What is the meaning of Matthew 10:28? Do not be afraid of those who kill the body Jesus first lifts our eyes above immediate danger. Physical threats are real—He does not minimize them—yet they are limited. • Psalm 118:6 echoes this freedom: “The LORD is on my side; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” • Proverbs 29:25 reminds us that “The fear of man is a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is set securely on high.” • Hebrews 13:6 repeats the same confidence, tying it to God’s unchanging help. The body may be harmed, imprisoned, or even taken in martyrdom, but God’s people can stand unshaken because earthly violence cannot touch their ultimate life in Him. but cannot kill the soul Here Jesus draws a line no human weapon can cross. The immaterial part of us—our soul—rests in God’s keeping. • Matthew 16:26 asks, “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?” emphasizing its incomparable value. • Ecclesiastes 12:7 notes that when the body returns to dust, “the spirit returns to God who gave it,” underscoring that only God holds sway over the soul’s destiny. • 1 Thessalonians 5:23 speaks of spirit, soul, and body being preserved “at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,” showing God’s holistic care. Human power stops at death’s door; God alone governs what lies beyond it. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell Jesus redirects fear from man to God—a reverent awe that recognizes His sovereign justice. • Luke 12:5 (a parallel verse) states, “Fear the One who, after you have been killed, has authority to cast you into hell.” • Hebrews 10:31 soberly warns, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” • Revelation 20:14-15 describes the final judgment, where those not in the Book of Life are “thrown into the lake of fire.” • Romans 14:12 affirms that “each of us will give an account of himself to God,” stressing personal responsibility. Because God rules over life, death, and eternity, appropriate fear of Him brings wisdom, repentance, and steadfast obedience, freeing believers from all lesser fears. summary Matthew 10:28 sets fear in its proper place. People may harm the body, but they cannot touch the soul that belongs to God. True, life-shaping fear is reserved for the Lord, who holds authority over both body and soul in eternity. When we grasp this, we find courage before men and reverence before God, living boldly now while holding eternity firmly in view. |
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