But beware of people, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved. (Mt 10:17-22)
Beware of people says the author. Does he mean that we should not trust anyone? Why does he give this caution? People are there to handover one to the people in authority. Disciples are to answer to the people in authority and pagans. All these happen for the sake of Christ. Christ becomes the point of reference and conflict and division.
Disciples are not to be worried about how to tackle these situations. Situations are because of Jesus and God will look into the situations. God will tackle the situations. God will give the answers at the time. Situations of this type are not in the control of human beings. They are in the control of the spirit. Spirit has taken the situations into his hand and he will respond or make the disciple respond.
Jesus name will cause division among people in the society. This division will cut across the families and even brothers will be divided. People will hate the disciples for the name sake of Jesus. Only the presence of God and the presence of the spirit in the world will resolve all the problems. Disciples should have the faith to see God and the presence of the spirit even in the negative situations like divisions and hatred.
