They will seize and persecute you,
they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons,
and they will have you led before kings and governors
because of my name.
What Jesus predicts in this Gospel passage is exactly what Luke goes on to describe in the Acts of the Apostles. We do read about the imprisonment of Apostles like Peter and Paul, and of their testimony before kings and governors. They were in no way ambiguous in the face of such persecution, but continued to be clear that it was for the name of Jesus.
This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved (see Acts 4:11-12).
Persecution might seem like it would have impeded the evangelical efforts of the early disciples of Jesus. But it was just the opposite. It was precisely in persecution that they gained the opportunity to give testimony.
It will lead to your giving testimony.
It did not matter whether the persecutions scattered the disciples, moving them to places that they did not decide to go, or resulted in their imprisonment, preventing them from going where they might choose. Philip gave testimony in Samaria to the Ethiopian eunuch because he was among those who were scattered but now "preached the word wherever they went" (see Acts 8:4). The imprisonment of Paul and Silas resulted in the conversion of the jailer and his family (see Acts 16:25-34). Paul's steadfastness during his imprisonment in Rome resulted in the conversion of multiple members of "Caesar's household" (see Philippians 4:21). These few examples demonstrate how it was not in spite of persecution that the Gospel was spread. God took evil circumstances and made them work together for the good of those who loved him and who were called according to his purpose, that purpose being the spreading of the Gospel (see Romans 8:28).
Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
When we are unprepared and yet encounter fierce opposition we can take heart. It is not through the polish of our rhetorical ability that we are able to offer persuasive testimony. It is not a matter of having all of the right "plausible words of wisdom" (see First Corinthians 2:4) prepared in advance. We see this demonstrated by Saint Stephen. Even in the face of violence God guided Stephen in such a way that his words and his very life would be a persuasive testimony of the Lordship of Jesus. It may well have been that the testimony was the first chink in the armor of Saul, leading to his complete acceptance of Christ on the road to Damascus. Even though his words seemed to harden the hearts of his hearers, his witness was undeniable.
you are not to prepare your defense beforehand
We are very much called to study the bible, to know apologetics, to be "prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you" with "gentleness and respect" (see First Peter 3:15). But we are not called to attempt to predict the circumstances in which we will make use this knowledge. If we rely on having prepared in advance flowcharts of our message and all possible responses, and our answers to those responses, and their answers to us, it will multiple on and on to infinity. Jesus wants us to be able to depend primarily on his own presence at such times rather than any part of our prior preparation.
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
This wisdom in speaking is a spiritual gift given by his Holy Spirit that no amount of study or preparation will provide. In order to avail ourselves of it when times get tough we should begin by listening when they are easier. We are meant to be able to hear and recognize his voice. But we are like sheep who only gain this recognition through repeated exposure. We must spend time in prayer, not only talking at God, but given him time to respond. We must read his word, not as though it was a mere human word, but as a word spoken directly to us in that specific moment. God himself will ensure that we have all the opportunities we need so that we are ready to face persecution when it comes. If there is no time, from an earthly perspective, to be open to his voice and to have a background of familiarity with his word from which to draw, he can school us in his own wisdom in an instant and make us witnesses. All he asks of us is "perseverance", of not turning away from him who did not turn away from us.
Daniel answered the king:
“You may keep your gifts, or give your presents to someone else;
but the writing I will read for you, O king,
and tell you what it means.
Daniel was an example of one who was able to give testimony to the God of Israel because of the persecution he faced. Rather than shrinking back from speaking up or adapting the truth in order to produce a better result for himself he remained faithful to the Lord. Counterintuitively, even though the message was difficult to hear it nevertheless did persuade Belshazzar. It did not save his kingdom, that much is true. But it might just have saved his soul. What else are we to make of his rewarding of Daniel in spite of the message he heard, if it was not that he owned up to and accepted the verdict of the God of Israel on his sinfulness?
Then by order of Belshazzar they clothed Daniel in purple, with a chain of gold around his neck, and proclaimed him third in governing the kingdom. That very night Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was slain (see Daniel 5:29-30).
Difficult times may come for us as well. Perhaps some of us have already experienced families divided by faith. No matter the circumstances we must not give up hope! We must not even see all of these real difficulties and hardships as outside the scope of God's providential plan. They are not mere accidents around which he must work. They are the very threads he can knit into a story of salvation.
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