Knowing that His is going to be a life of persecution and martyrdom, Christ warns the Twelve that they are going to face the same outcome as their Master. If they are going to proclaim law and gospel, wrath and grace, and the Lordship of Christ, they can expect to be hauled before councils, kings, and governors. They will be tempted to switch to self-preservation mode and avoid trouble by betraying others, and yet this would be proof that they do not have communion with Christ, as Judas' betrayal is going to prove. Endurance across the finish line is the final proof that Christ is ours, and we are His. This is what the Twelve were called to, and this is what we are still called to do down to today. As we fulfill this calling, we are to be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves. To make Christ truly known, we must understand the Scriptures well enough to correctly interpret the world around us, and internalize them deeply enough that we can live a life of heartfelt holiness and integrity.