NOTES for Mat 10:23-31

Christ's words foretelling imminent persecution and encouraging believers are somewhat reminiscent, at first glance, of the way people can be indoctrinated in totalitarian sects: “We alone are right, and everyone else is foolish. So they will beat us, but we will hold firm because we are right, and we will be rewarded for it. And we cannot be wrong, because that can never happen.” Or something along those lines... Yet there is one essential difference between what Jesus says and what people may say. The difference, in fact, lies precisely in who is speaking. For only Christ has real truth “behind Him.” And only God Himself can truly promise anything, because only His promises are immutable. Although our reward is invisible, our endurance is all the more precious, for “if one sees, what is there to hope for?” (Rom. 8:24) And if Christ says that nothing will happen to us without the will of our Father, then we can be certain that this is so. Everyone probably understands, and many of us know from personal experience, that God truly cares for us; and if we walk down the street and no brick falls on us, there is every reason to see in this a gift from God...