Do not be afraid of those who kill the body
Matthew 10:28 - We are accountable to God alone, who judges both body and soul.
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“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
Matthew 10:28 NIV
At this point in the Gospel of Matthew, the disciples are fearing for their lives. Persecution is a constant worry and danger, and in this section of Matthew chapter 1, Jesus reminds the disciples that they should not fear their persecutors, but become even more bold in proclaiming the Gospel.
In the first sentence of the verse, Jesus advises the disciples to “not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.” The early followers of Jesus not only faced threats of death from the Jewish authorities (the Sadducees and the Pharisees), but the Roman occupiers as well. Jesus is encouraging His followers to have courage, to have no fear of the death of their earthly bodies as their souls will live on in eternity.
The soul (ancient Greek ψυχή or psychē) is distinct from the physical living human body. The soul is immortal; a concept that is central to Jewish thought and is affirmed in the doctrine of Christianity. The preservation of the soul is a theme that resounds throughout Scripture, and it emphasizes the eternal security of believers. Those who believe in Christ will always be blessed with the presence of the Lord.
Those who don’t? Their souls live on, but are forever separated from God, and that is hell.
Jesus continues, saying “Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell,” in other words, be a God-fearing person. We’ve mentioned this term before in our devotionals. It doesn’t mean that humans should be terrified of God, but rather be reverent and in awe of Him.
Let’s take a look at the Greek word used here for hell — γέεννα (geenna). From Blue Letter Bible’s Interlinear, we get this:
Hell is the place of the future punishment called “Gehenna” or “Gehenna of fire”. This was originally the valley of Hinnom, south of Jerusalem, where the filth and dead animals of the city were cast out and burned; a fit symbol of the wicked and their future destruction.
Jesus is reminding the disciples that God is sovereign and has ultimate authority over eternal destiny. It’s important to prioritize our spiritual lives over the physical ones, to shift our mental perspective from the earthly concerns that will soon be irrelevant to the reality of our eternal spiritual lives. Those human threats from the Sanhedrin or the Romans? They can only kill you once. The agony of torture and death lasts only a finite amount of time; eternity is forever.
Reading this verse, I was reminded of the 2019 Terrence Malick film “A Hidden Life”, the true story of Frank Jägerstätter, an Austrian farmer who refused to swear an oath of loyalty to Adolf Hitler during World War II on moral and religious grounds, and was eventually executed as a result. Jägerstätter became a martyr for Christ — he stood firm in his faith in the face of torture and death, and trusted in God’s justice.
18th-century Bible scholar Adam Clarke, cited in Enduring Word, said this about Matthew 10:28:
“Hence we find that the body and the soul are distinct principles, for the body may be slain and the soul escape; and, secondly, that the soul is immaterial, for the murderers of the body are not able, have it not in their power, to injure it.”
God’s judgment is real, and as Christians we are called to live holy lives. We are accountable to God alone, who judges both body and soul.
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Father in Heaven, I thank You for the truth found in this verse of the Gospel of Matthew. It reminds me that my life is in Your hands, and that I should fear You above everything else, trusting in Your power and love. Give me courage to stand firm in my faith, even in the face of persecution and death. Help me to share Your message with boldness, with the knowledge that my eternal security is found in You alone. AMEN.