of Hippo: The Savior was not unable to protect His disciples when He commanded them to flee, and He Himself gave them an example of it. Rather, He was instructing us in our human weakness, teaching that we should not presume to tempt God when we have the means to help ourselves, but should instead avoid all evils. ¹

He might have allowed them to take their own lives so that they would not fall into the hands of their persecutors. ²

However, since He neither commanded nor permitted this way of leaving the world for His own people—for whom He Himself had promised to prepare an eternal home—it is clear that suicide is not lawful for those who believe in the one true God, regardless of any examples brought forward by the Gentiles who do not know God.

St. John Chrysostom: But so that they would not ask, “What if we flee from persecution, and then they cast us out from the place where we have fled?” To remove this fear, He says, Truly, I say to you, you will not have finished going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. This means, you will not have made the circuit of Palestine and returned to Me before I take you to Myself.

Rabanus Maurus: Alternatively, He foretells that they will not have brought all the cities of Israel to the faith by their preaching before the Lord’s resurrection is accomplished and a commission is given to them to preach the Gospel throughout the world.

St. Hilary of Poitiers: In another sense, He exhorts them to flee from place to place. For His message, when driven from Judea, first passed into Greece. Then, after the apostles endured various sufferings throughout the cities of Greece, it took an abiding refuge in the rest of the Gentile world.

But to show that the Gentiles would believe the apostles’ preaching, while the remnant of Israel would only believe at His second coming, He adds, You will not have finished going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. This means that after the fullness of the Gentiles is brought in, the remnant of Israel that will complete the number of the saints will be called into the Church at Christ’s future coming in glory.

St. Augustine of Hippo: Let the servants of Christ, then, do as He commanded or permitted. Just as He fled into Egypt, let them flee from city to city whenever any one of them is singled out for persecution. This ensures the Church is not deserted, as it will be sustained by those who are not being sought. Let these also provide for their fellow servants whom they know cannot survive by any other means. ³

But when the threatening danger is common to all—bishops, clergy, and laity alike—let not those who need aid be deserted by those whose help they require.

Therefore, either let everyone move to a fortified place, or let those who must remain not be abandoned by those whose duty it is to supply their spiritual needs. In this way, they may all live together or all suffer together, whatever their Master wills for them to endure.

Remigius of Auxerre: Furthermore, it should be known that while the command to endure persecution belongs especially to the Apostles and their successors—men of fortitude—the permission to flee is entirely appropriate for the weak in faith. The gentle Master condescends to them, lest if they offered themselves for martyrdom, they might deny the faith under the pain of torture. The sin of flight is lighter than the sin of denial.

Although by fleeing they showed they did not have the constancy of perfect faith, their merit was still great, seeing they were ready to leave all for Christ. Indeed, if He had not given them permission to flee, some would have said that they were excluded from the glory of the heavenly kingdom.

St. Jerome: Spiritually, we may say this: When they persecute you in one book or one passage of Scripture, let us flee to other volumes. For however contentious the adversary may be, the Savior will provide protection before the enemy can claim victory.

1. cont. Faust., xxii, 36
2. City of God, book 1, ch. 22
3. Ep. 228