Matthew 24:10 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Then shall many be offended, &c.— By reason of persecution and of the universal hatred which all nations bore against theChristian name, many were indeed offended, and apostatized from the faith; as particularly Phygellus and Hermogenes, and many others in Asia, 2 Timothy 1:15 and Demas,—Matthew 9:10. But they would not only apostatize from the faith, but also betray and hate one another. To illustrate which point, we need only cite a sentence out of Tacitus, speaking of the persecution under Nero: "At first, (says he) several were seized, who confessed, and then, by their discovery, a great multitude of others were convicted and executed."