Biblical commentary on the New Testament - The Christian ...

408
Matthew X. 27, 28.
hitherto unknown, but out of which, nevertheless, a new life arose
The " hearing in the ear" {elg to ovg aKoveiv), on the contrary, corresponds
with " that which is hid" (to kpvtttov), and denotes here
the intentional concealment of that which is hereafter to be communicated,
as in the case before us, the opening of the mysteries
of the kingdom of God within the narrow circle of the apostles.
The future free proclamation of the divine counsel in all its rela-
tions, and the disclosure of all the mysteries in the church by the
Spirit, are hinted at in these words. The church knows of
no mysteries to be kept back. (In the phrase KTjpvaoeiv IttI twv
SuixaTOJv, proclaim on the Jiouse-tops, the form of the ancient Opuses
and roofs must be borne in mind.)
Ver. 28.—The general exhortation " fear not then" (verse 26) is,
in the 28th verse, brought into connexion with the true object of
fear, whilst its false objects are excluded. With refere"nce to verse
21, Jesus remarks, that the enemies of physical life should not be
objects of fear to a child of God, inasmuch as their power cannot
reach his true hfe. The words " cannot kill the soul" (/*?) dvvaodat
Tijv ijjvxrjv dTTOKTELvai), contain an allusion to their purely external
power, which is not able to penetrate into the domain of spiritual
life, in which the faithful move. This power, however, is ascribed
to some other agent, and of him the Lord commands them to be
afraid. The following reasons, apparently, compel us to understand
thereby the prince of darkness : 1st, If those words were to be re-
ferred to God, the expression /ear {(poj3eXG6at), must be understood in
two different senses, in the same verse,* the first time, in the sense
of he afraid (metuere), the second time, in the sense of reverence
(revereri); 2d, Verses 29 and 30 would scarcely agree with it, inasmuch
as God is represented in them, as a protector in dan-
ger and distress ; and on this, verse 31 founds the exhortation
" fear not therefore" (ft?) ovv (poi3T}dr]Te) , which would then form a
contradiction to the " fear" ((j)ol3rj67]Te) found here, and so emphati-
cally repeated in Luke xii. 5 ; 3d, It appears unsuitable to say of
God, that he destroys souls, inasmuch as it is he who saves them.
But still it would be a decisive argument against this view, that, in
Scripture, the devil never appears as he who condemns to hell ; his
whole activity depends upon the permissive will of God. (James
iv. 12.) Moreover, as verse 33 clearly indicates tho possibility of
apostacy and denial, the passage is best understood of a powerful
exhortation given by the Eedeemer to the disciples to earnestness,
and diligence in preserving and making sure their calling. True,
* No stress is to be laid on the change in ^opelaOai tlvu and and rivoc ; the former
combination also may also signify metuere ; but, in the sense of revrreri, it certainly is not
found in connection with lltto. In the usage of profane writers ''to be afraid of," " fa
reverence," is expressed by fojSelcdai npog ti.