Fear none of those things. — Though Christ proclaimed His yoke to be easy, He also said that His followers must expect tribulation (John 16:33). He never conceals the difficulties or dangers of His service. (See Matthew 10:16-31; Acts 9:16.) So here He proclaims, “Behold, the devil shall cast some....”
The devil. — The LXX. translation gives this name to Satan, regarding him as the “accuser.” (See Job 1:6; Zechariah 3:1-2; and comp. Revelation 12:10, where he is described as the “accuser of the brethren.”)
Tried. — On the part of the adversary, the intention was that they might be tempted from their allegiance to Christ. The real effect would be that they who endured would come forth tested and approved. The suffering would be for “ten days.” This is variously explained. Some think it applies to the periods of persecution; others understand it to mean a long persecution of ten years; others take it literally; others again view it as expressing completeness: the test would be thorough. The exhortation, “Be thou faithful (even) unto death,” seems to favour this last; while the mention of “ten days” was, perhaps, designed to remind them that the period of trial was limited by Him who knew what they could bear, and would be but a little while when compared with the life with which they would be crowned.
A crown of life. — Rather, the crown of life. A crown was given to the priest who presided at the Dionysian Mysteries, which were celebrated with great pomp at Smyrna. A crown was also given at the Olympian Games, which were held at Smyrna. If there is any allusion to either of these, the latter would be the most natural. Some hold, however, the crown — though the word is Stephanos, not diadema — is rather that of royalty than of victory. It is interesting to note that the narrative which tells of the death of Polycarp closes with words which it is difficult not to believe to be an allusion to this promise — “By his patience he overcame the unrighteous ruler, and received the crown of immortality” (Smyrn. Ep.).