John Calvin Commentary Matthew 10:19

"But when they deliver you up, be not anxious how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that hour what ye shall speak." — Matthew 10:19 (ASV)

Be not anxious.⁵⁸⁵ A consolation is added: for Christ’s many exhortations to the disciples would have been in vain if He had not, at the same time, promised that God would be with them and that through His power they would assuredly be victorious. Therefore, we infer that Christ, by announcing those dangers, is far from intending to lessen the intensity of the zeal with which the disciples needed to burn if they wished to discharge their duty properly.

It is, no doubt, a serious matter to endure the presence of princes; for not only fear, but even shame, sometimes overpowers well-disciplined minds. What, then, can be expected if princes break out into furious anger and almost thunder?⁵⁸⁶ Yet Christ charges His disciples not to be anxious.

For in that hour shall be given to you what you shall speak. The Spirit will suggest words to them. The more a person distrusts himself due to awareness of his own weakness, the more he is alarmed, unless he expects assistance from another source. Accordingly, we see that the reason most people give way is that they measure the success of their undertakings by their own strength, which is very small or almost nothing. Christ forbids the disciples to look at their own strength and enjoins them to rely with undivided confidence on heavenly grace. “It is not,” He says, “your ability that is in question, but the power of the Holy Spirit, who forms and guides the tongues of believers to a sincere confession of their faith.”

So that they might not be alarmed by their present deficiency, He assures them that assistance will come at the very instant it is needed. It frequently happens that the Lord leaves believers destitute of the gift of eloquence as long as He does not require them to give Him a testimony; but when the necessity for it arrives, those who formerly appeared to be dumb are endowed by Him with more than ordinary eloquence. Thus, in our own time, we have seen some martyrs, who seemed to be almost devoid of talent, and yet were no sooner called to make a public profession of their faith than they exhibited a command of appropriate and graceful language altogether miraculous.⁵⁸⁷

Yet it was not Christ’s will that the apostles should be free from all care, for it was advantageous for them to have such a measure of anxiety as would lead them to supplicate and entreat that the Spirit might be given to them. However, He desired to remove that deep and uneasy thought which almost always tends to perplex and embarrass. As long as people indulge in speculation about what is to take place, or whether this or that thing will happen, and do not rely on the providence of God, they are kept in a miserable state of trouble and uneasiness. And, indeed, those who do not give such honor to the providence of God as to believe that it will relieve their needs in due time deserve to be tormented in this manner.

⁵⁸⁵ “N'ayez point de souci;” — “have no anxiety.”;” — “have no anxiety.”

⁵⁸⁶ “En sorte qu'il semblera quasi qu'ils foudroyent;” — “so that they will almost appear to thunder.”;” — “so that they will almost appear to thunder.”

⁵⁸⁷ “Et de faict, nous avons veu de nostre temps aucuns martyrs, lesquels ayans este le reste de leur vie quasi muets, et n'ayans point de grace a parler, toutesfois quand Dieu les a appelez a rendre confession de leur foy devant les ennenmis, c’a este un miracle du don excellent qu'ils out eu de parlet et respondre pertinemment et avec grace.” — “And, in fact, we have seen, in our own time, some martyrs who having been the rest of their life, as it were, dumb, and having no gracefulness of speech, yet when God called them to make confession of their faith before enemies, the excellent gift which they possessed, of speaking and replying appropriately and gracefully, was quite miraculous.”.” — “And, in fact, we have seen, in our own time, some martyrs who having been the rest of their life, as it were, dumb, and having no gracefulness of speech, yet when God called them to make confession of their faith before enemies, the excellent gift which they possessed, of speaking and replying appropriately and gracefully, was quite miraculous.”