10:16
Jesus was under no misapprehensions about the nature of the mission He was sending them out on, and He was also looking ahead to what they would encounter after Pentecost, and what the church as a whole would encounter at many times and in many places. He sends us out into a world that is hostile to God, in rebellion against God. “If the world hated me, it will hate you” (John 15:18). We are to be as shrewd as snakes, and as innocent as doves. Our normal reaction is either to be totally naive, thinking everyone will like us because we are so loving and nice, or to be utterly devious. Leaning towards the former is by far the more common, but parts if the church have lapsed into the former at times.
10:17,18
Jesus is then quite explicit. They would be handed over to councils and synagogues, and beaten. In this Jesus was looking ahead, rather than just the immediate mission, for it was not until after the resurrection that this started to happen. While the early persecution would come primarily from the Jews, the Gentiles would then get in on the act. The kings and governors would think that they were in charge, but what was happening in reality is that they were God’s witnesses to these leaders.
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