Matthew 10:28 - Exposition

And . Restating Matthew 10:26 from a different point of view. Fear not ; be not afraid of (Revised Version); μὴ φοβηθῆτε ἀπό . So Westcott and Herr, with B ( sic ) and two or three other authorities. The Revised Version (cf. Authorized Version parallel passage, Luke 12:4 ) expresses the greater difference from Matthew 10:26 and Matthew 10:28 ( φοβηθῆτε ἀπό with genitive, a Hebraism expressing avoidance, shrinking, cowardly dreas ; φοβηθῆτε with accusative, concentration of regard) at the expense of the lesser ( φοβηθῆτε , general command, or perhaps "never once fear;" φοβεῖσθε , "ever fear," habit). Them which kill the body . So R. Akiba refused to give up studying and teaching the Law when it was forbidden on pain of death (Talm. Bab., 'Berach.,' 61 b ). But are not able to kill the soul ( Matthew 6:25 , note). But rather fear . Always ( φοβεῖσθε ). Fear; yes, but the right object ( φοβεῖσθε δὲ μᾶλλον , not μᾶλλον δὲ φοβεῖσθε ), and that intensely ( vide supra ) . Him which is able ( τομενον ) . Mere power; but in the parallel passage in Luke, authority. The reference is, of course, to God (cf. James 4:12 ). To destroy ( ἀπολέσαι ). The class of words to which this belongs denotes "utter and hopeless ruin; but they convey no idea whether the ruined object ceases to exist or continues a worthless existence" (Professor Agar Beet, in Expositor , IV . 1.28). Professor Marshall, in Expositor , IV . 3:283, thinks Luke's variant, "to cast," indicates that our Lord originally used an Aramaic word that properly meant "to set on fire." Both soul and body in hell ( Matthew 5:22 , note).