The apostles would eventually also be taken to the courts of the Gentiles,which alone had the ius gladdii—the right of the sword or the execution of capital punishment (John 18:31, John 19:10). As for princes and kings, think here of the Herodian leaders such as Herod Antipas (Matthew 14:1), Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12:1), and his son Herod Agrippa II (Acts 12:1), Roman governors such as Pontius Pilate and the emperor himself. Since the Gentile rulers represented the Gentiles, it is clear that the them
in the phrase them and the Gentiles
(Matthew 10:18b) refers to the Jews. The witness spoken of here refers to the proof itself being brought forward (see Matthew 8:4, Matthew 24:14), but also to the actions of the witnesses themselves. The apostles must be witnesses of Jesus’ divine power and his mission. Even if people do not want to hear that testimony, they will get to hear it before the Sanhedrins, in the synagogues, and in the presence of governors and kings. It is there that Jesus brings the testimony about him from the mouths of his persecuted missionaries. Here both those who persecute them (the Jews) and the Gentiles (who are involved in judging them) will hear it, which is how the testimony of Peter before a large gathering of the Sanhedrin gained such great influence, as well as Paul’s testimony before Felix, Festus, and Agrippa.
The apostles would eventually also be taken to the courts of the Gentiles, for whom the ius gladdii—that is, the right of the sword or the execution of capital punishment—was reserved (John 18:31, John 19:10). When it comes to princes and kings, we ought to think here of the Herodian leaders such as Herod Antipas (Matthew 14:1), Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12:1), his son Herod Agrippa II (Acts 26:2), as well as Roman governors such as Pontius Pilate and the emperor himself. Considering that they, as Gentile rulers, represented the Gentiles, it is evident that the them
in the phrase them and the Gentiles
(Matthew 10:18b) refers to the Jews. The witness spoken of here refers to the proof itself being brought forward (see Matthew 8:4 and Matthew 24:14), but also to the actions of the witnesses themselves.1
The apostles ought to be witnesses of Jesus’ divine power and his mission. And even if people do not desire to hear that testimony, they will get to hear it before the Sanhedrins, in the synagogues, and in the presence of governors and kings. It is in this specific context that Jesus allows the testimony concerning him to be heard by the mouths of his persecuted missionaries. Here both those who persecute them (the Jews) as well as the Gentiles (who are involved in judging them) will hear it, and in this way the testimony of Peter, before a large gathering of the Sanhedrin, gained such great influence, for example. This is also true of Paul’s testimony before Felix, Festus, and Agrippa.2
17 Mettez-vous en garde contre les hommes; car ils vous livreront aux tribunaux, et ils vous battront de verges dans leurs synagogues;